Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Barb McQuade:The FBI properly, legally investigated 2016 Trump campaign. The rest is noise and spin.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/12/10/fbi-russia-investigation-proper-legal-but-barr-wont-admit-column/2634495001/Low-level misconduct had no bearing on the opening of the FBI investigation or its findings. Barr is trying to muddle that message. Don't fall for it.
'Crossfire Hurricane' met FBI standards
FBI investigations are governed by Attorney General guidelines and a manual called the Domestic Investigations Operations Guide, known by its acronym, “the DIOG.” Both the guidelines and the DIOG require that before an investigation may be opened, there must be an “authorized purpose” to obtain information about crimes or threats to the national security or to collect foreign intelligence. In addition, FBI investigations require an adequate factual “predication,” that is, an "articulable" factual basis that reasonably indicates an activity constituting a crime or a threat to national security.
Horowitz found that the investigation known as “Crossfire Hurricane” met this standard. The FBI opened the investigation in July 2016 after receiving information from a “friendly foreign government” that Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos “had suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion from Russia that it could assist” with the anonymous release of information during the campaign that would be damaging to Hillary Clinton. At that time, the FBI also had information that Russia may have been connected to the WikiLeaks disclosure of emails that had occurred earlier that month. The FBI was also aware of Russia’s efforts to interfere in the election.
Based on this information, an FBI team conducted an initial analysis of links between Russia and members of the Trump campaign. This analysis prompted the FBI to open individual cases on Papadopoulos and three others connected to the Trump campaign — chairman Paul Manafort and advisers Carter Page and Michael Flynn. Horowitz found that the initiation of the investigations was properly authorized.
The conclusion that the predication standard was satisfied comes as no surprise. The standard is low, and deliberately so. While this standard prevents the FBI from opening an investigation on a whim or for an improper personal or political purpose, it allows probes to begin on even the slightest indication of a threat to public safety or national security. A higher standard would handcuff the FBI from completing its mission to protect and defend the American people.
FBI duty to investigate security risks
When predication indicates a threat to public safety or national security, the FBI has a duty to investigate. That duty applies even when the stakes are high, and the target is a powerful person in government. For the FBI to ignore such a threat would be to shirk its responsibilities, and instead leave our nation at risk.
FBI investigations are governed by Attorney General guidelines and a manual called the Domestic Investigations Operations Guide, known by its acronym, “the DIOG.” Both the guidelines and the DIOG require that before an investigation may be opened, there must be an “authorized purpose” to obtain information about crimes or threats to the national security or to collect foreign intelligence. In addition, FBI investigations require an adequate factual “predication,” that is, an "articulable" factual basis that reasonably indicates an activity constituting a crime or a threat to national security.
Horowitz found that the investigation known as “Crossfire Hurricane” met this standard. The FBI opened the investigation in July 2016 after receiving information from a “friendly foreign government” that Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos “had suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion from Russia that it could assist” with the anonymous release of information during the campaign that would be damaging to Hillary Clinton. At that time, the FBI also had information that Russia may have been connected to the WikiLeaks disclosure of emails that had occurred earlier that month. The FBI was also aware of Russia’s efforts to interfere in the election.
Based on this information, an FBI team conducted an initial analysis of links between Russia and members of the Trump campaign. This analysis prompted the FBI to open individual cases on Papadopoulos and three others connected to the Trump campaign — chairman Paul Manafort and advisers Carter Page and Michael Flynn. Horowitz found that the initiation of the investigations was properly authorized.
The conclusion that the predication standard was satisfied comes as no surprise. The standard is low, and deliberately so. While this standard prevents the FBI from opening an investigation on a whim or for an improper personal or political purpose, it allows probes to begin on even the slightest indication of a threat to public safety or national security. A higher standard would handcuff the FBI from completing its mission to protect and defend the American people.
FBI duty to investigate security risks
When predication indicates a threat to public safety or national security, the FBI has a duty to investigate. That duty applies even when the stakes are high, and the target is a powerful person in government. For the FBI to ignore such a threat would be to shirk its responsibilities, and instead leave our nation at risk.
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
