Agent Strzok's contribution to the Russian collusion hoax, surfaces in Sussmann case

 Washington Examiner:

Notes of an FBI briefing in March 2017 indicate since-fired bureau agent Peter Strzok spread incorrect details about the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.

Strzok incorrectly claimed in his 2020 book, Compromised, that Australian diplomat Alexander Downer was spurred to inform the U.S. government about a May 2016 conversation he had in London with George Papadopoulos (in which the Trump campaign associate allegedly mentioned Russia might have dirt on Hillary Clinton) only after hearing then-candidate Donald Trump say in July 2016: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails.”

It now appears he also made that false claim in March 2017 when briefing Justice Department and FBI officials about the Trump-Russia investigation. Strzok admitted in September 2020 he had gotten that detail wrong in his book, though he downplayed it.

The mistake now seems like a pattern.

Special counsel Robert Mueller and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded Australia actually informed the United States of this Papadopoulos conversation on July 26, 2016. Trump made the comment about Russia on July 27.

Newly released handwritten notes labeled as by Tashina Gauhar, then the associate deputy attorney general, indicate Strzok made the same misleading claim about Trump’s remarks prompting the Australian to reach out to the FBI when briefing then-acting Attorney General Dana Boente and others on March 6, 2017.

Notes from Associate Deputy Attorney General Scott Schools state it was Strzok who handled the Papadopoulos angle of the briefing.

BIDEN DISINFO CHIEF NINA JANKOWICZ PUSHED TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION CLAIMS

“Papadopoulos … May 2016 … Friendly Liaison that Papadopoulos said Trump campaign could release info hurtful to H [Hillary Clinton] … Make a report & file it,” Gauhar wrote. “Then see release of DNC hack + Trump comment about Russia release more … Foreign Service remembers conversation + reaches out to FBI.”

Notes from Schools largely match this, writing, “PS [Peter Strzok]: Papadopoulos in May. Trump team received suggestion from R [Russia] that it could assist Trump team by having info that would embarrass Clinton and Obama. We start seeing release of DNC hack. Trump if you’re listening. We open up umbrella investigation — Crossfire Hurricane.”

Schools added that the FBI briefed U.S. Attorney Zach Terwilliger “on predication and how he [Papadopoulos] fit in.”

The notes were made public by attorneys for Democratic cybersecurity lawyer Michael Sussmann, who was indicted in a case brought by special counsel John Durham for allegedly concealing his clients, Clinton's campaign and “Tech Executive-1” Rodney Joffe, from former FBI general counsel James Baker in September 2016 when he presented discredited Trump-Russia claims.

Sussmann’s team cited legal analysis by Strzok when unsuccessfully arguing for dismissal.

...

The FBI and the Democrats appear to have been seriously discombobulated by Trump's jab at Clinton during the debate.  In the real world, most of us thought it was a clever way to remind voters about her mishandling of classified documents, but in the anti-Trump DOJ, it was seen as some kind of admission.  Democrats who were wrong about that keep surfacing and being promoted like the Disinfo babe.

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