The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently opened criminal investigations into two notable figures from the intelligence community during the Obama administration: James Comey, former FBI Director, and John Brennan, former CIA Director. The probes stem from potential misconduct associated with the now-discredited Russian collusion investigation that overshadowed President Trump’s first term.
The criminal investigations into Comey and Brennan represent a significant shift in the narrative that has long surrounded the origins of the Russia probe. Sources from the Department of Justice, speaking to Fox News, indicated that the focus of the investigations is on alleged false statements made to Congress during their testimonies related to the Russia investigation.
The referral for Brennan's investigation came from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who, after a thorough review of the intelligence community's actions, forwarded the matter to FBI Director Kash Patel for potential prosecution. Patel, upon reviewing the evidence, authorized the criminal probe into Brennan's conduct.
The DOJ has been reticent about the specifics of the investigations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining confidentiality in ongoing criminal matters. The timing of these probes coincides with a reevaluation of the intelligence community's handling of the Russia investigation, bringing renewed scrutiny to its operations.
Legal experts suggest that charges for making false statements to Congress can carry substantial penalties, including possible imprisonment for those found guilty. In a separate but simultaneous development, the FBI has also initiated a criminal investigation into James Comey, who was at the helm of the FBI during the early stages of the Russia investigation.
Details surrounding Comey's case remain under wraps, mirroring the secrecy of the Brennan investigation. However, two sources with knowledge of the investigations have described the actions of Comey and Brennan as a potential "conspiracy," which could expand the scope of the investigations and lead to additional criminal charges beyond the initial allegations of false statements.
The conspiracy angle indicates that investigators are looking into whether Comey and Brennan coordinated their actions or testimonies, which could result in more severe charges and lengthier potential sentences if prosecutions proceed.
Both Brennan and Comey have refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigations, a stark contrast to their previously outspoken public stances on the Russia probe and their criticism of President Trump.
The FBI has followed standard protocol by not issuing any official statements regarding the active criminal cases. The silence from both former officials marks a departure from their historically vocal defense of the intelligence community's actions during the 2016 election.
The investigation into Brennan follows a declassified CIA review that exposed significant issues with the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which claimed Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to benefit then-candidate Donald Trump. This assessment formed the foundation for the Russian collusion investigation, which has since been thoroughly discredited.
The declassified review highlighted procedural anomalies and deviations from established intelligence standards within the ICA. It was determined that the assessment was rushed and failed to adhere to basic intelligence community protocols.
Declassified records revealed that Brennan personally pushed for the inclusion of the infamous Steele dossier in the ICA, despite it containing unverified claims about President Trump and being funded by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign. Brennan's advocacy for the dossier's inclusion contradicts his later testimony to Congress in May 2023, where he stated that the CIA opposed its inclusion in the ICA.
The investigations into Comey and Brennan are unfolding against the backdrop of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's conclusion that there was "no evidence" of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. Mueller's investigation, which occupied a significant portion of Trump's first term, did not yield the results that many of Trump's opponents had anticipated.
