DOJ recovers missing FBI texts involved in what some Republicans claim is a secret plot against President Trump
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has recovered previously missing text messages exchanged by two FBI officials who are now at the center of a Republican campaign to show that the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is biased against President Trump.
In a Thursday letter to Congress, Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz said investigators “succeeded” in unearthing five months of communications between Peter Strzok, a counter-intelligence agent, and bureau lawyer Lisa Page. Both had been assigned to the Russia inquiry headed by Justice special counsel Robert Mueller.
The discovery of other communications between the two last year, which disparaged Trump, prompted Strzok’s removal from Mueller’s staff. Page had previously returned to her duties at the FBI when an initial cache of message were turned over to the inspector general as part of a separate inquiry into FBI’s handling of its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of private email server while secretary of State.
Earlier this week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Congress that a glitch in the FBI’s information system resulted in a failure to preserve communications between December 2016 and May 2017. That failure not only affected the phones of Strzok and Page, but thousands of other bureau-issued devices.
“The (inspector general) has been investigating this matter and, this week, succeeded in using forensic tools to recover text messages from FBI devices, including text messages between Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page,” Horowitz said.
Republican lawmakers have seized on the text communications and the breakdown of the bureau’s information system to question the credibility of Mueller’s continuing inquiry into possible coordination between Russia and Trump campaign and possible obstruction by Trump.
In one exchange between the two, the term “secret society” appeared to be used in a joking reference. But some Republicans began referring to the term as evidence of a bizarre plot against Trump. Federal authorities dismissed the assertion.
In his letter, Horowtiz said the previously missing texts would be turned over to Justice officials for consideration in any management action.
