Former Special Counsel John Durham's recent report, which criticized the FBI's handling of the Trump-Russia investigation, is set to be the focus of two congressional hearings this week. Durham will testify before the House Intelligence Committee privately on Tuesday and publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
The report concluded that the Department of Justice and the FBI didn't adhere to strict legal standards when initiating the Trump-Russia probe. Durham's investigation, launched in 2019 by then-Attorney General William Barr, examined the origins of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation. This original inquiry investigated potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.
Durham's report asserts that senior FBI officials lacked thoroughness in analyzing information from politically connected individuals, which ultimately triggered Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. He pointed to a significant reliance on leads provided or funded by Trump's political adversaries, highlighting the DOJ and FBI's failure to sufficiently scrutinize these materials or the motivations behind them.
One key finding is the FBI's inaction on intelligence suggesting a plan by Hillary Clinton's campaign to link Trump to Russia. This alleged plan was intended to divert attention from Clinton's email server controversy. Durham noted that then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed President Obama, Vice President Biden, and other officials on this intelligence, but no action was taken. The report suggests a more thorough assessment of this information might have altered the course of the investigation.
The now-discredited Steele dossier, funded by the Clinton campaign and the DNC, also played a role in the investigation. Durham's report highlighted the lack of corroboration for many of the dossier's claims. While the investigation resulted in charges against three individuals, none were related to the alleged Clinton plan to tie Trump to Russia. Durham's team found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that officials intentionally furthered such a plan.
Following the report's release, Trump called for accountability for those involved in the investigation. The FBI responded by stating that reforms implemented since 2016 would have prevented the identified missteps and emphasized its commitment to rigorous and objective work. This report is likely to have significant implications for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, as it continues to fuel debate about the origins and handling of the Trump-Russia investigation.
