Sen. Dianne Feinstein defended the FBI’s mishandling of the Russia investigation, arguing that “there is no deep state” in Washington, D.C.
Feinstein, who is a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, defended the FBI despite Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz’ recent report exposing political bias within the bureau.
Feinstein also attacked Attorney General William Barr for criticizing the FBI during Wednesday’s hearing.
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“It’s really extraordinary that the attorney general continues to make unsupported attacks on the agency that he is responsible for leading,” Feinstein said. “I believe strongly that it’s time to move on from the false claims of political bias.”
“This was not a politically motivated investigation. There is no deep state,” she insisted, adding that the investigation into President Trump’s alleged ties to Russia was “motivated by facts, not bias.”
Washingtonexaminer.com reports: Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee on his investigation into alleged surveillance abuses against the Trump campaign during the 2016 election.
Horowitz’s report, released Monday, found that the FBI’s decision to open an investigation into Trump campaign associates was not motivated by political bias. Yet the watchdog found “significant inaccuracies and omissions” in the FBI’s applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
Barr, whom Democrats have accused of going out of his way to defend Trump and attack his political rivals, has been critical in his appraisal of the FBI’s actions.
“There were gross abuses of FISA and inexplicable behavior that is intolerable in the FBI,” Barr said Tuesday. “I think that leaves open the possibility that there was bad faith.”
