FBI Fires Peter Strzok

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Strzok led special counsel Mueller's witch-hunt Russiagate investigation for the FBI.

Last August, he was dismissed after his anti-Trump text messages with agency lawyer Lisa Page (his lover) became public, along with other pro-Hillary comments.

Revealed text messages showed sacked FBI director James Comey lied to Congress under oath, claiming he didn't consult with the DOJ or White House about the Hillary probe.

Trump had ample just cause to fire him. Deputy DOJ Attorney General Rod Rosenstein failed to indict Comey for criminality too serious to ignore. AG Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russiagate probe.

On Friday, the FBI sacked Strozok - not because of unacceptable conduct, because it became a public embarrassment to the agency. He became damaged goods.

In January, Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz issued a damning report on FBI and DOJ dysfunctional and unaccountable actions throughout the probe into Hillary's private server use for official State Department business.

Horowitz said Strzok's text messages and actions were "not only indicative of a biased state of mind but, even more seriously, implie(d) a willingness to take official action to impact the presidential candidate's electoral prospects," adding:

The Russiagate probe "potentially indicated or created the appearance that investigative decisions were impacted by bias or improper considerations."

At the time, Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said "(t)he IG report has destroyed the credibility of the Department of Justice and the FBI."

Exposure of their wrongdoing should have ended the Russiagate witch-hunt probe straightaway - what never should have been initiated in the first place, amounting to McCarthyism on steroids.

It continues with no end point in prospect, perhaps for the duration of Trump's tenure, a campaign to delegitimize and smear him for the wrong reasons, not the right ones.

According to Strozok's attorney Aitan Goelman, deputy FBI director David Bowdich overruled the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

It wanted him retained, demoted, and suspended for 60 days, so-called normal disciplinary procedure, supporting agency officials and special agents no matter how outrageous or illegal their actions.

In response to Strozok's sacking, Trump tweeted: "Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI - finally. The list of bad players in the FBI & DOJ gets longer & longer." 

"Based on the fact that Strzok was in charge of the Witch Hunt, will it be dropped? It is a total Hoax. No Collusion, No Obstruction."

"Just fired Agent Strzok…was in charge of the Crooked Hillary Clinton sham investigation. It was a total fraud on the American public and should be properly redone!"

Usually OPR recommendations stick, not regarding Strozok because his anti-Trump/pro-Hillary sentiment the FBI wanted hidden became public information.

Commenting on Strozok's sacking, Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said the following:

"The firing of Peter Strzok is another body blow to the credibility of the Mueller special counsel operation." 

"Strzok, who hated President Trump, compromised both the Clinton and Trump investigations that saw Hillary Clinton protected and Donald Trump illicitly targeted." 

"Strzok's anti-Trump texts show the Russia investigation he helped invent with Clinton campaign operatives is irredeemably compromised." 

"As Mueller's operation is founded on Strzok's corrupt activities, it must be shut down."

Instead the disgraceful witch-hunt continues with no end of it in prospect.

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