The FBI text messages have become a central point of contention in the latest GOP attacks. The controversy revolves around the deletion of text messages between two FBI officials, Lisa Page and Peter Strzok, who were involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server.
The messages were deleted in 2016, but were later recovered by the FBI. The recovered messages show a clear bias against Donald Trump, with one message even referring to him as a "loathsome human."
The recovered messages also reveal that Page and Strzok were in a romantic relationship, which has raised questions about their objectivity in the investigation.
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FBI Agent's Response to GOP Attacks
FBI agent Peter Strzok defiantly fended off GOP attacks after the release of new text messages.
Strzok's attorney released a statement insisting the text messages reflect a renewed Justice Department and FBI effort to stop media leaks, not promote them.
A review of public announcements at the time supports the attorney's claims, including a subsequent announcement from Attorney General Jeff Sessions during that period that the Justice Department and FBI had been working on ways to deter media leaks.
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Strzok and Page repeatedly speculated over who might be leaking information to reporters in the newly-recovered text messages.
On March 17, 2017, Strzok wrote to Page that "Would make sense for the Hill to start strategically leaking to prep the scene for Monday", after the Washington Post obtained certain information ahead of Comey's testimony.
Strzok's attorney's claim that the text messages show an effort to stop media leaks is supported by a subsequent announcement from Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Strzok and Page suspected that political appointees at the White House and Justice Department were the primary sources of leaks, not FBI agents.
On March 24, 2017, Strzok wrote to Page that "I hope they understand the primary likelies are the [political appointees] at WH and DoJ, not the poor" agents and analysts at the FBI.
Discover more: Political Text Messages Examples
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