[Pipe_Dream]

FBI brass were ‘fired up’ about now-debunked Trump-Russia ties: texts, testimony

https://nypost.com/2022/05/24/fbi-br...xts-testimony/

FBI leaders, including then-Director James Comey, were “fired up” about a potential connection between the Trump campaign and Russia — which ultimately was proven false, text messages and court testimony revealed Tuesday.

On Sept. 21, 2016, two days after Hillary Clinton campaign attorney Michael Sussmann gave then-FBI General Counsel James Baker info about a supposed digital back channel between the Trump Organization and Moscow-based Alfa Bank, agent Joe Pientka texted colleague Curtis Heide: “People on 7th floor to include Director are fired up about this server.”

Heide and fellow FBI agent Allison Sands drafted an electronic communication to investigators incorrectly stating the Justice Department had referred the matter to the FBI on Sept. 19, the day Sussmann met with Baker.

Sussmann is charged with lying to the FBI when he met with Baker and turned over a “white paper” that showed the purported tie between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank.

Sussmann said he was providing the information on his own when, according to prosecutors, he was working on behalf of the Clinton campaign . . .

Despite the enthusiasm of their bosses, rank-and-file agents quickly became convinced the data handed over by Sussmann was worthless. Last week, FBI supervisory agent Scott Hellman testified of the white paper: “I thought perhaps the person who drafted this document was suffering from a mental disability.”

By Sept. 26, one week after Sussmann met with Baker, Heide said his team was leaning toward the conclusion that the allegations were “bunk.”

When asked by prosecutor Jonathan Algor why he kept up with the investigation if he believed there was no evidence to back it, Heide answered: “Headquarters told us that not investigating the matter was not an option.”