As Twitchy reported Thursday morning, the Justice Department recovered those missing texts between FBI agent Peter Strzok and lawyer Lisa Page, and they raise some very serious questions about how the FBI treated its investigation of Hillary Clinton and her handling of classified documents.
Grassley Releases Strzok-Page Texts Showing FBI Was ‘Pulling Punches’ In Clinton Probe https://t.co/PjsmqJS3QE pic.twitter.com/tKXx4pc2O7
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 26, 2018
As The Daily Caller reports, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says the texts suggest the FBI was “pulling punches” in its investigation of Clinton.
In the text message flagged by Grassley, Page suggested that Strzok should not take an aggressive approach to Clinton because of the strong possibility that she would be elected president.
“One more thing: she might be our next president. The last thing you need us going in there loaded for bear. You think she’s going to remember or care that it was more doj than fbi?” Page wrote.
Strzok said he agreed with that assessment.
“I called Bill and relayed what we discussed. He agrees. I will email you and [redacted] same.”
“Bill” is likely Bill Priestap, the FBI’s chief of counterintelligence.
The more that’s uncovered, the more it seems people were really, really counting on Hillary Clinton being elected.
"Pulling Punches?" 2/25/16, the FBI's Strzok & Page texted about Clinton probe.
Page: "One more thing: she might be our next president. The last thing you need us going in there loaded for bear"…
Strzok: "Agreed. called Bill and relayed what we discussed. He agrees."— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) January 26, 2018
Grassley releases more Strzok-Page texts. Judiciary chairman says one, from 2/25/16, suggests FBI 'pulling punches in Clinton investigation.' Grassley letter here: https://t.co/swlzokQST6 pic.twitter.com/NdYJgO7IRW
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 25, 2018
In other exchanges, in March and May of 2016, the pair reference an internal FBI discussion about a potential “special prosecutor” that was making top bureau officials “stressed.” The texts came as public pressure was mounting from Republicans on Capitol Hill to appoint a special counsel or prosecutor in the Clinton case.
Internal FBI discussions about the need for a special prosecutor have not been previously detailed.
Even CNN’s Chris Cillizza agrees that these newly uncovered texts are bad news for the FBI.
These latest texts make Strzok and Page look really bad https://t.co/IRUCUbtpPH
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) January 26, 2018
Nothing to see here … except everything. https://t.co/Ss3X2qHmZQ
— Obnoxious Boston Fan (@realOBF) January 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/MattWolking/status/956655896767102976
Worried about political reprisal from Hillary. https://t.co/RLkR1zy5ar
— Rev. Ducati? (@Reverend_Ducati) January 25, 2018
Yep. We all knew what was going on. Now there are quotes on it. https://t.co/HusJRGnI6y
— Walt Davis (@wradwalt) January 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/Gooms/status/956702432758710272
Don’t forget: In December, CNN reported that Strzok was the one who softened the language in James Comey’s draft of his decision on the Clinton case from “grossly negligent,” a phrase with legal implications for Clinton, to “extremely careless.”
https://twitter.com/est1608/status/956666240654700545
https://twitter.com/SecBlasphemy/status/956682835250860043
FBI playing politics. The "Bill" is likely Priestap, which indicates collusion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, perjury, and of course, SEDITION. Jail time ahead for FBI's upper echelon. Agents starting to come forward now, with documented evidence @BreitbartNews @dbongino https://t.co/oHVO1ysNJk
— Spookd Blog (@SpookdBlog) January 26, 2018
Here's your COLLUSION, Dems. Are any of the other Mockingbird networks covering this?
If they ever do, they will say the Russians wrote those texts.#QAnon #TheStorm #ReleaseTheMemo #GreatAwakening https://t.co/IwEobOWExa
— Lisa Mei Crowley (@LisaMei62) January 26, 2018
If this story had exposed a Republican, this text would already have been deemed a turning point in U.S. history. Book deals about this evening would be signed tomorrow. Springsteen would release a single called "Loaded for Bear" sampling a Pete Seeger riff. https://t.co/sc1Vq5Ew4c
— David Steinberg (@realDSteinberg) January 26, 2018
We haven’t seen James Comey tweet any quotes tonight, but we’ll be keeping an eye out in case he has something to add.
Related:
‘Pretty damning’: FBI agent dismissed from Mueller probe did what?
Did Peter Strzok suspect ‘there’s no big there there’ in the Russian collusion investigation?
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