GOP Release Secret Memo Exposing FBI Abuse of Power in Russia Probe

Erik Rosales : Feb 2, 2018
CBN News

It’s still developing but here are some of the key points so far.

(Washington, DC) — [CBN News] The House Intelligence Committee released its controversial memo outlining alleged abuses by the FBI and Justice Department in the Trump-Russia investigation. (Photo Credit: CBN News)

CBN News has confirmed some of the key points include:

The memo shows that after former British spy Christopher Steele was cut off from the FBI, he continued to pass information, as did Fusion GPS, through Justice Department Official Bruce Ohr.

It's important to note, Ohr's wife Nellie began working for Fusion GPS as early as May 2016.

The memo also shows the Steele dossier formed an essential part of the initial investigation and all three renewal FISA applications against Carter Page.

Steele was a longtime FBI source who was paid more than $160,000 by the DNC and the Clinton campaign.

Sources say the memo also states Andrew McCabe confirmed that no FISA warrant would have been sought from the FISA Court without the Steele dossier information, and the political origins of the Steele dossier were known to senior DOJ and FBI officials but excluded from the FISA applications.

Sources tell CBN News the memo also claims the FBI and DOJ used media reporting to lend credibility to the dossier, while the firm behind the dossier, Fusion GPS, briefed major American news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, New Yorker, Yahoo and Mother Jones.

"I think it's terrible, I think it's a disgrace, what's happening in our country," Mr. Trump told reporters Friday of the surveillance abuses detailed in the memo. "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves, and much worse than that."

Republican lawmakers have said the FBI used a dossier funded by Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign to get permission from a secret federal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court to eavesdrop on Trump campaign officials and transition team communications.

The president asked the House Intelligence Committee to release the memo without redactions.

"The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago," Trump wrote. "Rank & File are great people!"

The FBI and Justice Department mounted a months-long effort to keep the information outlined in the memo out of the House Intelligence Committee's hands.

But Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes never wavered in his determination to make the information available to the public. President Trump agreed, and, as required by House rules, gave his approval for release.

The White House has backed the memo's release, calling for "transparency."