GOP senators refer Trump dossier author for federal investigation
GOP senators refer Trump dossier author for federal investigation
Sen. Grassley on concerns of political interference within the DOJ
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and concerns the FBI has become too politicized.
Two top Republican senators have formally recommended that the Justice Department and FBI investigate the author of the controversial anti-Trump “dossier,” in the first known criminal referral from Congress as part of lawmakers’ Russia probes.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made the referral in a Jan. 4-dated letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray. The move ramps up congressional Republicans’ investigation of the salacious document and those involved in creating it, as Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues to probe Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump associates.
The dossier was authored by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, who was hired by opposition research firm Fusion GPS. In their letter, the GOP lawmakers cited potential violations for false statements “the Committee has reason to believe Mr. Steele made regarding his distribution of information contained in the dossier.”
“I don’t take lightly making a referral for criminal investigation. But, as I would with any credible evidence of a crime unearthed in the course of our investigations, I feel obliged to pass that information along to the Justice Department for appropriate review,” Grassley said in a statement.
Their letter cited potential violations of a section of the criminal code pertaining to making false statements or concealing facts.
The committee has been probing the dossier’s origin for months.
Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson met with the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee behind closed doors for 10 hours in August. At the time, a Fusion GPS lawyer said Simpson “cleared the record on many matters of interest.”
Source: GOP senators refer Trump dossier author for federal investigation
