March 28 (UPI) — Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced Wednesday his office will look into potential U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court abuses by the Justice Department and FBI.
In a statement, the Office of the Inspector General said the review will pertain to a “certain U.S. person” but did not disclose the identity of that person.
“As part of this examination, the OIG also will review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source,” the statement read.
“Additionally, the OIG will review the DOJ’s and FBI’s relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the FISC applications. If circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider including other issues that may arise during the course of the review.”
Lawmakers have criticized the FBI for using a secret dossier on President Donald Trump that was written by a former British spy who was paid by the Hillary Clinton campaign – as evidence to obtain a FISA warrant on former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page.
The allegation that political opposition research funded by the Clinton campaign was used as evidence to obtain the FISA warrant on Page was included in a memo by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee.
Since that memo’s release, Republicans — including Trump — have called for an investigation into the FBI’s tactics to obtain its FISA warrant on Page.
However, Trump said in February that an IG investigation would not be sufficient and a special counsel should be appointed.
“Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc,” Trump tweeted. “Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!”
