Russiagate - FBI Lawyer Cheated on FISA Warrant

Before we get to the testimony of Benny Fiona Hill, we have an important break in "old" Russiagate. CNN has announced an Exclusive: Former FBI lawyer under investigation after allegedly altering document in 2016 Russia probe.

A former FBI lawyer is under criminal investigation after allegedly altering a document related to 2016 surveillance of a Trump campaign adviser, several people briefed on the matter told CNN.

The possibility of a substantive change to an investigative document is likely to fuel accusations from President Donald Trump and his allies that the FBI committed wrongdoing in its investigation of connections between Russian election meddling and the Trump campaign. After CNN first reported on the investigation, the Washington Post reported that the inspector general concluded the alteration did not change the validity of the surveillance application.

The finding is expected to be part of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz's review of the FBI's effort to obtain warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide. Horowitz will release the report next month.

Horowitz turned over evidence on the allegedly altered document to John Durham, the federal prosecutor appointed early this year by Attorney General William Barr to conduct a broad investigation of intelligence gathered for the Russia probe by the CIA and other agencies, including the FBI. The altered document is also at least one focus of Durham's criminal probe.

It's unknown how significant a role the altered document played in the FBI's investigation of Page. The alterations were significant enough to have shifted the document's meaning and came up during a part of Horowitz's FISA review where details were classified, according to the sources. According to the Washington Post, it did not change Horowitz's finding that the FISA application had a legal basis.

We don't yet know who it is, what investigative document they are alleged to have altered, (Chuck Ross at Da Caller, FBI Official Is Under Investigation For Allegedly Altering Russia Probe Documents: Report) but we have WaPoo's assurance it wasn't sufficient to alter the FISA finding.  (How do they know that without asking the FISA judges who granted the warrant?) Ace, CNN Claims That an FBI Agent Is Under Criminal Investigation For Altering an "Investigative Document"

CNN is just telling you their planned coverage there. The "accusations" will be coming from inside Jake Tapper's nasally face.

Say, isn't an FBI Form 302 Interview Memorandum an "investigative document"?

And didn't we hear about a Form 302 being altered long after the fact to incriminate Michael Flynn?

So, which FBI agent will be investigated for altering an "investigative document"?

I can't think of a single suspect.

John Sexton, Hot Air, Wow! FBI Official Being Investigated For Altering Russia Probe Document,
 Da Wire, BREAKING: FBI Official Under Criminal Investigation For Altering Document Used To Start Probe Into Trump Campaign, Report Says and

For some in depth speculation, there's always sundance at CTH, Horowitz Leaks Begin – FBI Official Caught Altering FISA Documents, Now Under Criminal Investigation… Which is particularly interesting because CNN has employed several of the old Russiagate team:

Keep in mind which FBI officials are now working for the media outlet, CNN, that is providing the leaks; ie. former FBI Deputy Director, Andrew McCabe; the spokesman for James Comey, Josh Campbell; a former FBI agent, Asha Rangappa; or the former FBI chief legal counsel, James Baker. All now work for CNN.

and The Washington Post Helps Identify FBI Lawyer Who Altered FISA Docs…

If you have followed the case closely, the intentional removal of Peter Strzok in combination with the explanation of the lawyer’s FISA responsibilities; and in combination with prior reporting of FBI lawyer 2; it seems pretty obvious the line-level lawyer was Kevin Clinesmith.

If the WaPo article had added all the detail and left in how the line-level attorney worked for Peter Strzok everyone would have known who it was. Hence they put in more details about his activity but removed the Strzok reference.

Kevin Clinesmith was one of the key FBI small group members on the original Clinton investigation known as the “mid-year exam”, or in text messages the “MYE”. Within the MYE Clinesmith was one of the key legal staff working with Peter Strzok. Clinesmith was lawyer #2 for Strzok who eventually transferred to the subsequent Crossfire Hurricane investigation.

Clinesmith was also previously reported to be having an intimate relationship with another member of the FBI team, Sally Moyer, though that is uncertain. [Tashina “Tash” Guahar was also a key legal figure on the Main Justice side of the MYE team.] Sally Moyer was FBI unit chief in the Office of General Counsel (counterintelligence legal unit within the FBI Office of General Counsel).

and Two Races – Pelosi and Schiff Are Racing Court Rulings For Impeachment Vote, and IG Report for Narrative…. The title suffices.

As noted by the Weasel Zippers, FBI Official Reportedly Under Investigation For Altering Russia Probe Documents, brought to us by way of the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 11.21.19

This is all going to get interesting as the FISA report hits on Dec. 9 and then hearings are Dec. 11

Yup; the Deep Staters in DOJ will be furiously trying to deny, distort and bury any hint of involvement. The question is whether Bill Barr has the fortitude to prevent them.

At Da Caller, Former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese: Spying On The Trump Campaign Is Obama’s Watergate, except Obama always had the press at his back, and Nixon didn't.