FBI agent Peter Strzok, the same official removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe for sending text messages critical of President Donald Trump, helped write the letter informing Congress that the FBI would re-open its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server in late October 2016, CNN reported Wednesday.
Republicans have attacked Strozk in recent weeks, latching onto his text message exchanges with fellow FBI official Lisa Page as proof of anti-Trump bias at the FBI during the 2016 election.
The new report from CNN, however, shows that Strzok also played a crucial role in a move by the FBI that arguably hurt Clinton just before the November election.
FBI Director James Comey announced in late October 2016 that the FBI would re-open its probe into Clinton’s email in order to examine emails discovered on the laptop belonging to Anthony Weiner, the husband of top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. The FBI announced just before the election that the emails did not change the conclusion in the Clinton email probe.
Strzok helped write that initial letter re-opening the probe, according to emails obtained by CNN.
Additionally, two sources who saw text messages exchanged between Strzok and Page on Nov. 6, 2016 told CNN that Strzok agreed with Page’s belief that the FBI should not make a public statement about the Clinton. It was not clear which public statement the two FBI officials were referring to, but the text messages came the same day Comey announced that the FBI had again closed the Clinton probe, per CNN.
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