Thread by @EpochTimes

Year in Review📅20 Notable Spygate Developments of 2019

by @IvanPentchoukov (Thread👇) theepochtimes.com/year-in-review…

In the saga of “#Spygate,” 2019 has shaped up to be the year the tables turned.

In the first days of January 2019, a federal judge extended the term of the #GrandJury in the #SpecialCounsel investigation by #RobertMueller.

Later that month, the @FBI raided the home of veteran Republican strategist #RogerStone in front of @CNN cameras.

The raid and indictment of Stone were symbolic of the spectacle that was the #RussiaInvestigation.

#Mueller charged Stone with process crimes; the indictment included no allegations related to the central theme of the #Russia probe—whether anyone on the Trump 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Meanwhile, the “#Russiagate” media frenzy continued, with @CNN treating the footage of the raid as the late-stage operation in a takedown of a criminal empire.

The #MuellerReport would state that there was no evidence that any American colluded with Russia in the 2016 elections.

@CNN Even before the #MuellerReport was published, #AGBarr sent shockwaves through the establishment by stating plainly that he believed #Spying did occur on the Trump campaign.

As the year draws to a close, the #IGHorowitz has confirmed the long-running claims of significant errors in the #FISA applications to surveil @carterwpage.

In 2020, the foundation laid by these developments will be a useful reference as #Durham’s investigation of the malfeasance continues.

While not an exhaustive list, the 20 moments below are representative of the reversal and are helpful for viewing the events in the year ahead.

20. Senate Intelligence Committee Finds No Evidence of Trump–Russia Collusion

Both Democratic and Republican sources on the committee confirmed that the investigation didn’t turn up any evidence of #Collusion between the Trump campaign and #Russia.

19. @RodRosenstein Removed #McCabe From Russia Probe After Appointing #Mueller

In May 2017, then-Deputy AG #Rosenstein removed #AndrewMcCabe from the #Russia investigation shortly after appointing #RobertMueller to lead the probe.

The revelation added to an emerging picture of the events surrounding #RobertMueller’s appointment.

The #DOJ statement from which the news originated appeared to imply that #Mueller’s appointment had something to do with actions taken by #McCabe.

18. Trump: #NoCollusion and #NoObstruction, #DOJ Concludes

In late March, #AGBarr released a summary of conclusions based on the #MuellerReport. The investigation was concluded with no evidence that Trump or anyone on Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia.

While #Mueller didn’t make a call on whether Trump obstructed justice, #Barr and #Rosenstein reviewed the report and found insufficient evidence to bring charges.

17. #Spying on Trump Campaign Did Occur, #AGBarr Says

In testimony before Congress, AG Barr explicitly stated that the Trump campaign was spied on.

The affirmation was significant because the media had long labeled claims of spying on the campaign as conspiracy theories.

With the nation’s top attorney on the record, the media had to grapple with explaining #Barr’s view to the American people.

16. #MuellerReport Shatters Credibility of #SteeleDossier

In addition to revealing the lack of evidence for the allegations of #Collusion between the Trump campaign and #Russia, #Mueller's final report hammered one of the final nails in the credibility of the Steele dossier.

The #MuellerReport included no evidence to support any of the claims damaging to Trump that were featured in the #SteeleDossier.

The @HillaryClinton campaign and the @DNC ultimately funded the dossier, which the @FBI used to secure a #FISA warrant on @CarterWPage.

@HillaryClinton @DNC @FBI @carterwpage 15. @NYTimes Identifies 2nd Spy Who Targeted Trump Campaign

In early May, The New York Times revealed the activities of a second spy tasked by the government to probe the Trump campaign. theepochtimes.com/new-york-times…

@HillaryClinton @DNC @FBI @carterwpage @nytimes 14. #AGBarr Appoints #Durham to Investigate #Spying on Trump Campaign

#Barr's selection stood out because Durham previously exposed a vast conspiracy between bureau agents and mobsters that led to reforms to the @FBI’s Confidential Human Source Program. theepochtimes.com/attorney-probi…

@HillaryClinton @DNC @FBI @carterwpage @nytimes 13. Transcript in #MuellerReport Selectively Edited to Cast Suspicion on Trump

Although a small event in the larger #Spygate story, the revelation that a transcript cited in the #Mueller report was edited to cast suspicion on Trump was representative of the report as a whole.

The defense team representing @GenFlynn forced the release of the transcript, which showed that the writers of the #MuellerReport skipped over portions of a phone call, which, if included, would have made the recording seem harmless. theepochtimes.com/transcript-in-…

@GenFlynn 12. #Steele Agrees to Questioning by US Officials

By June, the man behind the #SteeleDossier used by the @FBI had already agreed to speak to US authorities. theepochtimes.com/former-british…

Steele’s testimony is crucial because he was at the center of a nexus of US officials, media, and politicians who gave the dossier validity by spreading its unverified claims throughout the government and to the public.

