Thread by @ProfMJCleveland

🔥🔥🔥@Comey used stealth "Prohibited Access" status for FBI's Mid-Year Exam investigation into Hillary Clinton, rendering documents invisible in Sentinel system. 1/

2/ Yesterday @Agent_Mondello noted Inspector General's report re 4 FISA warrants against Page acknowledged they used "Prohibited Access." That was news to me, so I pulled. He was right...it did speak of access being "Prohibited" BUT explanation did not make clear functionality.

@Agent_Mondello 3/ I read that as what we understand "restricted access" to be. BUT it is a huge point because it also reveals that FBI Headquarters called it "close-hold." And also reveals the Prohibited Access started under Crossfire Hurricane by Comey.

@Agent_Mondello 4/ So, I went back to OIG to search for "close hold" and "close-hold" because my "prohibited access" search turned up the one report from 2021/22? I posted before where Prohibited Access was explained for the first time and that's it. Well several hits for "close hold, including

@Agent_Mondello 5/ the investigation into Comey's handling of the Mid-Year investigation of Hillary Clinton--again with Comey making call.

@Agent_Mondello 6/ More...

@Agent_Mondello 7/ There was also a "close hold" for in the President's surveillance program, but this pre-dated Sentinel, which makes me think that the terminology was a carry over and that's why they didn't reference "Prohibited Access" and why others didn't know of functionality.

@Agent_Mondello 8/ And finally close hold used for bulk collection of telephone metadata.

@Agent_Mondello 9/ Bottom line points: In further investigating @FBIDirectorKash and @dbongino need to use "close hold" and "close-hold," as well as "Prohibited Access" in searching/questioning folks to understand issue.

@Agent_Mondello @FBIDirectorKash @dbongino 10/ That IG mentioned access as "prohibited" in 2019 re FISA abuse does NOT eliminate problem because a) how it was described doesn't establish full understanding of Sentinel functionality & potential problems; and b) Electronic Communication released by Grassley reveals abuse.

@Agent_Mondello @FBIDirectorKash @dbongino 11/ Whether and what impact those two points had on Durham, IG Investigation, Brady's investigation into Ukraine corruption, FOIA requests, and Congressional oversight, as well as other cases, is completely unknown.

@Agent_Mondello @FBIDirectorKash @dbongino 12/ I would add I believe there could well be legitimate need for "prohibited access," such as if a mobster is working with FBI & even his name showing up in a search put life at risk, BUT there would need to be extensive checks in place & Grassley's release shows there weren't.

@Agent_Mondello @FBIDirectorKash @dbongino 13/13 Working on piece for tomorrow of what Americans needs to know about Sentinel's "prohibited access" system and why the answers to those questions matter.