👥🔍🕵️‍♂️ FBI Investigation and Durham Report

What is the Durham report and why is it important?

• The Durham report is a final report by special counsel John Durham on the FBI's pursuit of Trump.
• The report is focused on counterintelligence and the flawed "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign.
• The report did not include interviews with top Justice Department officials who were deeply involved in launching the Trump-Russia collusion investigation, which has caused concern among Republican senators.
• Senators Ron Johnson and Charles E. Grassley wrote to Mr. Durham asking him to explain why his report is missing testimony from former FBI Director James Comey, former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, and others who played key roles in the investigation.
• FBI Chief Counterintelligence Agent Jill Murphy has not read the report and has not been briefed on it by her superiors, which has raised questions about the FBI's handling of the report.

What is the Trump-Russia probe and why is it being investigated?

• The Trump-Russia probe was an investigation into whether the Trump campaign worked with Russians to win the 2016 presidential election. • The investigation was launched by the Justice Department, and flaws and evidence of political bias were found in the decision to launch the probe. • Special counsel John Durham spent four years investigating the FBI's pursuit of Trump. • The final report did not include interviews with top Justice Department officials who were deeply involved in launching the investigation, including former FBI Director James Comey and former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. • Senators Ron Johnson and Charles E. Grassley wrote to Mr. Durham asking him to explain why his report is missing testimony from these officials, and why they were allowed to avoid fully cooperating with his office.

What are the pipe bombs investigation and what are lawmakers demanding from the FBI?

• Lawmakers are demanding an explanation from the FBI regarding the slow pace of the investigation of pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters in 2021.
• The FBI used security camera footage to identify the license plate of the car that the individual entered, but they have not identified the subject yet.
• The suspect was caught on surveillance video carrying two live pipe bombs, but the FBI has not made any significant progress in the investigation.
• The lawmakers criticized FBI Director Christopher A. Wray for previously ignoring requests for an update on the pipe bomb investigation.
• Former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin accused the bureau of botching the probe and misrepresenting critical details to the public.
• The FBI confirmed receiving the lawmakers' letter and stated that the investigation is continuing, and they encourage members of the public who might have information to contact them.

What was the FBI's involvement with Queen Elizabeth II's security concerns?

• Recently released FBI records show that before Queen Elizabeth II's visit to San Francisco in 1983, a city police officer warned federal agents about a potential threat against the queen by an Irish Republican Army sympathizer who was bent on revenge for the death of his daughter.
• The FBI had concerns about potential IRA violence against members of the royal family, which were not unfounded, as Elizabeth's second cousin, Lord "Dickie" Mountbatten, was killed in an IRA bombing in Ireland in 1979.
• The FBI's memo in 1989 noted that despite knowing of no specific dangers, "the possibility of threats against the British Monarchy is everpresent from the Irish Republican Army (IRA)."
• The records do not indicate the FBI or other law enforcement agencies arrested anyone for attempting to carry out any politically motivated violence or plots against the queen during that or any other visit.

What is the Texas Attorney General accused of doing?

The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is accused of committing multiple crimes as he attempted to use his state office to aid a political donor, according to investigators working for the Texas Legislature.

What were the implications of the top FBI official's admission for the Durham report?

The top FBI official, Jill Murphy, admitted that she has not yet read the Durham report, despite it being squarely focused on her area of expertise: counterintelligence. She also confirmed that she has not been briefed on the report by her superiors. This admission has caused confusion and concern among GOP lawmakers, who are left wondering why someone in her position has not yet read the report. The implications of her admission for the Durham report are unclear, but it raises questions about the FBI's handling of the investigation and their willingness to cooperate with the investigation.

What is the status of the Durham report and when is it expected to be released?

It appears that the Durham report has already been released, as there are references to its contents and criticisms of the FBI's behavior in launching the Trump-Russia probe. However, there are questions about why certain top officials at the DOJ and FBI were not interviewed for the report, and confusion about whether or not some officials have even read it. Rep. Jim Jordan plans to hold a hearing on the report in the next few weeks and Mr. Durham will testify.