11. #Spygate Probe Expands to Include Foreign Intelligence Agencies

Not long after the leak about #Steele’s cooperation with US authorities, the #DOJ went on the record as saying that the Spygate inquiry had expanded to foreign intelligence agencies.

10. #Mueller Silent as Republicans Question Conflicts, Omissions in Russia Probe

#RobertMueller’s testimony was to be a watershed moment for those who, for years, had pushed the #RussiaCollusion narrative. But the performance in late July instead fell flat.

#Mueller remained strictly within the bounds of the #MuellerReport, which concluded that no evidence of collusion was found.

He also was mum about why he appeared to have spent no time looking into instances of malfeasance in the @FBI investigation that he took over in May 2017.

@FBI 9. #DOJ Official’s Wife Funneled #Clinton-Funded Dossier on #PaulManafort to @FBI

Much was known about #NellieOhr, the wife of senior DOJ official #BruceOhr, by August. theepochtimes.com/wife-of-doj-of…

#NellieOhr worked for #FusionGPS, the same firm that employed Steele. Bruce Ohr was the link between #Steele and the @FBI after the bureau fired the former British intelligence officer for leaking to the media.

@FBI 8. @Comey Leaked Classified Info, Violated @FBI Policies, #Horowitz Concludes

In late August, #IGHorowitz castigated former FBI Director James Comey for setting a “dangerous example” by leaking government documents in violation of bureau policies.

The memos @Comey leaked triggered the appointment of the #SpecialCounsel.

#Horowitz referred a classified leak for criminal prosecution, although the #DOJ declined to take up the case.

@Comey 7. #McCabe Opened Formal Investigation of Trump a Day Before #Mueller’s Appointment, Memo Reveals

The release of a McCabe memo in late September added further evidence to the theory that the firing of @Comey wasn’t the only reason for the appointment of a #SpecialCounsel.

The memo showed that #McCabe had opened an investigation of President Trump on May 16, 2017.

A day later, @RodRosenstein appointed #Mueller and removed McCabe from any participation in the Russia investigation. theepochtimes.com/mccabe-opened-…

@RodRosenstein 6. DOJ to Question #Brennan in #Spygate Inquiry

#Durham’s probe had reached the top tier of the Obama admin by October. Former @CIA Director @John rennan said he was to be interviewed by Durham. theepochtimes.com/justice-depart…

#Brennan had previously told #Congress that intelligence he received from foreign intelligence partners served as the foundation for the @FBI investigation of the Trump campaign.

@FBI 5. #Durham’s #Spygate Review Turns Into Criminal Investigation

In late October, @NYTimes and @AP reported that Durham’s probe had evolved into a criminal inquiry. theepochtimes.com/justice-depart…

The evolution of the inquiry into a criminal case was the definitive turning-of-the tables moment, when the investigators of the Trump campaign became the investigated.

4. #HorowitzReport Finds ’17 Significant Errors’ in #FISA Applications for #Spying on @CarterWPage

The #IGReport found that the @FBI withheld evidence that was detrimental to its case. The failures implicated the entire chain of command at the bureau, the report concluded.

@carterwpage @FBI 3. #Barr, #Durham Issue Rare Statements Challenging Some #IGReport Findings

On the heels of the #HorowitzReport, Barr and Durham issued statements that took issue with some of its key findings.

#Barr slammed the malfeasance exposed in the #IGReport as an abuse of spy powers.

#Durham voiced a difference of opinion about whether the opening of the investigation of the Trump campaign was adequately predicated.

2. Top #FISA Court Judge Condemns @FBI for Providing ‘False Information’ to Court

A late December order from a top #FISACourt judge followed shortly after the #HorowitzReport. theepochtimes.com/top-fisa-court…

The judge demanded that #DOJ explain why the #FISACourt should keep trusting information provided by the @FBI, a stunning challenge to the nation’s top law enforcement agency.

@FBI 1. #FISACourt Orders Review of Filings Handled by @FBI Lawyer Who Altered Email

Days after the first order, the court released a declassified order issued earlier the same month.

The #FISACourt ordered #DOJ to review all #FISA applications processed by an @FBI lawyer who was found to have altered an email in order to conceal that @CarterWPage was a source for another government agency.

An @FBI agent relied on the altered email to swear out a #FISA renewal application for a warrant on @CarterWPage that the #FISACourt approved.

/END/ Article by @IvanPentchoukov