In an assessment that sent shockwaves through Washington, Special Counsel John Durham underscored in his report on Monday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) probe into former President Donald Trump's supposed collusion with Russia in 2016 was "gravely flawed" and lacked a solid evidence-based foundation.
The report, a culmination of Durham's four-year inquiry, sheds light on alleged bias within the FBI that fuelled award-winning reporting about Trump's suspected conspiracy with Russia. "The FBI disregarded or deliberately turned a blind eye to crucial information that contravened the collusion narrative between Trump and Russia," Durham stated in his report.
Drawing on evidence from the FBI's own Inspection Division Report, Durham pointed out that investigators routinely dismissed or explained away evidence that contradicted the notion that the Trump campaign had conspired with Russia. He contended that this pattern suggested a preconceived assumption of guilt.
The report questioned the FBI's motives, suggesting they might have been exploited for political or other purposes. "A thorough and truthful evaluation of these pieces of information should have prompted the FBI not just to question the grounds for the investigation, but also to consider whether they were being used as pawns," Durham lamented.
While the report delves into the roots of Operation Crossfire Hurricane, it stops short of recommending fresh criminal prosecutions. Despite this, it paints a troubling picture of the FBI's leak-ridden investigation that began in the summer of 2016 and spanned more than half of Trump's term in office, fueled by a steady drip of leaks to the media that cast a shadow over Trump.
Durham's findings also corroborated previous assertions about Hillary Clinton's involvement in funding research into alleged Trump-Russia ties. The report suggests that the FBI exhibited a disinterest in tips that Clinton was attempting to smear Trump as a Russian agent to divert attention from leaked emails showing a concerted effort to undermine Sen. Bernie Sanders's candidacy for the Democratic nomination.
Despite its scathing critique, the report does not advocate for sweeping reforms within the FBI. Instead, Durham writes, "the answer is not the creation of new rules but a renewed fidelity to the old."
Responding to Durham's report, Trump expressed his vindication on social media, accusing those who initiated the probe of scamming the American public. However, the report also confirmed the awareness of high-ranking officials, including then-President Barack Obama and the leaders of the FBI and CIA, about allegations that Clinton orchestrated the controversy around Trump’s possible collusion with the Kremlin.
The FBI, in response to the Durham report, acknowledged its past missteps and stated that its current leadership has already implemented numerous corrective measures to avoid such errors in the future. The statement reads, "This report reinforces the importance of ensuring the FBI continues to do its work with rigor, objectivity, and professionalism the American people deserve and rightly expect."