The Federalist On Friday, the Department of Justice released newly declassified information from an inspector general report on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuse, revealing for the first time that the FBI had received information indicating the Christopher Steele dossier contained Russian disinformation. The newly unredacted portions of the IGâs report also confirmed there was no ânetwork of sourcesâ backing up Steeleâs reporting.
While both revelations provide further fodder for attacking the Carter Page surveillance proceedings, the significance is much greater: These facts establish the FBI used Russiaâs meddling with the 2016 election as a pretext to investigate Donald Trump and the special counselâs office was complicit in this ploy.
More than two months ago, Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson dispatched a letter to William Barr requesting the attorney general declassify information and unredact information contained in four footnotes in Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitzâs 478-page report on FISA abuse. In their letter, the senators noted that they â[were] deeply concerned about certain information that remains classified.â
They added, âcertain sections of the public version of the report are misleading because they are contradicted by relevant and probative classified information redacted in four footnotes.â Further, according to the Republican senators, âthis classified information is significant not only because it contradicts key statements in a section of the report, but also because it provides insight essential for an accurate evaluation of the entire investigation.â
Three of These Footnotes Have been Released
Based on Attorney General William Barrâs finding that it is in the âpublic interestâ to declassify the information, three of the four footnotes were released on Friday with âminimal redactions to protect national security interests.â
The fourth footnote, identified as footnote 342, âpresents unique and significant concerns,â a letter accompanying the declassified footnotes explained, because it ârefers to information received by a member of the Crossfire Hurricane team regarding possible previous attempts by a foreign government to penetrate and research a company or individuals associated with Christopher Steele.â While the Department of Justice left that footnote redacted in full, it noted that âa further declassification or summary substitutionâ may later be made.
The three Barr declassified were footnotes 302, 347, and 350. Footnote 302 concerned âPerson 1,â who is widely reported to be Sergei Millian. Here is an excerpt of the relevant text of the IG report and a comparison of the footnote redactions:
From the additional information disclosed, footnote 302 now reveals that âCrossfire Hurricane team members and supervisors in early October 2016â had circulated a document stating that âPerson 1 had historical contact with persons and entities suspected of being linked to [the Russian Intelligence Service] RIS.â âPerson 1 âwas rumored to be a former KGB/SVR officer,ââ according to the document. Steeleâs business partner, Glenn Simpson, had also âassessed that Person 1 was a RIS officer.â