I would guess the FISA Judges took the FBI affiants at their word. A FBI agent is presenting an application for search warrant or wire tap to the judge ex parte, there is only one side presented. The judge is relying on the word of that agent that everything contained in the application is true (to the best of the applicants ability). If the affiant lies to the judge, there are remedies for that act.
I am thinking the FISA Court is waiting to hear the outcome of the IG’s report before they do anything. It just makes sense. Right now, there are rumors and speculation about what the FBI did to obtain the warrants against Carter Paige and others. The IG report will contain fact. I am betting that once the report is released, you’ll see a lot of activity by the court to address the abuse. This isn’t the first time the court has been duped by the FBI, it was just a couple of years ago the court took the agency to task for alleged abuses of the FISA process.
Believe me, there is nothing worse than a pissed-off judge. Most don’t like to be lied to. I’ve seen attorneys dressed down in open court and found in contempt by judges. It is not a pleasant experience.
The FISA judges know the spotlight is on them. I will wager once the report is released the fraud on the court WILL be addressed and there may be a few high-profile booking photos shot in Washington afterwards.
Your first paragraph is 100% correct. But with the Feds, US Attorney’s are also present. I did work with the DEA and FBI when I was cop and on occasion they had AUSAs on the street with them, sometimes armed, that were there to provide counsel and advice as situations came up, ie...we grabbed a guy and he wanted to flip right then and there. The warrant application process for a Fed is a longer, more drawn out process than local cops. That’s why they have so many Task Forces. They can get a detective to write a warrant on the hood of car, knock on the door to a judge’s house at 2am and get a paper signed. Then the Feds will “assist” the local police.
So, I’m wondering if Page, Baker, or some other unnamed AUSA or staff lawyer helped draft and present the affidavits to FISC.
As for remedies....Perjury & Violation of Oath of Office...just to start. Going forward they’re looking at other charges and eventually civil suits on both an agency and personal level.
And I have my fingers crossed that your second paragraph, if the IG report is as bad as they’re building it up and the release of documents show how bad this is/was, comes to fruition. Obviously you’ve been in courtrooms. Judges have the ability to be drop the hammer on folks if they want to.
But, a lingering question for me is, what if they’re in on it? That one judge, who is friends with McCabe, seemed to duck out the spotlight rather quickly when the text messages started getting released. And being the snakes that they are, I think at least of few of them have information tucked away in the hopes that it could be a, get out of jail free card.
To think....they all thought she would win, we’d never know anything and they’d get away with all of it. Imagine what they’d be capable of when the target isn’t the President of the United States.