Thread by @kristina_wong

Going thru #DemMemo in depth now. It admits the DOJ/FBI used the Steele dossier in its FISA warrant application (argues it made only “narrow” use of it):

Also admits it used the Steele dossier in “subsequent” FISA warrant renewals:

Says FBI never paid Steele “for this reporting” but doesn’t mention reimbursing his trip to Rome to meet w/FBI. Also confirms Grassley-Graham memo that FBI relied on Steele b/c of his “prior relationship.”

This raises questions — if it is true that dossier did not reach inner FBI circle til mid-September, how DID it reach the inner circle at headquarters? Internally or through one of the folks reported to have pressured the FBI to look into it (Harry Reid, Brennan):

Quick dinner break!

#DemMemo goes into why FBI thought Page was a shady character (despite him never being charged w:anything). Highlighted is an interesting claim that without seeing the redacted info is impossible to assess if true (also, worth noting paragraph above highlighted part not proven):

How much shld Steele’s prior work w/the FBI be a basis for accepting his work on the dossier? Also...DOJ informed the court of the “likely” political motivations of those who hired Steele?

How abt the “Clinton campaign & the DNC wanted to defeat Trump”? There’s no “likely” here.

Here’s where FBI informed FISC the dossier was a political document. FBI claims it wanted to protect Steele’s identity. Nowhere here does it hint that Clinton’s campaign and DNC were behind this...just a “U.S. Person” was hired by a “law firm” “likely” looking to discredit Trump:

#DemMemo says “FBI has undertaken a rigorous process to vet allegations from Steele’s reporting...” Nunes memo cites head of FBI’s counterintelligence division Bill Priestap that corroboration of the Steele dossier was in its “infancy” at the time of the initial FISA application.

This part of #DemMemo confirms FBI terminated Steele as a source, defends FBI for not knowing Steele was source in Yahoo News article they used in FISA ap.

Confirms that there was some sort of FBI payment arrangement but that payment to Steele was “cancelled and never made.”

#DemMemo admits no link between Page and Papadopoulos but said it used Papadopoulos info anyway in FISA app for Page because it provided “a broader context” for evaluating Page’s alleged contacts. 🤔

#DemMemo reveals DOJ/FBI used another news article in its FISA applications. How rigorous are these applications?

Lastly, this part makes it hard to believe Steele did not know motivation behind the research, as #DemMemo claims.

Steele worked for Fusion GPS. Steele and Bruce Ohr were friends. Ohr’s wife also worked for Fusion GPS. Did she know motivation? Did Bruce know & not tell Steele?