Against the backdrop of media reports surrounding U.S. Attorney John Durham, and an investigation into potentially corrupt 2016 investigators, perhaps it’s worthwhile to pause, evaluate, reset the outlook and review the backstories.
There’s room for cautious optimism, but there’s also reason to temper expectations. First within the latest Fox News report, the following is noted:
Fox News – […] Durham, known as a “hard-charging, bulldog” prosecutor, according to a source, will focus on the period before Nov. 7, 2016—including the use and assignments of FBI informants, as well as alleged improper issuance of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants. Durham was asked to help Barr to “ensure that intelligence collection activities by the U.S. Government related to the Trump 2016 Presidential Campaign were lawful and appropriate.”
A source also told Fox News that Barr is working “collaboratively” on the investigation with FBI Director Chris Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and that Durham is also working directly with Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who is currently reviewing allegations of misconduct in issuance of FISA warrants, and the role of FBI informants during the early stages of the investigation. (read more)
If this report is correct; and if this review parameter is accurate as described; then Durham is ONLY looking at the gross intelligence activity prior to the 2016 election.
This is pertinent because it means Durham is NOT looking at the DOJ/FBI corrupt activity that surrounds the Mueller probe, Rod Rosenstein, corrupt current FBI agents/officials; corrupt investigative outcomes and cover-ups that occurred during 2017 and 2018 (James Wolfe etc.)… Regardless of disposition, career DOJ and FBI employees (ie. Mueller’s staff of workers), will remain safe under this limited review. Keep this in mind.
Recently Attorney General Bill Barr delivered a farewell address during the departure of DAG Rod Rosenstein. Many people took the highly visible back-slapping internecine send-off to mean that Rosenstein was departing as an honorable soldier; and Barr’s praise of Rosenstein was evidence of his honorable character… Et cetera, Et cetera.
But what was the alternative?
Was it possible for U.S. Attorney General William Barr to publicly outline the years-long gross abuses and inherent corruption of the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation in full public visibility? Was it possible for him to verbally destroy the reputations of all participating members within both organizations over the past three years? Of course not.
Think about the ramifications of brutal honesty.
If Barr was publicly and brutally honest, the political backlash would not only be nuclear in scale; but also our foreign adversaries would immediately pounce on a narrative of how this great constitutional republic was built upon lies and fraud. The reputation of the United States law enforcement and intelligence community could likely never recover. From an intellectually honest position, clearly AG Barr had limited options.
That said, with the introduction of John H Durham, what the hell was U.S. Attorney John Huber (Utah) doing for the past two years? Huber was previously assigned to assist Office of Inspector General Michael Horowitz in November of 2017, so why is John Durham now assigned to OIG Horowitz seemingly to do the same thing? The answer is not complex.
Originally Horowitz was assigned on January 12, 2017, to review issues related to the DOJ and FBI relating to improper conduct in advance of the 2016 election. [Read] That original mandate led to two investigations/reports: (1) Leaks from the FBI (Andrew McCabe outlined); and (2) Overall DOJ/FBI investigative bias and political outcome. Mid-way through these investigations, November 2017, is when Huber was assigned to assist. [Read]
In March 2018, while the two avenues of investigation were ongoing; at the request of AG Jeff Sessions; the OIG opened a third review: Potential FISA abuse [Read] So in March 2018, Michael Horowiz has three investigations underway.
A month later, April 13, 2018, Horowitz releases the IG report on McCabe. Now he’s down to two investigations again. On June 14, 2018, Horowitz releases the IG report on DOJ and FBI misconduct/bias. Now the only remaining investigation is the FISA review. This is when any visible activity by John Huber ends. It makes sense Huber would end in/around June 2018, because Horowitz had an easily manageable, albeit important, singular review.
The findings of an investigation into the lies used to secure FISA warrants will lead to investigations of who and why. The IG report will trigger other inquiries. If we have honest people concerned with restoring the reputation of the FBI and DOJ, repairing the damage Obama caused, then each participant will get their time in the lights.
The Fox News version in front of me says
Includes, not limited to
Because of the nature of the agencies we may never find out, should Barry have put a commie as head of the CIA?
@kitt: Was Barry compromised by Muslims? What did homosexuals have on Obama to make him change his stance on gay marriage? What did Putin have on Obama to make him unilaterally pull our missile defense out of Poland and Czechoslovakia? The is far more evidence Obama was under the influence of foreign powers than any imaginary suspicions of Trump. This insanity has nothing to do with such concerns; it’s all about losing an election they were promised was rigged in their favor.