| Submit your comments on this article |
| Government Corruption |
| DOJ inspector general cannot identify FBI leaks regarding Clinton server in lead-up to 2016 election |
| 2021-08-06 |
| [FoxNews] The report found no evidence FBI personnel leaked information to Rudy Giuliani. A yearslong investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general revealed that numerous FBI employees had "substantial" media contacts prior to the 2016 presidential election, but it could not determine who leaked sensitive information to reporters. The 10-page report issued Thursday by Inspector General Michael Horowitz said that while FBI policies strictly limit the employees who are authorized to speak to the media, those rules "appeared to be widely ignored" in 2016. The new findings expand upon the investigative work included in a June 2018 report entitled the "Review of Allegations Regarding Various Actions by the Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Advance of the 2016 Election (2016 pre-election report)." The IG report reads in part: "Among the issues we reviewed in that report were allegations that FBI employees improperly disclosed non-public information regarding the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. The FBI has a strict policy that limits the number of employees who are authorized to speak with the media, and requires approval for any others. "We identified numerous FBI employees, at all levels of the organization and with no official reason to be in contact with the media, who were nevertheless in frequent contact with reporters," it continues. The IG stated that it "determined this information from reviewing FBI records and through forensic examination of FBI electronic devices," including text message communications and phone records that did not reflect the "substance" of communication. However, the IG did not seek a court order to compel service providers to produce personal email communications "The large number of FBI employees who were in contact with journalists during this time period impacted our ability to identify the sources of leaks. For example, during the periods we reviewed, we identified dozens of FBI employees that had contact with members of the media." The report said its ability to identify the leakers was also hampered by that the fact that in some instances, more than 100 employees had access to the sensitive information that was leaked. The report detailed three senior officials who had numerous unauthorized contact with media between January and November 2916, including unauthorized social engagements, such as drinks and dinners, which violated FBI policy. In addition, the IG referred six employees at FBI headquarters to the FBI for it to determine whether their media contacts warrant disciplinary or other corrective action. The IG report also found no evidence FBI personnel leaked any sensitive information to Rudy Giuliani about the Hillary Clinton email server investigation. Giuliani claimed days before the 2016 election that Trump had some "pretty big surprises" he was prepared to reveal. Two days after that statement then-FBI Director James Comey announced the bureau was reopening its Clinton email probe. The IG's office confirmed they spoke directly with Giuliani, saying in the report: "As a result of the content and timing of these public statements by Giuliani suggesting that current or former FBI personnel may have provided non-public investigative information to him, the OIG contacted Giuliani, who agreed to appear for a voluntary interview." Giuliani told the IG: "[Director] Comey’s statements were a shock to me. I had no foreknowledge of any of them." The report continues, "He also said he had not been in contact with any active FBI agents in October 2016, and stated that he had only spoken with former agents who did not have any direct or indirect knowledge of FBI investigations in October 2016, and that the extent of his conversations with former agents was "gossip" about Comey’s decision-making in 2016." Since the 2016 pre-election report, the IG states that the FBI has taken steps to improve the FBI’s procedures and "cultural attitude" and "disciplinary penalties" regarding unauthorized contacts with the media. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #8 /\ The current FBI domestic intelligence tactics were successful for the Nazi until 8 May 1945. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-06 18:00 |
| #7 Every single agent should be required by name to explain the contacts, and the reporters should be cited as possible FBI sources. How long would such a disclosure take to end the practice? |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2021-08-06 13:27 |
| #6 In other words, the report says: "Forget about FBI leaks and Hillary's illegal server, there's nothing to see here." |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2021-08-06 11:27 |
| #5 Well you know here at the Bureau (the most professional law enforcement establishment in the world), we have bad leaks and then we have those We really can't be expected to rack & stack them and make Top men, all top men. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-06 09:25 |
| #4 Agree with RAJ and Also ask if the IG found FBI policies strictly limiting employees who are authorized to speak to the media were widely ignored" in 2016. Then why haven't we also read of FBI resignations and terminations for doing so? |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2021-08-06 08:49 |
| #3 DOJ inspector general cannot identify FBI leaks regarding Clinton server in lead-up to 2016 election File under professional courtesy |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-08-06 06:12 |
| #2 /\ Same as their reluctance or refusal to identify recruited FBI intelligence sources. However, an initial clue might read something like this: "Suspect was on the FBI's radar." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-08-06 01:06 |
| #1 Um, I think they mean 'won't identify FBI leaks'; call me fussy... |
| Posted by: Raj 2021-08-06 00:50 |