Justice Department investigates possible surveillance abuses in Russia election case
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department’s inspector general announced on Wednesday a review of possible surveillance abuses by the FBI and Justice officials related to the inquiry into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election.
A month ago, Attorney General Jeff Sessions referred the matter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz after House Republicans raised concerns.
Republican lawmakers asserted that the FBI misused a secret surveillance court to get approval to wiretap former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
The issue was the subject of dueling reports issued last month by Republican and Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee. Republicans alleged that Justice and FBI officials overstepped their authority in targeting the former campaign adviser by improperly relying on an unsubstantiated dossier prepared by a former British spy and funded in part by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee.Â
Democrats argued that the dossier was only part of the justification for the order, indicating that Page was deemed an “agent of the Russian government” before the FBI received the dossier.
Horowitz, whose office is in the midst of a highly charged review of the FBI and Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server, said he launched the inquiry into Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant applications at the request of Sessions and members of Congress.
“As part of this examination, the (inspector general’s office) also will review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI … about an alleged FBI confidential source,” according to a statement issued by the inspector general’s office. Though the statement did not identify the confidential source, former British spy Christopher Steele authored the dossier provided to the FBI.
“Additionally, the (inspector general) will review the DOJ’s and FBI’s relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) applications,” the inspector general stated.
Sessions’ decision to refer the matter to the inspector general prompted criticism from President Trump, who called the attorney general’s action “disgraceful” in a Twitter rebuke. Trump wanted the issue treated as a criminal inquiry.Â
“Why is Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigative potentially massive FISA abuse,” Trump wrote. “Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!”
Sessions defended his action.
“As long as I am the attorney general, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor, and this department will continue to do its work in a fair and impartial manner according to the law and Constitution,” the attorney general said in a statement.
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