Internal FBI documents unsealed Thursday indicate that Peter Strzok — the now-disgraced anti-Trump former head of FBI counterintelligence — ordered the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn to remain open even after it was slated to be closed due to a lack of so-called “derogatory” information, Fox News reported.
The new documents come a day after it was revealed that top bureau officials in the FBI had discussed their motivations for interviewing Flynn in the White House on January 24, 2017 — and openly questioned if their “goal” was “to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired.”
Thursday’s document release shows that on January 4, 2017, weeks before the fateful January 24, 2017 White House interview, the FBI’s Washington Field Office issued a “Closing Communication” indicating that the bureau was terminating “CROSSFIRE RAZOR” — the newly disclosed codename for the investigation of Flynn, as per Fox News.
🚨🚨BREAKING
The operation that targeted Flynn: CROSSFIRE RAZOR
1/4/17: FBI field office found “No derogatory information” on Flynn and decided to close RAZOR.
1/4/17: FBI leadership (STRZOK) went off the rails and targeted Flynn: “Don’t close RAZOR” pic.twitter.com/0MAKqzhxas
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) April 30, 2020
As reported by Fox News:
According to the January 4 memo, the goal of CROSSFIRE RAZOR was to determine whether Flynn “was directed and controlled by” or “coordinated activities with the Russian Federation in a manner which is a threat to the national security” of the United States or a violation of federal foreign agent laws.
In pursuit of information on Flynn, the “Crossfire Hurricane” team investigating the Trump team “conducted a check of logical databases for any derogatory information” on Flynn. The January 4 FBI report states that “no derogatory information was identified in FBI holdings.”
The memo also discusses additional FBI efforts to check information on Flynn, apparently through other US agencies. Just like the FBI, they also found “no derogatory information” on Flynn. Based on the lack of derogatory information, the Washington Field Office concluded that Flynn “was no longer a viable candidate as part of the larger CROSSFIRE HURRICANE umbrella case.”
FBI Washington Field Office Report:
FBI and US Govt (CIA?) databases showed “no derogatory information” on Flynn.
Flynn determined to be “no longer a viable candidate” as part of the Crossfire Hurricane case. pic.twitter.com/5RfnnjucOp
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) April 30, 2020
(Continued Below)
The January 4 memo concluded with this paragraph: “The FBI is closing this investigation. If new information is identified or reported to the FBI regarding the activities of CROSSFIRE RAZOR, the FBI will consider reopening the investigation if warranted.”
Yet, on that same day — Jan. 4, 2017 — Strzok instructed the FBI case manager handling CROSSFIRE RAZOR to keep the investigation open. “Hey don’t close RAZOR,” Strzok texted an unidentified individual.
Strzok informed the FBI case manager that the FBI’s 7th floor was involved, referring to FBI leadership — and that they still “need to decide what to do with him [with respect to] the [REDACTED].”
Peter Strzok texts to the FBI Case Manager handling the Crossfire Razor (Flynn) case.
Strzok: “If you haven’t closed RAZOR, don’t do so yet”
Strzok: “7th floor involved” (FBI Leadership)
(Possible use of Logan Act “violations” to keep investigation open) pic.twitter.com/nnGqMnHNue
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) April 30, 2020
(Video Below)
It’s currently unknown why Strzok directed the FBI case manager to keep the Flynn investigation open. However, the timing of emails between Strzok and ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page seem to suggest that they used the Logan Act to keep CROSSFIRE RAZOR alive; Strzok forwarded a 14-page research paper on the Logan Act the same day, per Fox News.
Logan Act theory coincides w/ Page/Strzok texts on 1/4/17 (same day Flynn file was to be closed) about Logan Act.
HT Excellent @CasualSemi
Read the Crossfire Razor FBI Field Office Memo/Texts/emails here:https://t.co/F3je6Q43ZG pic.twitter.com/gohbjJqg9L
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) April 30, 2020
CBS’s Catherine Herridge reports:
(H/T Fox News)
