DOJ Inspector General Report on FBI Investigation of Hillary Clinton

 

The Department of Justice Inspector General’s report on the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton has been released. You can read the (568 page!) document yourself here. Share any revelations you find in it here in the comments.

DOJ’s Inspector General Report: A Review of Various Actions by the Federal Bureau of Investifation and Department of Justice in Advance of the 2016 Election

The Washington Post reports that:

The Justice Department inspector general on Thursday castigated former FBI Director James B. Comey for his actions during the Hillary Clinton email investigation and found that other senior bureau officials showed a ‘willingness to take official action’ to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president.

The Wall Street Journal:

The inspector general also blasted FBI personnel who exchanged text messages that were critical of President Donald Trump during his campaign, saying the missives “cast a cloud over the entire FBI investigations and sowed doubt about the FBI’s” handling of the probe.

Nevertheless, the inspector general concluded in its 500-page report, that it found no evidence that the FBI or Justice Department allowed political bias to influence the investigative steps the watchdog examined as part of its wide-ranging inquiry.

A recently discovered text exchange, however, between FBI agent Peter Strzok, who led the Clinton investigation, and an FBI lawyer, Lisa Page, raised concerns about how the FBI handled the discovery of Clinton-related emails on a laptop once used by one of her aides, Huma Abedin.

The IG Report states on page 13 (I’m a slow reader):

We found that Strzok used his personal email accounts for official government business on several occasions, including forwarding an email from his FBI account to his personal email account about the proposed search warrant the Midyear team was seeking on the Weiner laptop. This email included a draft of the search warrant affidavit, which contained information from the Weiner investigation that appears to have been under seal at the time in the Southern District of New York and information obtained pursuant to a grand jury subpoena issued in the Eastern District of Virginia in the Midyear investigation.

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  1. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Gentlemen,

    This is a wonderful example of “look a squirrel”. Yes Page & Stzrok are idiots and Stzrok needs to be fired but so what? Comey claimed that he couldn’t recommend prosecution of Hillary because he couldn’t prove intent. This is an unbelievable joke. The woman exposed every communique of the Secretary of State to easy hacking access for 4 years. She did this with full knowledge of the proper procedure, the law, and the consequences.

    I think it’s time to bring up a subject that we have all been trying to avoid. If Sessions were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller or both, the immediate unified scream from the Dems & Media would be “SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE” they would be barking for impeachment. This is what they have been hoping for all along. These brainless left-wing hack bastards would destroy this country with their banal garbage just to hang onto undeserved power a little longer. They don’t care about the American people that’s obvious. They don’t care about Western Civilization that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious but really should be is that they don’t give a damn about the human race itself. They are full of crap and everything they would eagerly do would be a complete disaster, you know, GLOBALLY!

    Right at this moment, I am reaching a point where I couldn’t be satisfied by Rosenstein or Mueller just being fired. Their hopelessly soulless actions could result in the deaths worldwide of millions possibly billions of people. They have no respect for Freedom only their infantile obsession with professionalism.  Adolf Eichmann was extremely professional too.

    Donald Trump isn’t the threat to Democracy they are! I think I need to go and pray.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #31
  2. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Take a breath, Jim! :-D

    • #32
  3. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Gentlemen,

    This is a wonderful example of “look a squirrel”. Yes Page & Stzrok are idiots and Stzrok needs to be fired but so what? Comey claimed that he couldn’t recommend prosecution of Hillary because he couldn’t prove intent. This is an unbelievable joke. The women exposed every communique of the Secretary of State to easy hacking access for 4 years. She did this with full knowledge of the proper procedure, the law, and the consequences.

    I think it’s time to bring up a subject that we have all been trying to avoid. If Sessions were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller or both, the immediate unified scream from the Dems & Media would be “SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE” they would be barking for impeachment. This is what they have been hoping for all along. These brainless left-wing hack bastards would destroy this country with their banal garbage just to hang onto undeserved power a little longer. They don’t care about the American people that’s obvious. They don’t care about Western Civilization that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious but really should be is that they don’t give a damn about the human race itself. They are full of crap and everything they would eagerly do would be a complete disaster, you know, GLOBALLY!

    Right at this moment, I am reaching a point where I couldn’t be satisfied by Rosenstein or Mueller just being fired. Their hopelessly soulless actions could result in the deaths worldwide of millions possibly billions of people. They have no respect for Freedom only their infantile obsession with professionalism. Adolf Eichmann was extremely professional too.

    Donald Trump isn’t the threat to Democracy they are! I think I need to go and pray.

    Regards,

    Jim

    You’re not wrong, then again at this point what difference does it make? 

