Durham report (nonfiction)
The Durham special counsel investigation began in 2019 when the U.S. Justice Department designated federal prosecutor John Durham to review the origins of an FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. Durham was given authority to examine the government's collection of intelligence about interactions between the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump and Russians, and to review government documents and request voluntary witness statements.[1] In December 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced that he had elevated Durham's status and authority by appointing him as a special counsel, allowing him to continue the investigation after the end of the administration of president Donald Trump.
Durham's investigation was predicated on claims by President Trump and his allies beginning in 2017 that the Russia investigation, code-named Crossfire Hurricane, probably was the result of a conspiracy by U.S. intelligence or law enforcement agencies.[2] The investigation had found many questionable links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies and led to the Mueller investigation. The president said the probe was part of a deep state plot and a "hoax" or "witch hunt" that was initiated by his political enemies.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz contradicted those claims by testifying to Congress that the FBI showed no political bias motivating its investigation into Trump and his possible connections with Russia.[3][4][5] After Horowitz's testimony and release of the report of his own investigation of Crossfire Hurricane, Barr and Durham, according to The New York Times, looked for a reason to accuse the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton of trying to create suspicions that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia.[2]
After three-and-a-half-years, Durham indicted three men. One was an FBI lawyer who pleaded guilty to altering an email that was included in a June 2017 application for a surveillance warrant on a former Trump campaign aide; he was sentenced to probation.[6] The other two men were tried and acquitted. In both trials, Durham alleged the defendants had deceived the FBI but did not allege the FBI corruptly targeted Trump.[7][8] According to right-wing columnist and attorney Andrew C. McCarthy, the alleged deception was "only about the identity or status of people from whom they were getting information, not about the information itself."[9]
On May 15, 2023, Durham's final 306-page unclassified report was publicly released.[10][11] Durham said there had been inadequate predication to open a full investigation rather than a preliminary investigation. The report concluded the FBI had showed confirmation bias and a "lack of analytical rigor".[12] It did not find political motivation or a "deep state" plot.[13][14][15][16] Durham recommended that the FBI create "a position for an FBI agent or lawyer to provide oversight of politically sensitive investigations.
Walsh
One more time:
1. It wasn’t a “hoax.” Russia did interfere in the 2016 election to try to help elect Trump.
2. The Trump campaign did welcome & encourage the interference.
3. There WAS collusion. Don Jr took that meeting. Manafort gave the Russians campaign secrets. The Trump campaign had an unusual # of Russian connections. Mueller couldn’t prove a conspiracy.
4. Trump did obstruct the Mueller investigation. Repeatedly.
5. And btw, our FBI was right to launch an investigation. The DOJ IG agreed, Senate Republicans agreed. Even Durham today said the FBI had cause to open a preliminary investigation.
6. Did the FBI make mistakes? Sure, but their intentions were noble: To protect this country.
In the News
Fiction cross-reference
Nonfiction cross-reference
External links
- Durham special counsel investigation @ Wikipedia
Social media
- Post @ Twitter (30 May 2023)