Strzok's firing reveals the scandal at the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility - Thomas Lifson

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by Thomas Lifson

The rot goes deeper than top management at the FBI.

Because Trump-haters already are donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to Peter Strzok's GoFundMe begathon, they are likely to fund his lawyers making an issue of his firing.  The fact that the deputy director of the FBI overruled the Office of Professional Responsibility's recommendation for a mild penalty of  a 60-day suspension and a demotion will no doubt be a centerpiece of their argument that politics reared its ugly head, and he is a martyr.

Good.

Sara Carter, with many sources within the FBI, lays out the case that the OPR acted with bias and needs reform.  I recommend that you read the whole thing, but here are some excerpts:

[W]hat could have led FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich, to make the decision to overrule OPR? ...

Former FBI special agents, some of whom worked with OPR for years, said they agree with Bodwich's decision.  They told SaraACarter.com that the system is broken and Bodwich had no other choice but to step in and fire Strzok.  They say political leanings, friendships and dual systems of justice inside OPR have plagued how cases regarding FBI agents are adjudicated and handled.

"Strzok was under oath before Congress and he made statements that appeared to be false and refused to answer some questions, but he was going to get just a slap on the wrist," said a former supervisory special agent from OPR adjudication, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the nature of their work.  "There is absolutely no wiggle room when it comes to lack of candor in the FBI...unless you're an SES (Senior Executive Service).  Strzok's firing went well beyond texting about Trump.  Strzok would have also been involved in the handling of the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) application to the FISC (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court)..."  The agent noted that Strzok was "well aware that he was lying by deception when they did not include the information on who paid for the dossier and (that) Bruce Ohr was back-channeling information for a discredited source."

"Strzok knew they were not putting the application in the right context," the former FBI supervisory special agent added.  "If there was the slightest doubt if that application was not 100 percent true, then that application would not go forward."

Unless I am mistaken, these are felonious actions.  No wonder Strzok needs a legal defense fund.

The OPR obviously needs reform, as does more than just the top management of the FBI.

Thomas Lifson

Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/08/strzoks_firing_reveals_the_scandal_at_the_fbis_office_of_professional_responsibility.html

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