    • #33
  4. Roberto the Weary Inactive
    Roberto the Weary
    @Roberto

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Ricochet Editors’ Desk:

    Nevertheless, the inspector general concluded in its 500-page report, that it found no evidence that the FBI or Justice Department allowed political bias to influence the investigative steps the watchdog examined as part of its wide-ranging inquiry.

    Of course not.

    Doesn’t that indicate that Strzok thought there was no real substance to the Russian investigation that could implicate Trump? I’m missing some context from that quote.

    Yet he assiduously and fervently pursued the investigation through the election and afterwards. It speaks to his motives, if he felt fairly certain that there was nothing there then why did he do so?

    • #34
  5. Dave Sussman Member
    Dave Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Ricochet Editors’ Desk:

     

    Nevertheless, the inspector general concluded in its 500-page report, that it found no evidence that the FBI or Justice Department allowed political bias to influence the investigative steps the watchdog examined as part of its wide-ranging inquiry.

    Of course not.

     

    Doesn’t that indicate that Strzok thought there was no real substance to the Russian investigation that could implicate Trump? I’m missing some context from that quote.

    That’s how I read it. 

    • #35
  6. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Ricochet Editors’ Desk:

     

    Nevertheless, the inspector general concluded in its 500-page report, that it found no evidence that the FBI or Justice Department allowed political bias to influence the investigative steps the watchdog examined as part of its wide-ranging inquiry.

    Of course not.

     

    Doesn’t that indicate that Strzok thought there was no real substance to the Russian investigation that could implicate Trump? I’m missing some context from that quote.

    Yet he assiduously and fervently pursued the investigation through the election and afterwards. It speaks to his motives, if he felt fairly certain that there was nothing there then why he do so?

    I can’t speak to that. I think the IG should immediately open an investigation into Strzok and his actions regarding the Russia Investigation. Then we’ll know more. 

    • #36
  7. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Page 43:

    In addition, Lisa Page, who was Special Counsel to McCabe, became involved in the Midyear investigation after McCabe became the Deputy Director in February 2016. Page told the OIG that part of her function was to serve as a liaison between the Midyear team and McCabe. Page acknowledged that her role upset senior FBI officials, but told the OIG that McCabe relied on her to ensure that he had the information he needed to make decisions, without it being filtered through multiple layers of management. Several witnesses told the OIG that Page circumvented the official chain of command, and that Strzok communicated important Midyear case information to her, and thus to McCabe, without Priestap’s or Steinbach’s knowledge. McCabe said that he was aware of complaints about Page, and that he valued her ability to “spot issues” and bring them to his attention when others didnot do so.

    • #37
  8. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Oh, so now Gowdy says….

    Thanks, Trey. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. 🙄

    • #38
  9. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    • #39
  10. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Gentlemen,

    This is a wonderful example of “look a squirrel”. Yes Page & Stzrok are idiots and Stzrok needs to be fired but so what? Comey claimed that he couldn’t recommend prosecution of Hillary because he couldn’t prove intent. This is an unbelievable joke. The women exposed every communique of the Secretary of State to easy hacking access for 4 years. She did this with full knowledge of the proper procedure, the law, and the consequences.

    I think it’s time to bring up a subject that we have all been trying to avoid. If Sessions were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller or both, the immediate unified scream from the Dems & Media would be “SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE” they would be barking for impeachment. This is what they have been hoping for all along. These brainless left-wing hack bastards would destroy this country with their banal garbage just to hang onto undeserved power a little longer. They don’t care about the American people that’s obvious. They don’t care about Western Civilization that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious but really should be is that they don’t give a damn about the human race itself. They are full of crap and everything they would eagerly do would be a complete disaster, you know, GLOBALLY!

    Right at this moment, I am reaching a point where I couldn’t be satisfied by Rosenstein or Mueller just being fired. Their hopelessly soulless actions could result in the deaths worldwide of millions possibly billions of people. They have no respect for Freedom only their infantile obsession with professionalism. Adolf Eichmann was extremely professional too.

    Donald Trump isn’t the threat to Democracy they are! I think I need to go and pray.

    Regards,

    Jim

    You’re not wrong, then again at this point what difference does it make?

    Jamie,

    The truth always matters, if not in this world then the next.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #40
  11. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Oh, so now Gowdy says….

    Thanks, Trey. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. 🙄

    Yeah, what a maroon. Waiting for information to come to light before reaching a conclusion. 

    More importantly, where do we stand on staff members poisoning the discussion on a website where we pay actual money for civil discussion, @max

    • #41
  12. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Gentlemen,

    This is a wonderful example of “look a squirrel”. Yes Page & Stzrok are idiots and Stzrok needs to be fired but so what? Comey claimed that he couldn’t recommend prosecution of Hillary because he couldn’t prove intent. This is an unbelievable joke. The women exposed every communique of the Secretary of State to easy hacking access for 4 years. She did this with full knowledge of the proper procedure, the law, and the consequences.

