The New York Times is reporting tonight that the IG report on FISA abuse that’s set to be released on December 9 will “criticize FBI officials but absolve leaders of acting out of anti-Trump bias”:
Breaking News: A report from the Justice Department's inspector general on the Trump-Russia inquiry is expected to criticize FBI officials but absolve leaders of acting out of anti-Trump bias.https://t.co/hsasgloXXI
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 22, 2019
Keep in mind, what we’re reading is not the final product:
The Russia Hoaxers have apparently settled on “We did nothing wrong, but if we did, it was all the fault of some low-level employees in Cincinnati” as their primary spin on the Horowitz IG report, which they haven’t read (and isn’t even finished). https://t.co/lUHe4fOdAa
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) November 22, 2019
But the Washington Post is confirming many of what the NYT reported:
And hot on the @nytimes' heels, here's the @washingtonpost's read, echoing some of the same findings: https://t.co/zF2uZ1Yul4
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) November 22, 2019
Here’s the opener from the NYT:
WASHINGTON — A highly anticipated report by the Justice Department’s inspector general is expected to sharply criticize lower-level F.B.I. officials as well as bureau leaders involved in the early stages of the Trump-Russia investigation, but to absolve the top ranks of abusing their powers out of bias against President Trump, according to people briefed on a draft.
And here’s the bit on the alleged wrongdoing by “low-level lawyer” Kevin Clinesmith:
Investigators for the inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, uncovered errors and omissions in documents related to the wiretapping of a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page — including that a low-level lawyer, Kevin Clinesmith, altered an email that officials used to prepare to seek court approval to renew the wiretap, the people said.
Mr. Horowitz referred his findings about Mr. Clinesmith to prosecutors for a potential criminal charge. Mr. Clinesmith left the Russia investigation in February 2018 after the inspector general identified him as one of a handful of F.B.I. officials who expressed animus toward Mr. Trump in text messages and resigned about two months ago, after the inspector general’s team interviewed him.
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But the meat of the report will allegedly clear James Comey, Andrew McCabe and Peter Strzok:
In particular, while Mr. Horowitz criticizes F.B.I. leadership for its handling of the highly fraught Russia investigation in some ways, he made no finding of politically biased actions by top officials Mr. Trump has vilified like the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey; Andrew G. McCabe, the former deputy who temporarily ran the bureau after the president fired Mr. Comey in 2017; and Peter Strzok, a former top counterintelligence agent.
This is not what Trump supporters were hoping for, to say the least:
Russia Inquiry Review Draft:
✅ The FBI had enough evidence to meet the legal standard for opening the investigation
✅ Joseph Mifsud was not an FBI informant
✅None of the evidence used to open the investigation came from the CIA or the Steele dossier https://t.co/Os7RpeRYur
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) November 22, 2019
Libs, however, are pretty giddy right now:
Can someone check on Devin Nunes?
“None of the evidence used to open the investigation came from the CIA or from a notorious dossier of claims about Trump-Russia ties compiled by Christopher Steele”
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) November 22, 2019
If the New York Times is right about what's in the IG report, it's totally devastating to the entire Fox News counternarrative. https://t.co/Ldq27KYWQF pic.twitter.com/df5VRUkVbH
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) November 22, 2019
So, there’s “something for everyone”?
The sum up seems to be: A little something for everyone here, but no major smoking guns.
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) November 22, 2019
And on and on it goes:
I.e.: "In broad terms, the report refutes accusations of a political conspiracy by sr law enforcement officials against the Trump campaign to favor Hillary Clinton, while also knocking the bureau for procedural shortcomings, said the officials." On balance. "a mixed assessment."
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) November 22, 2019
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