https://www.politico.com/blogs...es-classified-560934

No criminal charges for FBI agent found to have leaked, lied and mishandled classified information

An FBI agent found to have leaked sensitive information to witnesses, mishandled classified information and lied to investigators will not face criminal charges and appears to have retired while an inquiry into his conduct was underway, according to the Justice Department Office of Inspector General.

An investigative summary posted online by the department’s internal watchdog unit on Monday is short on details, but says investigators opened an investigation after receiving allegations that the unidentified special agent “contacted witnesses in a criminal investigation for an improper purpose.”

“The OIG found that the SA contacted individuals who he either knew were, or had reasonable belief would be witnesses in the criminal investigation and that the SA’s contacts with several individuals appeared to be designed to improperly influence their prospective testimony,” the statement said. “Accordingly, the OIG concluded that the SA’s contacts with the witnesses were improper and constituted misconduct.”

Investigators also uncovered other instances of serious misconduct by the agent, saying he “divulged law enforcement sensitive information to unauthorized individuals; misused his government issued electronic devices; provided misleading testimony during a related civil deposition; mishandled classified information; misused his position during contacts with local law enforcement officers; and provided false information to the OIG.”

The summary does not say where the agent was based, whether he was in a supervisory position or when the OIG was asked to investigate.

“Criminal prosecution of the SA was declined,” the statement from the office of Inspector General Michael Horowitz said.

Spokespeople for the FBI and Horowitz declined to comment.

The disclosure of the inspector general’s findings comes amid intense scrutiny of the process for disciplining and, when appropriate, prosecuting FBI officials for misconduct. Accusations have been flying of double standards for similar conduct and of officials warping the usual process to achieve results desired by the White House.

Just last month, the Justice Department fired former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe a day before he was eligible to retire. An Office of Inspector General investigation had found that he provided false information to investigators, misled then-FBI Director James Comey and authorized disclosure of information about sensitive information to the media.

President Donald Trump has railed against McCabe for leaking, and publicly complained about the possibility that he might retire with his pension.

McCabe has denied intentionally misleading anyone. He has also argued that the deputy FBI director has authority to discuss investigations with the media. His lawyers have said he’s considering legal action over his firing and statements made about him by officials.

The inspector general’s scathing report on McCabe has been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington for review of possible criminal charges, McCabe’s attorneys have confirmed.

Justice Department officials appear to have rushed the normal disciplinary process to get McCabe out before he could retire, lawyers who handle such cases have said.

A spokeswoman for McCabe declined to comment on any parallels between his case and the one revealed on Monday.

While the two cases do share some similarities, they are not perfectly alike. In the case that the inspector general’s office disclosed on Monday, the special agent appears to have retired while the investigation was pending. It is unclear whether his pension will be affected by the dismissal.

A highly anticipated report from the Justice Department’s inspector general on various actions taken at the FBI and the department in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election is due out in the coming weeks. The review covers the conduct of a wide range of individuals related to the Clinton email investigation and other sensitive matters, including Comey, Justice Department officials and many FBI agents. Findings of misconduct could set off more discipline for officials involved, if they still work for the government.

Link to report:
https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2018/f180430.pdf

It’s so short of details, it is impossible to say what happened.

I saw this earlier this week and wanted to post it, but what is there to discuss?

Kinda like Hillary?

quote:

“Accordingly, the OIG concluded that the SA’s contacts with the witnesses were improper and constituted misconduct.”

Investigators also uncovered other instances of serious misconduct by the agent, saying he “divulged law enforcement sensitive information to unauthorized individuals; misused his government issued electronic devices; provided misleading testimony during a related civil deposition; mishandled classified information; misused his position during contacts with local law enforcement officers; and provided false information to the OIG.”

Some points for discussion might include:

• why he will not face charges given the findings of the OIG
  
• why he was allowed to retire while an inquiry into his conduct was underway
  

That should teach him, and others like him, to not do those things.

/Sarcasm

They are still the "Department of Just-Us", and we ain't the "Us".

Like a British Bobby, STOP or I’ll say STOP AGAIN!!!!

Seems innocents are increasingly harrassed and accused. The guilty increasingly skate. Not a good trend. Seems honor and integrity in our society is declining, and legal shenanigans is expanding.

quote:

Originally posted by Vgex:
That should teach him, and others like him, to not do those things.

/Sarcasm

I wonder, of those who decided to take no action, how many are themselves tainted.

Laws are for the little people.

I expected something like this! There are so many dirty people in all the alphabet agencies. The FBI, IMHO is the most crooked of all!

quote:

His lawyers have said he’s considering legal action over his firing and statements made about him by officials.

That douche bag has $567,946.00 in the bank for a defense fund. Who's suing him for what? I don't recall him being charged with anything?

Of course he wasn't charged. There are a different set of laws for those in DC. After reading this my hope for justice after the IG report comes out is about zero.

Trump needs to pardon Flynn right now. He didn't even lie to the FBI and he is being destroyed. This guy got fired for lying, to the FBI, and nothing. Hell Trump should pardon Martha Stewart too. Should have known when they used the term "lacked candor" instead of lying. Just like Comey did with Hillary, change a few words and POOF! No laws were broken.

If there was enough proof to fire him (a governemnt employee, not an easy task), there was enough proof to charge him.

The "Just Us" department is alive and well.

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
Of course he wasn't charged. There are a different set of laws for those in DC. After reading this my hope for justice after the IG report comes out is about zero.

Trump needs to pardon Flynn right now. He didn't even lie to the FBI and he is being destroyed. This guy got fired for lying, to the FBI, and nothing. Hell Trump should pardon Martha Stewart too. Should have known when they used the term "lacked candor" instead of lying. Just like Comey did with Hillary, change a few words and POOF! No laws were broken.

If there was enough proof to fire him (a governemnt employee, not an easy task), there was enough proof to charge him.

The "Just Us" department is alive and well.

Flynn should sue the FBI and DOJ, along with Comey and Mueller personally. Make them spend some of their book money to defend themselves.

Am wondering if the IG had to take the case to a particular prosecutor for the decision. An Obama holdover prosecutor in DoJ could use this as an opportunity to establish "precedence".

remember how Comey emphasized relying on how things were generally done ?

Let' hope the prosecutor they went to wasn't Huber.

its only a crime if you belong to the political party(s) that do not start with the letter D

and its the FBI - they apparently have little to do with crime, criminals and justice these days as they are focused elsewhere

And Martha Stewart goes to jail for statements she made to the FBI.

Mike Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI.

Fuck the FBI.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
And Martha Stewart goes to jail for statements she made to the FBI.

Mike Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI....

It's quite clear there is a major double standard in politics.

quote:

Mike Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI.

Even though agents said they did not believe he did. But, even when there is proof of another citizen lying (on three occasions I believe) he is not charged.

You know, sometimes the obvious answer is the correct one. And it's not hard to figure out.

Wouldn't the decision to prosecute (or not prosecute) come from DoJ, not the FBI?

You know, the normal way.