The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:26 PM

President Trump Suggests Sunday That News Reports On Rogue FBI Agent Why Agency's Clinton Email Investigation Was Closed With Criminal Charges

President Trump suggested Sunday that news reports about an FBI agent on the agency’s Hillary Clinton email investigation who also opposed Trump explains why the Clinton case was closed without criminal charges.

“Report: ‘ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE’ Now it all starts to make sense!” Trump said in one of three tweets Sunday on the issue.

The office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller confirmed with Fox News on Saturday that agent Peter Strzok had been removed from Mueller’s investigation into Russia collusion after the Justice Department’s inspector general started examining Strzok's electronic messages with a colleague, which reportedly included ones that were anti-Trump and pro-Hillary Clinton.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense!

Strzok worked on the FBI investigation last year into whether Clinton, then the Democratic presidential nominee, mishandled classified information through her use of private email servers while secretary of state.

The federal investigation was led by then-FBI Director James Comey, who concluded the probe in July 2016, about four months before Election Day. Comey said Clinton had been “extremely careless,” but recommend to then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch that she not pursue criminal charges.

Lynch had recused herself from the investigation after talking privately with Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Two senior Justice Department officials confirmed to Fox News last Saturday that the agency’s Office of Inspector General is reviewing the role played by Strzok in the Clinton investigation.

“Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI ‘agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.’ Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge,” Trump said in one of the other tweets Sunday.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.

“After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness, Trump added.”

Eric Holder
@EricHolder
Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI’s reputation is not in “tatters”. It’s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You’ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now

Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder responded: “Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI’s reputation is not in 'tatters'. It’s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You’ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now.”

Strzok was a former deputy director for counterintelligence at the FBI who has been reassigned.

Fox News' James Rosen, Jake Gibson, Brooke Singman and Jennifer Bowman contributed to this report.