FBI Launches Criminal Investigations into Brennan and Comey Over Trump-Russia Probe

WASHINGTON — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has opened criminal investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey for alleged wrongdoing linked to the Trump-Russia probe, multiple sources from the Department of Justice (DOJ) have confirmed.

The investigations reportedly center on claims of making false statements to Congress. Sources revealed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred evidence against Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel, prompting the criminal investigation.

Details surrounding the investigations are not fully disclosed, but the DOJ has suggested that they may include a pattern of conspiratorial behavior, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Last week, Ratcliffe declassified a review revealing that the creation of a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) was rushed and contained procedural anomalies. The assessment alleged that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 presidential election in favor of Donald Trump.

The review criticized the inclusion of the Steele Dossier in the ICA, describing it as a move that undermined the assessment’s credibility. The dossier, compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele, has been widely discredited and was funded through the campaign of Hillary Clinton.

The CIA has not responded to requests for comments, nor have Brennan or Comey. However, the review stated that Brennan had pushed for the dossier’s inclusion despite warnings about its reliability.

Brennan testified before Congress in May 2023 that the CIA opposed including the dossier, contradicting earlier evidence. In 2016, Brennan briefed then-President Obama on a plan by Clinton’s campaign to tie Trump to Russia—a detail that has come under scrutiny in light of the investigations.

During his investigation, Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. However, further inquiries into the origins of the investigation have raised questions about the processes and motivations of the officials involved.

The current administration has expressed a desire for accountability regarding these actions, with the White House affirming that those involved must face consequences for their conduct in the Russia investigation.