US Attorney Releases Statement Objecting to Inspector General's Findings in Trump-Russia Probe Report
U.S. Attorney John Durham, who is investigating the origins of the FBI’s probe into 2016 Trump campaign, said Monday he disagrees with Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s findings regarding the matter.
In the long-awaited report issued earlier in the day, Horowitz concluded that the opening of the Trump-Russia investigation — known as Crossfire Hurricane — was justified.
The IG pointed to information the FBI received from what is described as “Friendly Foreign Government” suggesting Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos had been made aware Russia could release information anonymously that would be damaging to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
The Horowitz report emphasized it was the information from the foreign government and not other sources — such as the Trump-Russia dossier compiled by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele for the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign — that launched Crossfire Hurricane.
Durham, who Attorney General William Barr has appointed to look into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, issued a statement expressing disagreement with the IG’s conclusion concerning the matter.
“I have the utmost respect for the mission of the Office of Inspector General and the comprehensive work that went into the report prepared by Mr. Horowitz and his staff,” Durham said.
“However, our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department,” he continued. “Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S.
“Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, last month we advised the Inspector General that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.”
Papadopoulos told The Western Journal this past summer that the reporting in the media concerning his May 2016 meeting with Australian diplomat Alexander Downer in London was false and likely part of a “disinformation operation against the American public.”
The New York Times, in a December 2017 story titled, “How the Russia Inquiry Began: A Campaign Aide, Drinks and Talk of Political Dirt,” reported that the FBI Russia’s probe into the Trump campaign began because Papadopoulos, under the influence of heavy drinking, “made a startling revelation to Australia’s top diplomat in Britain,” Downer.
In his book, “Deep State Target,” Papadopoulos wrote he had one drink during his short meeting with Downer and his Australian colleague, Erika Thompson.
During the testy encounter which the Australians had requested, they both berated Papadopoulos and his work with the Trump campaign, Papadopoulos said.
He wrote that he strongly rebuffed Downer when the diplomat suggested Trump’s team was working in coordination with Russia.
John Durham today:
“Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, last month we advised the IG that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.”— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) December 9, 2019
And contrary to what The Times reported, Papadopoulos said he has no memory of ever discussing whether the Russians might have damaging Clinton emails.
Strengthening Papadopoulos’ case, Mueller’s investigators unequivocally wrote in their report: “[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
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