Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, May 04, 2024

Durham report: FBI criticised by special counsel for Trump-Russia inquiry

Durham report: FBI criticised by special counsel for Trump-Russia inquiry

A long-awaited report has strongly criticised the FBI's handling of its investigation into alleged ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.

In a 306-page report, special counsel John Durham said the agency's inquiry lacked "analytical rigor".

He concluded the FBI had not possessed evidence of collusion between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia before launching an inquiry.

The FBI said it had addressed the issues highlighted in the report.

In the report, Mr Durham - who was appointed by then-Attorney General William Barr in 2019 - accused the FBI of acting on "raw, unanalysed and uncorroborated intelligence".

Among the investigative mistakes it made were repeated instances of "confirmation bias", in which it ignored information that undercut the initial premise of the investigation.

The report noted significant differences in the way the FBI had handled the Trump investigation when compared with other potentially sensitive inquiries, such as those involving his 2016 electoral rival Hillary Clinton.

Mr Durham noted that Mrs Clinton and others had received "defensive briefings" from the FBI aimed at "those who may be the targets of nefarious activities by foreign powers". Mr Trump had not.

"The Department [of Justice] and the FBI failed to uphold their important mission of strict fidelity to the law," the report concluded.

In a statement, the FBI said it had "already implemented dozens of corrective actions".

"Had those reforms been in place in 2016, the missteps identified in the report could have been prevented," the statement added.

Special Counsel John Durham was appointed by then Attorney General William Barr in 2019


The FBI investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, which was carried out by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, led to dozens of criminal charges against Trump campaign staff and associates for crimes including computer hacking and financial crimes.

It did not, however, find that the Trump campaign and Russia had conspired together to influence the election.

Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, Mr Trump said the Durham report showed that the "American public was scammed". He cited the report's conclusion that there had not been enough evidence to warrant a full investigation by the FBI. Mr Trump has long claimed that members of the "Deep State" are targeting him unfairly.

Last year, Mr Trump said he believed the Durham report would provide evidence of "really bad, evil, unlawful and unconstitutional" activities and "reveal corruption at a level never before seen in our country".

The Durham report falls short of the blockbuster revelations and prosecutions that some Trump allies hoped for from the inquiry.

The four-year investigation has resulted in three prosecutions. They include an FBI attorney who pleaded guilty to altering evidence while applying for permission to eavesdrop on a former Trump campaign official.

Two other people were acquitted on charges of lying to the FBI.

The former president cited some court filings by the Durham team as part of a lawsuit he filed against Mrs Clinton and several other Democrats and government officials, alleging that they had plotted to undermine his 2016 presidential bid by spreading rumours about his campaign's ties to Russia.

A judge dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous in January and ordered Mr Trump to pay nearly a million dollars in penalties.

Mr Durham and his investigation are not likely to disappear from the national headlines in the immediate future.

Shortly after news that the report would be publicly released, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan announced that he would be calling the US former attorney to testify before Congress about his work.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Faces Significant Sales Decline Amid AI Integration Delay
Netanyahu's Firm Stance Amid Rafah Hostage Talks
BlackRock to Establish Saudi Investment Firm
Dubai's New Al Maktoum International Airport: World's Largest with ₹2900 Crores Investment, 5 Runways, and 260 Million Annual Capacity
New UK Laws: Banning Weak Passwords for Internet-Connected Devices to Enhance Cybersecurity
Blinken on Gaza: Ceasefire is Key to Humanitarian Crisis Resolution
UAE Prime Minister Announces $544M for Home Repairs after Historic Rains, Vows to Learn from Experience
Germany Sends New Frigate to Red Sea to Protect Ships Amid Houthi Attacks
Isfahan Explosions: US Media Reports Israel's Retaliatory Strikes on Iran
Four Dead, Dubai Airport Disrupted: UAE's Heaviest Rains in 75 Years Cause Flooding and Flight Chaos
Dubai's Historic Flooding: Homes Ruined, Airport Disrupted Due to Lack of Storm Drains
Meteorologist Warns of 'Weather Wars' Amid Debate over Dubai Rain and Cloud Seeding
Saudi Arabia Leads in Artificial Intelligence Development: Ranked First by Stanford University Index
Dubai's Airport and Roads Disrupted for Third Day Amid Heavy Rain and Flooding: 1,285 Flights Cancelled or Diverted
Doha Hamad Overtakes Singapore Changi as World's Best Airport in Skytrax Awards 2024
Dubai Airports: Stranded Tourists 'Living on Duty Free,' Desperate for Food and Water
Turkish President Erdogan to Host Hamas Leader Haniyeh Amidst Israel Tensions
BOEING WHISTLEBLOWER: THE MAX AIRPLANE IS NOT SAFE!!!
Creative menu of a Pizza restaurant..
Heavy Rains Cause Flooding in UAE and Oman: 18 Lives Lost
Look at this weather in Dubai. It looks like the end of days
You can be a very successful player, but a player with character is another level!
Come to Dubai, ya Habibi
Stay safe, ya Habibi
Dubai underwater, Influencers are stranded in their Rolls Royces in flooded roads as skies turn black in apocalyptic scenes as storm hits region.
Unprecedented Flooding Disrupts Dubai
Experience the Future of Dining: My Visit to an AI-Powered Burger Joint
Ajman Crown Prince Declares Remote Work Day for Government Employees Due to Weather (Except Essential Jobs)
UK Urges Israel to Avoid Escalation in Iran-Israel Tensions: 'Time to Be Smart'
Iran's New Strategy: Direct Retaliation Against Israel After Damascus Consulate Attack
Saudi Finance Minister to Lead Delegation at IMF-World Bank Meetings: Discussing Global Economic Developments and Saudi Arabia's Three-Year Chairmanship
Saudi Arabia Leads the Way in Metaverse Adoption: $7.6 Billion Economic Opportunity by 2030
Saudi ADES Wins $93.3m Contract from TotalEnergies to Operate Jack-up Rig in Qatar
Saudi's Knowledge Economic City Co. Signs $78m Deals for 396 Al-Alya Residential Apartments
Saudi Arabia's EV Revolution: Crown Prince Drives Electric Vehicle Industry Forward in Middle East
UN Chief Warns: Middle East on Brink of Devastating Conflict Between Iran and Israel - Calls for Maximum Restraint
Israeli Military: Hamas Holds Hostages in Rafah, Netanyahu Plans Ground Invasion
Israel and Allies Form Coalition After Iran's Missile Attack on Israel: First Time Against Iran's Threats in Middle East
IDF released footage showing Israeli fighter jets downing some of the 300 drones and missiles fired from Iran at Israel.
The West stands with Israel, Iran is furious: "Double standards and irresponsibility"
Huge Queues at Iranian Gas Stations
Stabbing rampage terror attack in Sydney, at least four people killed, early reports that a baby was among those stabbed.
Scandal in Iran after a goalkeeper had the audacity to hug a female fan who stormed the pitch
Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight. Israel Reports Light Damage After Iran Launches Large Strike.
Saudi Arabia calls for "restraint" amid Iranian strikes on Israel
Israel Closes Airspace in Response to Iranian Drones Attack
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Seizes Israeli-Affiliated Ship near Hormuz: Escalating Tensions in the Middle East
Iran launched dozens of drones at Israel on Saturday but they will take hours to reach their targets, Israel's military said
Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed an "invisibility cloak", for AI using adversarial patterns on a sweater, making the wearer nearly undetectable to standard object detection methods.
Online YouTube streamer N3ON was just sentenced to AN ENTIRE YEAR in prison in Dubai for filming and live-streaming, without “proper permits”
×