Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said Monday that FBI and Department of Justice officials “aided and abetted” the Democratic National Committee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in pushing unfounded claims that Russia colluded with former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“The baseless and politically motivated Russia collusion lie robbed the American people of three years and tens of millions in taxpayer dollars,” Grassley said in a statement released Monday evening. “This lie, perpetrated by the DNC and Clinton campaign, was aided and abetted by senior FBI and DOJ officials who, at best, consciously avoided their duty of due diligence, and at worst, knowingly and willingly participated in one of the dirtiest smears in American history.” (RELATED: Former Prosecutor Says FBI ‘Rolled The Dice For Partisan Reasons,’ Risked National Security In Trump-Russia Probe)
Special Counsel John Durham released a report on the origins of the FBI investigation of allegations that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia Monday that found that the FBI “did not and could not corroborate” the claims made in the now-discredited Steele Dossier.
For yrs Americans were bombarded w bogus Trump Russia rumors propped up by FBI/DOJ. Special Counsel Durham Rpt validates concerns I raised abt failures+political bias @ FBI Top brass trashed FBI credibility+integrity Shirking cong oversight/subpoenas=no way 2restore credibility!!
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 15, 2023
“The Durham report validates the concerns I’ve raised since we first learned of the bogus investigation in 2017,” Grassley said. “The FBI allowed itself to be hijacked and weaponized by political actors to target a political rival during a presidential election and administration. Restoring its integrity, if that’s even possible, will take humility, transparency and accountability.”
Durham’s report also said the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which governs domestic surveillance, to obtain warrants to monitor communications by Carter Page and other associates of Trump based on the dossier, which was reportedly funded by Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee through the Perkins Coie law firm.
Grassley said the FBI’s path to restoring its credibility would include cooperation with an investigation he and Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, were conducting into a document detailing what a whistleblower said were details of an alleged criminal scheme involving a foreign national and then-Vice President Biden.
“The FBI can start today by cooperating with a congressional subpoena about its handling of another politically sensitive matter involving then-Vice President Biden,” Grassley said. “We know the FBI relied on unverified claims to relentlessly target a Republican president. What did the FBI do to investigate claims involving a Democrat President? It’s time for the FBI to cooperate and show its work to the American people.”
The House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena May 3 to FBI Director Christopher Wray for FD-1023 forms created in June 2020 that mention Biden, but the agency failed to provide the committee the document.
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