The 412 pages released this Saturday related to the surveillance of former Trump presidential campaign adviser Carter Page as part of the Trump Russia 2016 probe discredit Devin Nunes (R-CA) and the GOP memo, which claimed that a Yahoo News article was used to corroborate Steele.
Former Special Counsel of the Department of Defense Ryan Goodman and now founder of Just Security pointed out that the documents discredit Republican Devin Nunes, “New FISA documents discredit Nunes Dem memo stated: “The GOP [Nunes] memo also claims that a Yahoo News article was used to corroborate Steele, but this is not at all why the article was referenced” FBI used Yahoo article for Section showing Page denied cooperation with Russia:”
New FISA documents discredit Nunes
Dem memo stated: "The GOP [Nunes] memo also claims that a Yahoo News article was used to corroborate Steele, but this is not at all why the article was referenced"
FBI used Yahoo article for Section showing Page denied cooperation with Russia: pic.twitter.com/7So4XM3Ez0
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) July 21, 2018
The Republican memo released claimed that the warrant issued to surveil Carter shouldn’t have been issued because the FBI’s application for surveillance relied on information in the Steele dossier, which they claimed was commissioned by Trump’s political opponents. They further claimed that the FBI based its warrant on a news report.
Republicans have alleged the FBI should not have used a confidential informant who reached out to several Trump campaign officials as a source.
Ooops.
“The Carter Page FISA application also cited extensively a September 23, 2016, Yahoo News article by Michael Isikoff, which focuses on Page’s July 2016 trip to Moscow,” the memo says. “This article does not corroborate the Steele dossier because it is derived from information leaked by Steele himself to Yahoo News.”
The FBI already accused the GOP of distorting the facts in their memo, so this is just the nail in the coffin.
Not only that, but this wouldn’t have even been disclosed without Nunes.
Oh before continuing, should just point out that not only did Nunes's actions lead to this chain of events leading to this being disclosed, HPSCI also screwed up the redactions so we know there were four inquiries into Trump associates by September 2016 https://t.co/sbRugfNmCe
— Pwn All The Things (@pwnallthethings) July 22, 2018
There go many of the Republican arguments against the FBI’s right to surveil Trump associates. It should be noted that claiming law enforcement shouldn’t have been able to spy on you as you commit a crime is not the same thing as not committing a crime. So it’s not as if these arguments were stellar arguments upholding the Trump campaign’s honor (yikes, that’s not even a thing).
“The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian Government,” the surveillance application filed in October 2016 said.
Jesse Ferguson, Communications VP for CAP Action and former Special Assistant to President Obama wrote that the memo discredits every GOP member of the House Intel Committee as well as proving they are part of a systemic cover-up operation:
They discredit every GOP Member of the House Intel Committee, and prove yet again that they have been part of a systematic cover-up operation for Trump and Putin. And that includes @HurdOnTheHill, who has voted with Nunes on the committee without fail, and now wants oped kudos. https://t.co/vqDShaHDcw
— Jesse Lee (@JesseCharlesLee) July 22, 2018
Steele was frustrated with the FBI after Comey made his bizarre announcement about re-opening the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s emails:
Steele grew frustrated w/ the FBI after Comey alerted Congress the FBI was reopening its inquiry into Clinton's emails in October 2016. Steele went to the press w/ Trump info & the FBI cut him off because of it, even though they assessed his info reliable. pic.twitter.com/icEudYdG0y
— Kate Brannen (@K8brannen) July 21, 2018
Another piece of the puzzle is being put together in what appears to be a vast conspiracy between Trump campaign officials and Russia.
Carter Page has denies being an agent of the Russian government and hasn’t been charged with any crime.
Read the documents here:
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