Obama's FBI and DOJ Were Wrong, Dishonest

A heavily redacted version of the FISA application for wiretap of the phones of Carter Page has been released. Attorney John Hinderaker of Power Line has read through it and posted relevant sections on their web site with commentary. His commentary is worth repeating here:

First, the FISA application expresses confidence that Page was an agent of the Russian government, and engaged in criminal activity. But Page has never been charged with anything. Accordingly, the least we can say is that Obama’s FBI and DOJ were wrong.

Second, the application’s description of Christopher Steele and the provenance of his dossier was misleading at best. (snip) The FBI was perfectly well aware that the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC hired Simpson through their lawyers, and the purpose of doing so was to attack candidate Donald Trump. References to “speculation” about “likely” motives are entirely dishonest.

Third, the application relies to an astonishing degree on anti-Trump news stories published in the Democratic Party press.

Fourth, we still don’t know who at the FBI assembled the FISA application, since that person’s signature is redacted. But we do know who approved it–hyper-partisans James Comey and Sally Yates.

Plus, the document was released on a summer Saturday afternoon, when serious readership is expected to be at the lowest possible levels. And note well, not only has Carter Page never been charged, he has not been given immunity nor is he scheduled for testimony.