    I think it’s time to bring up a subject that we have all been trying to avoid. If Sessions were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller or both, the immediate unified scream from the Dems & Media would be “SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE” they would be barking for impeachment. This is what they have been hoping for all along. These brainless left-wing hack bastards would destroy this country with their banal garbage just to hang onto undeserved power a little longer. They don’t care about the American people that’s obvious. They don’t care about Western Civilization that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious but really should be is that they don’t give a damn about the human race itself. They are full of crap and everything they would eagerly do would be a complete disaster, you know, GLOBALLY!

    Right at this moment, I am reaching a point where I couldn’t be satisfied by Rosenstein or Mueller just being fired. Their hopelessly soulless actions could result in the deaths worldwide of millions possibly billions of people. They have no respect for Freedom only their infantile obsession with professionalism. Adolf Eichmann was extremely professional too.

    Donald Trump isn’t the threat to Democracy they are! I think I need to go and pray.

    Regards,

    Jim

    You’re not wrong, then again at this point what difference does it make?

    Jamie,

    The truth always matters, if not in this world then the next.

    Regards,

    Jim

    I suspect that those who sit in judgment in the next world already know the truth of the matter and the truth in her heart.

    • #42
  13. Roberto the Weary Inactive
    Roberto the Weary
    @Roberto

    I’m seem to recall some speculating on this, we appear to have confirmation.

    https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1007330544965881856

     

    • #43
  14. Roberto the Weary Inactive
    Roberto the Weary
    @Roberto

    Fair summation.

    They really hit it out of the park on that last one.

    • #44
  15. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Thinking you are getting away with a coup is a powerful aphrodisiac.

    • #45
  16. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    So, I skimmed the text message section (among other things).  It is a good reminder to everyone to watch what you say in text messages on the company phone .

    Doubly so if that company phone belongs to the government and an IG investigation might demand you answer for every text message.

     

    • #46
  17. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    So, I skimmed the text message section (among other things). It is a good reminder to everyone to watch what you say in text messages on the company phone .

    Doubly so if that company phone belongs to the government and an IG investigation might demand you answer for every text message.

     

    I believe one of the recommendations was to: “Remind DoJ employees that if they are to plot the overthrow of the United States government, they should do so on personal devices.”

     

    That came before: “Remind DoJ employees that if they are to assassinate elected officials of  of the United States government, they should do so using personal weapons. Government-supplied weapons should be limited to use in assassinating appointed officials and, of course, members of the dreaded private sector.”

    • #47
  18. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Roberto the Weary (View Comment):

    Ricochet Editors’ Desk:

     

    Nevertheless, the inspector general concluded in its 500-page report, that it found no evidence that the FBI or Justice Department allowed political bias to influence the investigative steps the watchdog examined as part of its wide-ranging inquiry.

    Of course not.

     

    Doesn’t that indicate that Strzok thought there was no real substance to the Russian investigation that could implicate Trump? I’m missing some context from that quote.

    Yet he assiduously and fervently pursued the investigation through the election and afterwards. It speaks to his motives, if he felt fairly certain that there was nothing there then why he do so?

    I can’t speak to that. I think the IG should immediately open an investigation into Strzok and his actions regarding the Russia Investigation. Then we’ll know more.

    In another couple of years?

    • #48
  19. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    We found no evidence that bias affected the investigation…

     

    • #49
  20. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    We found no evidence that bias affected the investigation…

     

    Sorry, where is the evidence? 

    • #50
  21. Ontheleftcoast Inactive
    Ontheleftcoast
    @Ontheleftcoast

    ctlaw (View Comment):

    I believe one of the recommendations was to: “Remind DoJ employees that if they are to plot the overthrow of the United States government, they should do so on personal devices.”

     

    Ham radio!

    • #51
  22. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

     

     

     

     

     

    • #52
  23. Roberto the Weary Inactive
    Roberto the Weary
    @Roberto

    I suppose lying to the FBI is really not as big a deal as we were led to believe.

     

    • #53
  24. Roberto the Weary Inactive
    Roberto the Weary
    @Roberto

    So dozens of FBI agents were leaking to reporters and accepting bribes but we have five people on the hook, only five?

    https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1007346988688596993

    • #54
  25. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    My guess is that the report has lots of dirt in it, but Never Trumpers and Leftists will dismiss it for lacking a “smoking gun” anyway.

    For instance, the summary states that Strzok was biased but that the IG couldn’t determine his bias influenced the investigation. Yeah, ok. Whatever.

    So they were “biased”, and “willing to take official action” to stop Trump, but the text stating “I will stop Trump from becoming President, because I am biased against Trump” has not yet surfaced. Got it. Nothing to see here.

