Samuel Case, FISM News

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Former FBI Director James Comey defended his handling of operation “Crossfire Hurricane,” the investigation into potential collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia, in a hearing with the Repulican led Senate Judiciary Hearing earlier this week. Last year, a Justice Department watchdog found numerous errors were made in the investigation, however they did not believe political bias was a contributing factor. 

Republicans grilled Comey over the errors found in the FBI’s FISA court application to surveil one of Trump’s previous campaign advisors, Carter Page. As well the FBI using the so called “Steele Dossier” as a primary source for monitoring applications, while failing to tell the court in detail it was compiled as opposition research paid for by the Clinton campaign and that it was riddled with factual mistakes, as well as that it’s main “sub-source” was believed to be a Russian spy. 

Senate Republicans were frustrated by Comey’s saying he had no memory of certain details and refusal to provide comments on specific actions. Lindsey Graham, who heads the committee said the investigation “was such an egregious violation of fairness, altering exculpatory information, failing to tell the court the unreliability of information.” He continued, “If this is by the book, we need to rewrite the book and I promise you we will.” 

Comey admitted there were some concerning parts to the investigation. However, he said “overall,” he was “proud of the work,” in the investigation. He defended the FBI’s rationale for initiating the investigation, noting that Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort had ties with a Russian agent. 

Sourced from Reuters America Wire and the Hill