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A multi-year investigation by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice (DOJ) found that many FBI employees had “significant” contact with the media prior to the 2016 presidential election, but it did not was able to determine who disclosed sensitive information to journalists.
The 10-page report released Thursday by Inspector General Michael Horowitz said that while FBI policies strictly limit which employees can speak to the media, those rules “appeared to be largely ignored” in 2016.
The new findings expand on investigative work included in a June 2018 report titled “Review of Allegations of Various Actions by the Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Ahead of the 2016 Election (Pre-Election Report). -election of 2016) ”.
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The IG report reads in part: “Among the issues we examined in this report were allegations that FBI employees inappropriately disclosed non-public information regarding the FBI’s investigation into Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private mail server The FBI has a policy that limits the number of employees allowed to speak with the media and requires the approval of all other employees.
“We identified many FBI employees, at all levels of the organization and without official reason to be in contact with the media, who were however in frequent contact with journalists,” he continues.
The IG said it “determined this information by examining FBI files and performing a forensic examination of FBI electronics,” including SMS communications and phone records that did not reflect the “substance. “of communication. However, the IG did not seek a court order to compel service providers to produce personal communications via email.
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“The large number of FBI employees who were in contact with reporters during this time had an impact on our ability to identify the sources of the leaks. For example, during the periods we examined, we identified dozens of FBI employees who had contact with members of the media. . “
The report says its ability to identify leaks was also hampered by the fact that in some cases more than 100 employees had access to sensitive information that was leaked.
The report details three senior officials who had extensive unauthorized contact with the media between January and November 2916, including unauthorized social engagements, such as drinks and dinners, that violate FBI policy. In addition, the IG referred six FBI headquarters employees to the FBI to determine whether their media contact warrants disciplinary or corrective action.
The IG report also found no evidence that FBI staff disclosed sensitive information to Rudy Giuliani about the Hillary Clinton mail server investigation.
Giuliani claimed days before the 2016 election that Trump had “pretty big surprises” that he was prepared to reveal. Two days after this statement, then FBI Director James Comey announced that the office was reopening its investigation into the Clinton emails.
The IG office confirmed that it spoke directly with Giuliani, stating in the report: “Due to the content and timing of these public statements by Giuliani suggesting that current or former FBI personnel may have provided him with information of non-public investigation, the OIG contacted Giuliani, who agreed to appear for a voluntary interview. “
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Giuliani told the IG: “[Director] Comey’s statements came as a shock to me. I had no knowledge of it in advance. ”
The report continued: “He also said he had not been in contact with any active FBI agent in October 2016, and said he only spoke with former agents who had no direct or indirect knowledge of FBI investigations in October 2016, and that the extent of his conversations with former agents was “gossip” about Comey’s decision-making in 2016. “
Since the 2016 pre-election report, the IG says the FBI has taken steps to improve the FBI’s procedures and its “cultural attitude” and “disciplinary sanctions” regarding unauthorized contact with the media.
Kelly Laco of Fox News contributed to this report.
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