THREAD: on Apr 24, 2018, Devin Nunes, then Intel Cmte chair, asked DOJ for documents regarding a "sensitive matter". Intel Cmte vehemently refused - even more vehemently than their usual obstruction - claiming that identification could lead to loss of life. 
2/ Nunes' request had two outcomes at the time. It led to the identification of Stefan Halper as the government agent who had "spied" on Carter Page, as well as Papadopoulos. We now know that Halper had previously smeared Flynn and @RealSLokhova. Some, including me, suspect
@RealSLokhova 3/ that Halper was involved in the Steele dossier smear of Carter Page and perhaps even more extensively as a source of Steele dossier smears.
@RealSLokhova 4/ the outing of Halper also led to Trump demanding (by tweet ) that DOJ investigate infiltration or surveillance of Trump campaign and whether "demands or requests" made by Obama admin
@RealSLokhova 5/ later on May 20, Rod Rosenstein, through an email from DOJ press secretary Sarah Isgur Flores, announced that the terms of reference of the existing IG inquiry into Carter Page FISA would be expanded to include "impropriety or political motivation" in how FBI inquiry on Russia
@RealSLokhova 6/ by kicking controversy into the deep grass of IG Horowitz, Rosenstein stalemated Nunes' demand for documents on Halper, none of which have ever been produced by DOJ.
@RealSLokhova 7/ Rosenstein stratagem also frustrated any serious examination into Halper until after the 2018 mid-term elections, at which, conveniently for the DOJ, Republicans lost control of the House, resulting in Schiff, not Nunes, being Intel Cmte chair, thus ending inquiry into Halper
@RealSLokhova 8/ it seems highly unlikely that Horowitz will reveal any of the documents on Halper's activities which Nunes had sought. After all, we were solemnly told at the time that any disclosure of anything would risk life and limb of Halper and entire intel establishment.
@RealSLokhova 9/ nonetheless, everything that we've learned since then shows that Nunes' request for documents on Halper was eminently justified and that DOJ refusal was merely selfish. We now know that Halper had disturbing role in smearing Flynn.
@RealSLokhova 10/ we also know that Halper worked closely with Richard Dearlove, a mentor to Christopher Steele. Some researchers, including me, believe that the Steele dossier smear of Carter Page originated with Halper and/or Dearlove and that there was no "Russian" source.
@RealSLokhova 11/ had all govt documents relating to Halper been provided to Devin Nunes' Intel Committee in response to his Apr 24, 2018 request, many disturbing questions would have been answered. (Perhaps some worries could be shown to be needless.) However, Rosenstein and DOJ stonewalled
@RealSLokhova 12/ it will be interesting to specifically read IG report to see if it provides any documents requested by Nunes or provides any new information on Halper's activities, especially any role of Halper and/or associates (eg Dearlove) in sourcing Steele dossier.
@RealSLokhova 13/ if Halper and/or associates had any such role in sourcing Steele dossier, the story will be as explosive as Trump surmised in his May 20, 2016 tweet. However, thus far, Trump has been completely out-manouevred by the Sir Humphreys of the permanent administration.
