Investigation Into Origins Of Russia Probe Going ‘Full Throttle’

The investigation into the origins of the Russia-collusion probe continues “full throttle” as U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham is joined by U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Jeff Jensen and interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Timothy Shea.

Fox News reported that Jensen would be assisting Durham’s investigation even after he looked into the charges against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and recommended those charges be dropped. Shea has taken on parts of the investigation to help ease the burden on Durham, the outlet reported.

“They farmed the investigation out because it is too much for Durham and he didn’t want to be distracted,” a source told Fox. “He’s going full throttle, and they’re looking at everything.”

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Any indication that Durham could be building a case against anyone involved in the original Russia probe, however, is sure to inflame tensions between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats — who already are ramping up accusations that these Justice Department reviews have become politicized. They slammed Attorney General Bill Barr for the DOJ’s decision Thursday to drop the Flynn case.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who was a key figure during Trump’s impeachment proceedings, called the decision “outrageous.”

“The evidence against General Flynn is overwhelming,” Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a statement. Nadler and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Friday also formally requested that Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz launch an investigation into Barr’s “pattern of conduct that includes improper political interference.”

As The Daily Wire previously reported, the Department of Justice dropped the criminal case against Flynn on May 7, saying the FBI’s January 24, 2017, interview of Flynn was “conducted without any legitimate investigative basis.” Someone in the Obama administration had leaked a phone call between Flynn and then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The FBI, knowing what was in the phone call, then decided to interview Flynn allegedly to learn what he had said to Kislyak. Handwritten notes revealed the FBI agents interviewing Flynn were hoping to get him to lie and get him fired.

Flynn was encouraged not to have an attorney present while speaking to the FBI, and former FBI Director James Comey admitted the interview did not follow standard protocol. Further, Flynn did not recall specifics of his phone call with Kislyak, while the FBI had a transcript in front of them. Flynn eventually pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI – possibly in exchange for the Bureau to not charge his son with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act – but then tried to withdraw the plea. The DOJ’s move to drop the charges last week have Flynn’s supporters saying he was vindicated.

The FBI went hard against Flynn for his alleged lies, but did not charge former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe in the same way despite his own lies to the Bureau.