(As discussed more fully below, the next day, July 28, 2016, FBI Headquarters received the Australian information that formed the basis for the opening of Crossfire Hurricane. On Sunday, July 31, 2016, Strzok, as he has written he was directed to do by McCabe, immediately opened Crossfire Hurricane. He both drafted and approved (with the authorization of Assistant Director Priestap) the Crossfire Hurricane opening communication.)[1]
August 8, 2016:
Page: [Trump’s] not going to become president, right? Right?! Strzok: No. No, he’s not. We’ll stop it.[2]
Similarly, and as discussed in more detail below, FBI OGC attorney Kevin Clinesmith made troubling statements demonstrating a blatant political bias against Trump. Clinesmith, who played a central role in the Page FISA process, on the day after Trump’s election as President, stated to fellow FBI personnel, among other things, “viva le resistance,”[3] an obvious reference to those individuals opposed to Trump.
Although those involved in opening the Crossfire Hurricane investigation denied that bias against Trump was a factor in opening the investigation,[4] the communications quoted
- ↑ Redacted OIG Review at 53, 58. Regarding Strzok’s having direct access to McCabe, when asked if he was aware of people going around him to the 7th Floor, (meaning jumping the chain of command and going to the FBI Executive Offices on the 7th floor), Priestap replied, “oh, yeah.” While Priestap stated he could not remember the specifics, Lisa Page was a concern, without question, in this respect. In addition, there were multiple times when Strzok mentioned something to Priestap and shared it with Page who, in turn, shared the information with Deputy Director McCabe. There were also instances when Strzok shared information directly with McCabe before Priestap could provide the information to McCabe himself. Priestap said these actions drove him “insane.” He also told the Office that Strzok was the worst offender in this regard and that these events occurred mostly when he (Priestap) wanted to go in one direction and they (Page and Strzok) disagreed and thus went around him. See OSC Report of Interview of E.W. Priestap on June 2, 2021 at 3.
Priestap agreed to provide information to the Office concerning matters related to the FBI’s Alfa Bank investigation, but otherwise declined to be interviewed by the Office on matters related to his role in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
- ↑ FBI-0008217 (Office of Professional Responsibility Letter to Strzok dated 08/08/2016 at 7); see also Letter from Jill C. Tyson, Office of Congressional Affairs, FBI, to Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Oct. 23, 2020) (attachment).
- ↑ FBI-AAA-EC-00006440 (Lync message exchange between Clinesmith and FBI OGC Unit Chief-1 dated 11/22/2016).
- ↑ See, e.g., Strzok, Compromised at 345–46; OSC Report of Interview of Supervisory Special Agent-1 on June 17, 2019 at 5; OSC Report of Interview of FBI OGC Unit Chief-1 on Aug. 29, 2019 at 10; OSC Report of Interview of Supervisory Special Agent-2 on May 5, 2021 at 8; OSC Report of Interview of Brian Auten on July 26, 2021 at 16.
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