DOJ inspector general confirms yearlong investigation into FISA abuse is still active

Washington Examiner ^ | March 21, 2019 | Jerry Dunleavy

[little jeremiah]

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirmed Thursday his office is still investigating possible abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the DOJ and FBI in their investigation into President Trump and associates of his 2016 campaign.

The revelation came during a panel discussion in Washington, D.C., when Horowitz was asked to divulge his biggest projects.

“We have a FISA-related review that people might have heard about that the deputy attorney general asked us to take a look at. But I’m not going to dwell on that," he said at the event alongside three other inspectors general hosted by the Atlantic Council.

Horowitz did not comment further. The moderator, Sarah Lynch of Reuters, made it clear that the watchdog's FISA abuse probe was off-limits for further questions. “I was also asked to just tell everybody — please don’t ask about an ongoing investigation. Don’t ask Michael [Horowitz] about the FISA-Carter Page investigation. He can’t talk about it. As much as we all want to know what the finding will be,"

Nearly one year ago, on March 28, Horowitz announced the start of the FISA abuse probe by his office, saying he was doing so following requests from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Republican members of Congress. These GOP lawmakers alleged the DOJ and FBI had abused the FISA process and misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in their investigation and surveillance of Trump and his associates during the campaign and Trump's administration.

[jjotto]

I was a little unclear. The IG does not indict. Evidence is turned over to a US Attorney where it is handled normally. The IG does not sit on evidence of wrong-doing until he issues a report, but hands it off when it’s discovered.

Sessions, Rosenstein or Mueller obstructing the OIG would be fireworks. The point of all the OIGs is that the parent agencies can’t obstruct them. That’s why OIGs are authorized separately.

[Bob Ireland]

***I knew the investigations were from a year ago and wrapping up in probably not too long***

Either Horowitz is chumming deeper waters or practicing classic delay tactics. I would like to think the former... probably deep waters there for a deep-submersible❗️

[little jeremiah]

There are a lot of people to investigate and they committed multiple crimes, so that’s a whole lotta investigating.