letters to the editor
The Knoxville News Sentinel article “FBI surveillance at risk amid fight” stated President Donald Trump has long been suspicious of the Nation’s Intelligence Community. President Trump has good reason for that suspicion.
The FBI, under former President Barak Obama’s leadership, opened Crossfire Hurricane, an investigation into whether individuals associated with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign were coordinating with the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 Presidential Election.
The investigation targeted Carter Page, who was a volunteer for the Trump presidential campaign and had extensive expertise as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch and worked in their Moscow office in the oil and electricity sector. He was given the status of “operational contact” by the CIA in which he provided valuable information to our country on Russian matters.
The FBI acquired surveillance warrants from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) to spy on Page, and in turn spy on the Trump Campaign.
The “Office of the Inspector General U. S. Department of Justice Review of Four FISA applications and Other Aspects of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation” report found that the applications for the warrants relied on former British spy Christopher Steel’s Russian-backed collection of reports known as the Steele dossier. Former FBI director, James Comey, testified before Congress that the dossier was salacious and unverified. Those in the hierarchy of the FBI signed the applications to acquire the warrants to spy on American citizen Page and the Trump Campaign, knowing their foundational document was unverified.
Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s investigation found many errors concerning the FBI’s applications to the FISC court. For example, the FBI did not inform the FISC that Page was an operational contact and had received positive assessments from the CIA. Another example is the fact that the FBI failed to inform the court that the Hillary Clinton campaign and DNC paid for the dossier.
What may have begun as Clinton dirty politics is now under investigation by John Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Durham was tasked with overseeing a review of the origins of the Russia investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane, and to determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was lawful and appropriate. Durham’s review, now a criminal investigation, will reveal if President Trumps’ suspicions of the intelligence community were justified.
Note: Page is suing the federal government for violation of his civil rights.
Brenda Miller, Farragut
I would like to shout out and thank Forno’s Grill on Campbell Station Road and LongHorn Steakhouse on Parkside Drive. The Farragut High School 66 South Election Day officials worked the polls from 7 a.m. until nearly 9 p.m. assisting more than 1,050 voters.
Forno’s Grill provided a lunch of salad and pizza for the crew of 15, while LongHorn provided their dinner of salad and a chicken and rice entrée. We, the Election officials, sincerely appreciate their timely and delicious donations. Their fare made a long, intense day a bit brighter.
Again, thank you, Forno’s Grill and LongHorn Steakhouse.
We also had a delicious Farmer’s Egg Casserole for breakfast, prepared by Rich Cataldi.
Susie Cataldi, Farragut
