The manner in which James Comey ran the Federal Bureau of Investigations was incompetent, or he’s a liar. There doesn’t seem to be any other explanation for his performance.
The collusion/conspiracy probe began after illicit unmasking, and no one has delved into that in any serious way. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. We found out on Thursday the obstruction of justice probe into former FBI director Jim Comey’s firing began to rein in the President. That was BEFORE Rosenstein hired Robert Mueller as special counsel.
The dossier, in particular, has been a source of concern since it played an important role in the Russia-Trump investigation. According to Jim Comey’s testimony before the House on Friday, the dossier was unverified before, during and even until today. Comey never asked any questions about the origin of the dossier and proceeded as if it were legitimate intelligence.
JIM COMEY KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE DOSSIER, BUT HE USED IT ANYWAY AS IF IT WERE LEGITIMATE
Without the dossier, Comey testified the FISA warrants had a 49-51 or 50-50 chance of approval — if you can believe him. Many have said it was what made the previously rejected request go through by October 2016.
Despite acknowledging that the dossier’s reliability was in question, Comey defended the FBI’s use of it in the Carter Page FISA applications from October – on.
“Did you then or do you now have any concerns about the process that occurred around the Carter Page FISA?” a Democratic lawmaker asked Comey.
“I do not,” he replied.
COMEY DIDN’T VERIFY THE DOSSIER OR ASK PERTINENT QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE TRUSTED THE SPY HE NEVER MET OR EVEN SPOKE WITH
The FBI officials felt Steele was reliable. Therefore, the remarkably uncurious Comey did too. Comey trusted Steele although he never met him or spoke with him (p. 109).
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He also admitted he didn’t know the origin of the dossier (p. 119). One would think that would be rather important. When asked, Comey said he had no idea how the Bureau investigated the Steele dossier and admitted it is still not verified.
The former director said that he didn’t know that Christopher Steele was passing information to Bruce Ohr, who was giving it to the FBI.
Gowdy also asked if Christopher Steele was also working with or for the FBI while he was working for Fusion GPS?
Comey said, “I don’t know.”
One would think that was relevant information for a so-called counterintelligence chief to know.
Comey admitted he didn’t know that the DNC had hired Perkins Coie.
Comey told Mr. Gowdy, “I never learned that, certainly not while I was Director.
Mr. Gowdy. “Well, when did you learn the DNC had hired Perkins Coie?”
Mr. Comey. “I never learned that. Again, while I was Director. I think I’ve read it in the media, but, yeah, even today, I don’t know whether it’s true.”
Comey said he didn’t know about Fusion GPS, Perkins Coie, or DNC opposition research. Nor did he know about the circular reporting to back up the dossier. He knew nothing.
James Baker’s testimony conflicts with Comery’s remarks on some points, but Comey couldn’t remember a thing (p.144).
Comey didn’t seem to know or care from whence the dossier came. Instead, they all just decided to assume it was worthwhile and proceeded with an investigation. Was that to rein in Trump also?
In response to a question about all that, Comey said, “Well, it was coming to us from a reliable source with a track record, and it’s an important thing when you’re seeking a PC warrant. But what I understand by verified is we then try to replicate the source information so that it becomes FBI investigation and our conclusions rather than a reliable source’s. That’s what I understand it, the difference to be. And that work wasn’t completed by the time I left in May of 2017, to my knowledge.”
The reliable source is someone he never spoke to and never met. Steele hated Trump and the two key agents hated Trump — Page and Strzok.
NO BIAS AT THE FBI, HOW REASSURING
In both the Clinton email case and the collusion/conspiracy probe, Comey said, “I have seen no evidence of any bias in any of the participants”. At another point, he said, “…I never saw and in those two people’s cases — I never saw any indication at all of the bias by Mr. Strzok or Ms. Page.”
Anyone, who read the Lisa Page and Peter Strzok emails, knows they were biased, hated Trump, and wanted to overturn the election with some kind of “insurance policy”. He hadn’t seen the texts apparently and didn’t know about their views.
He’s not very aware or competent as the head of the FBI if he didn’t even know that, is he?
IT WAS A CONSPIRACY CASE, NOT COLLUSION, AND IT WAS ABOUT FOUR AMERICANS TIED TO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
During the Friday testimony to the House, Comey made it quite clear he never heard of a crime of collusion. It is a conspiracy, not collusion, that is the core of the investigation.
Comey claimed the probe opened up to investigate four Americans, some or all of whom were involved in the Trump campaign.
He found out in July. Odd that he was finding out and not in charge.
Former Trump campaign workers, George Papadopoulos and Carter Page were likely two of the four. Papadopoulos now believes he was set up by the FBI.
The hapless former director also clarified that there is no crime of collusion, it’s a crime or “conspiracy or aiding and abetting.” Republicans couldn’t seem to find out if there was an obstruction of justice case too.
It’s hard to know what is going on, but one thing seems clear, he was a most oblivious director.
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