    • #55
  26. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Gentlemen,

    This is a wonderful example of “look a squirrel”. Yes Page & Stzrok are idiots and Stzrok needs to be fired but so what? Comey claimed that he couldn’t recommend prosecution of Hillary because he couldn’t prove intent. This is an unbelievable joke. The women exposed every communique of the Secretary of State to easy hacking access for 4 years. She did this with full knowledge of the proper procedure, the law, and the consequences.

    I think it’s time to bring up a subject that we have all been trying to avoid. If Sessions were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller or both, the immediate unified scream from the Dems & Media would be “SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE” they would be barking for impeachment. This is what they have been hoping for all along. These brainless left-wing hack bastards would destroy this country with their banal garbage just to hang onto undeserved power a little longer. They don’t care about the American people that’s obvious. They don’t care about Western Civilization that’s obvious. What isn’t obvious but really should be is that they don’t give a damn about the human race itself. They are full of crap and everything they would eagerly do would be a complete disaster, you know, GLOBALLY!

    Right at this moment, I am reaching a point where I couldn’t be satisfied by Rosenstein or Mueller just being fired. Their hopelessly soulless actions could result in the deaths worldwide of millions possibly billions of people. They have no respect for Freedom only their infantile obsession with professionalism. Adolf Eichmann was extremely professional too.

    Donald Trump isn’t the threat to Democracy they are! I think I need to go and pray.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Save the anger for November. Bottle it and hand it out to every right of center friend you have.

    • #56
  27. Ontheleftcoast Inactive
    Ontheleftcoast
    @Ontheleftcoast

    blood thirsty neocon (View Comment):

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    My guess is that the report has lots of dirt in it, but Never Trumpers and Leftists will dismiss it for lacking a “smoking gun” anyway.

    For instance, the summary states that Strzok was biased but that the IG couldn’t determine his bias influenced the investigation. Yeah, ok. Whatever.

    So they were “biased”, and “willing to take official action” to stop Trump, but the text stating “I will stop Trump from becoming President, because I am biased against Trump” has not yet surfaced. Got it. Nothing to see here.

    Trump was “totally unqualified to be President; “must stop by any means necessary” doesn’t prove bias bias. Sometimes you have to destroy the Constitution in order to save it. Anyway, laws are for the little people.

    • #57
  28. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Ontheleftcoast (View Comment):

    blood thirsty neocon (View Comment):

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    My guess is that the report has lots of dirt in it, but Never Trumpers and Leftists will dismiss it for lacking a “smoking gun” anyway.

    For instance, the summary states that Strzok was biased but that the IG couldn’t determine his bias influenced the investigation. Yeah, ok. Whatever.

    So they were “biased”, and “willing to take official action” to stop Trump, but the text stating “I will stop Trump from becoming President, because I am biased against Trump” has not yet surfaced. Got it. Nothing to see here.

    Trump was “totally unqualified to be President; “must stop by any means necessary” doesn’t prove bias bias. Sometimes you have to destroy the Constitution in order to save it. Anyway, laws are for the little people.

    It doesn’t prove their bias influenced their official actions. It does prove they had opinions. Alot of what they said to each other was what I heard lots of other people say. 

    • #58
  29. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    It seems lots of folks are disappointed in the IGs findings. Mostly because they were led to believe, by reporters trafficking in leaks, that there would be a lots of bomb shells.

    That’s not what IG reports typically provide. The very end product, the report, is built upon findings, as in findings of fact. It should be a series of statements. X person did Y act with result Z. And the evidence supporting those conclusions. The IG is not a federal prosecutor and any evidence of possible crimes must be referred to legal authorities for investigation and prosecution.

    I wasn’t expecting much and I wasn’t disappointed.

     

    • #59
  30. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Ontheleftcoast (View Comment):

    blood thirsty neocon (View Comment):

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    My guess is that the report has lots of dirt in it, but Never Trumpers and Leftists will dismiss it for lacking a “smoking gun” anyway.

    For instance, the summary states that Strzok was biased but that the IG couldn’t determine his bias influenced the investigation. Yeah, ok. Whatever.

    So they were “biased”, and “willing to take official action” to stop Trump, but the text stating “I will stop Trump from becoming President, because I am biased against Trump” has not yet surfaced. Got it. Nothing to see here.

    Trump was “totally unqualified to be President; “must stop by any means necessary” doesn’t prove bias bias. Sometimes you have to destroy the Constitution in order to save it. Anyway, laws are for the little people.

    It doesn’t prove their bias influenced their official actions. It does prove they had opinions. A lot of what they said to each other was what I heard lots of other people say.

    Those would be all of your acquaintances in positions of authority at the FBI?

     

    • #60
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