Special counsel John Durham, who was appointed to investigate the opening of the Trump-Russia probe, released a 300-page report accusing the FBI of negligence in opening the investigation based on vague and insufficient information. Installed.
Durham’s report criticized the FBI for a lack of analytical rigor and suggested that senior FBI officials exhibited bias when obtaining information from politically connected sources. The FBI responded by stating that the errors identified had already been addressed through corrective measures implemented by current leadership. However, the report, which did not result in a successful lawsuit, appears to have served as an appeal to public opinion, supporting claims by Trump and his allies that the Obama administration influenced the 2016 election. Federal power was used to be styled.
Durham’s findings contradict a 2019 report by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog, which found that while the FBI made mistakes, the decision to open the Trump-Russia investigation was justified and untainted by political bias.
Durham expanded on its disagreement with the inspector general’s report in its latest release. Attorney General Merrick Garland received the report and ordered its release unchanged.
The report mentions the FBI’s investigation, dubbed “Crossfire Hurricane,” which led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. While Mueller did not establish coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, he did reveal contacts between campaign officials and the Russians, as well as a willingness to accept help from Moscow.
Durham argues that the FBI acted hastily by launching an investigation based on uncorroborated information and suggests that the FBI treated counterintelligence cases related to the Clinton campaign differently.
The report also questions the FBI’s reliance on the Steele dossier, a document compiled by former British intelligence operative Christopher Steele, which the FBI used to obtain a surveillance warrant for Trump aide Carter Page. was used The FBI was unable to verify most of the dossier’s claims, and Durham sued Igor Danchenko, a Russian who was believed to have contributed to the dossier, for lying to the FBI. Shouted However, Danchenko was acquitted.
Another person charged by Durham, attorney Michael Sussman, was also acquitted of perjury.
Durham’s report serves as the conclusion of his investigation, outlining his criticisms of the FBI’s handling of the Trump-Russia investigation. Although the report makes some new findings, much of it repeats well-known information about the investigation’s history.
The report’s release has reignited debate over the FBI’s motives and actions during the 2016 election.