The Department of Justice is investigating whether former senior FBI officials misused the classified documents found in the “burn bag” at the bureau headquarters, which is a source familiar with CBS News familiar.
Documents in question are related to FBI investigation Did Russia impress 2016 election in favor of President Trump. The investigation has attracted Mr. Trump’s IRE over the years – he has been called the allegations that Russia sought to help him to win “cheating” and a “witch hunting”, and in recent weeks, Some top administration officials Claimed that Obama-eagon intelligence leader, who saw in Russian medaling, may have broken the law.
No one has been criminally charged in the investigation.
New York Times was To report first On the burn bag investigation of the Department of Justice.
CBS News has reached the Department of Justice for comments.
“Burn Bag” first entered the public discourse last month, when Fox News It was reported that FBI director Kash Patel discovered thousands of documents related to Russia which are usually used to keep sensitive materials that are going to be destroyed. After days, Patel Xe: “We just highlight the burn bag/room filled with hidden Russia gate files.”
FBI investigation in Russian election intervention – “Crossfire Storm” was dubbed – opened during the 2016 campaign and continued in Mr. Trump’s first term. An investigation conducted by Robert Muller, Special Advocate of Justice Department Found later That the Russian government intervened with the goal of benefiting the Trump campaign in the 2016 elections, although Mr. Trump and top campaign officials were not accused of any illegal coordination with Russia.
A 2017 report The American intelligence community also assessed that Moscow demanded to influence the election and develop “a clear preference” for Mr. Trump.
Those findings have long been challenged by top trump colleagues and the President. Last month, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabard Unfamiliar document He claimed that he questioned in the 2017 Intelligence Community report.
Gabbard accused Obama-era officials of “traitors conspiracy” and “long coup for years, which to weaken Mr. Trump, and said that she would refer to the Department of Justice for a possible criminal investigation. Former President Barack Obama spokesman Patrick Rodenbash called the allegations “bizarre” and “ridiculous”.
Patel is another vocal critic of how the agency he now handled Russia’s investigation. In 2023, he wrote a book called “Government Gangsters”, called the FBI called “completely compromise” and Rail against A comprehensive “deep state” that he suffered Mr. Trump with a “Witch Hunt” investigation.
FBI’s investigations of Russia’s investigation have long been accused of acting with political anims against the elements of Shri Trump or investigation. In 2019, the guard of an internal justice department found that the FBI did not show “political bias” and the FBI was justified in opening the investigation, but Criticized something Among the practices of the FBI, the warrants that were used, which were used to survey the pre-Trump partner Carter Page. Years later, Trump-era special lawyer John Durham Called the investigation “Seriously erroneous.”