On Monday, Special Council John Durham’s long-awaited report into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation fell out of the blue. The report faults the FBI and says they should never have opened Crossfire Hurricane since it was entirely based on “leads provided or funded by Trump's political opponents.” Despite how Durham spelled out the fact that the Trump-Russia probe was based on “raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence,” ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News stood behind it.
ABC chief Justice correspondent Thomas reported that Durham’s report found the FBI “never should've launched a probe in the first place, since ‘neither U.S. law enforcement nor the intelligence community appears to have possessed any actual evidence of collusion.’”
He noted: “The bureau relied on ‘raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence.’ Noting that ‘there was significant reliance on investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents.’” He even admitted the infamous Steele Dossier was part of that effort.
But Thomas still insisted that then-candidate Donald Trump provided all the evidence the FBI needed to open the investigation:
THOMAS: An example: the so-called Steele Dossier of allegations prepared by former British spy Christopher Steele. Durham found the “FBI was not able to corroborate a single substantive allegation” from the dossier. But Trump's own comments about Russia in the campaign added to questions about possible collusion.
TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.
And despite Durham finding major flaws in how the FBI conducts its investigations, including fabricating evidence presented to the FISA Court, Thomas portrayed the Durham investigation as an utter waste:
But Durham's investigation which cost taxpayers $6.5 million falls far short of proving there was a deep state confederacy against him. The special counsel brought no charges against any senior intelligence or law enforcement officials. And in two major cases he did pursue, both ending in acquittals. Durham only convicted one lower-level FBI official of misconduct in pursuing an electronic surveillance warrant.
Over on NBC, CIA puppet reporter Ken Dilanian steered clear of anything the Durham report had to say about the Steele Dossier. He also refused to go too deep into Durham’s criticisms of the FBI. This is all he had to say about Durham’s take on the bureau:
Tonight, in his long-awaited report, the Special Counsel looking into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, blasting the FBI's performance as “seriously deficient.” John Durham concluding the bureau was too quick to open an investigation into the Trump campaign in 2016 based on raw and uncorroborated information while saying the FBI was much more cautious and skeptical about allegations against the Clinton campaign.
Dilanian went on to falsely claim the Durham report “follows this 2019 report by the Justice Department's inspector general, which found that the FBI made mistakes but was justified in opening the Trump investigation.”
How does that track with Thomas saying Durham thinks the Trump-Russia probe never should’ve been opened?
In stark contrast, on CBS Evening News, senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge didn’t hold back on Durham’s swipes at the FBI. She noted he called out how “senior FBI personnel displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor” and “relied on investigative leads provided or funded by Trump's political opponents.”
Adding: “Durham found that ‘investigators did not and could not corroborate any of the substantive allegations contained in the Steele reporting.’” The whole tone of her report was that the Trump-Russia probe shouldn’t have been opened.
But Herridge did have a bit of a fumble. In Trump’s response to the Durham report, he said “the American public was scammed” by the FBI. She made it seem as though he was talking about the price tag of the Durham probe. “Reacting on social media, Donald Trump claimed the American public was scammed. Norah, the investigation cost over $6 million,” she told anchor Norah O’Donnell.
Their defense of the original Trump-Russia investigation was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Walgreens on ABC and Capital One on NBC. Their contact information is linked.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
May 15, 2023
6:36:11 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Late today the final report made public by the Trump-era special counsel investigating the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation. John Durham, appointed by former President Trump’s Attorney General Bill Barr in his 300-page report deeply critical of the FBI. Here's our chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas, tonight.
[Cuts to video]
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, the end of a long road for Special Counsel John Durham who was appointed by Donald Trump's attorney general, Bill Barr for two years ago to dig into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation into Trump and his campaign.
The Biden administration left Durham in place to complete his work and in his final report, he slams the FBI. Indicating they never should've launched a probe in the first place, since “neither U.S. law enforcement nor the intelligence community appears to have possessed any actual evidence of collusion.” Instead, Durham found that the bureau relied on “raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence.” Noting that “there was significant reliance on investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents.”
An example: the so-called Steele Dossier of allegations prepared by former British spy Christopher Steele. Durham found the “FBI was not able to corroborate a single substantive allegation” from the dossier. But Trump's own comments about Russia in the campaign added to questions about possible collusion.
DONALD TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.
THOMAS: Durham found the FBI failed “to critically analyze information that ran counter to the narrative of a Trump/Russia collusive relationship,” calling that “extremely troublesome.”
But Durham's investigation which cost taxpayers $6.5 million falls far short of proving there was a deep state confederacy against him. The special counsel brought no charges against any senior intelligence or law enforcement officials. And in two major case he did pursue, both ending in acquittals. Durham only convicted one lower-level FBI official of misconduct in pursuing an electronic surveillance warrant.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: So, let's get right to Pierre Thomas live in Washington, tonight. And Pierre, I know the FBI's now responding to the special counsel's report.
THOMAS: David, the special counsel's blistering assessment of the FBI tracks closely with a 2019 highly critical report from the DOJ inspector general. Tonight, FBI said it already has put in place dozens of corrective actions that might've prevented those mistakes that were made. David.
MUIR: Pierre Thomas tonight. Thank you, Pierre.
CBS Evening News
May 15, 2023
6:40:51 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, the FBI is coming under sharp criticism over its investigation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. CBS’s Catherine Herridge tells us the long-awaited special counsel report finds the bureau rushed into its investigation.
[Cuts to video]
CATHERINE HERRIDGE: Almost four years to the day since he started his investigation, Special Council John Durham says the FBI used unverified information when it opened the investigation into candidate-Trump’s alleged ties to Russia in 2016. Durham concludes, “senior FBI personnel displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor” and “relied on investigative leads provided or funded by Trump's political opponents.”
Trump railed repeatedly against the FBI investigation.
DONALD TRUMP: There was absolutely spying into my campaign.
HERRIDGE: The FBI expanded its Russia probe, known as Crossfire Hurricane based partly on information from Christopher Steele. Steele, a former British spy, put together research documents alleging possible misconduct between then-candidate Donald Trump and Russia. Durham found that “investigators did not and could not corroborate any of the substantive allegations contained in the Steele reporting.”
ROBERT MULLER: There were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election.
HERRIDGE: The investigation became Special Counsel Mueller’s probe. He did not find sufficient evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. While Durham acknowledges the FBI was obligated to examine the Russia allegations, he is extremely critical of the bureau's investigative work.
In response, the FBI says it’s already undertaking major reforms to address the shortcomings raised by Durham.
BOB ANDERSON: This has been a big black eye for a lot of the federal law enforcement.
HERRIDGE: Bob Anderson is a former senior FBI executive.
ANDERSON: It has been a big deal, and I hope that we have clarify all of these things that have caused this problem. But in the end, I hope it never happens again.
[Cuts back to live]
HERRIDGE: Critics charge Durham has little to show for his efforts. He brought only two cases to trial, and both men were found not guilty. A third case ended with the plea agreement. Reacting on social media, Donald Trump claimed the American public was scammed. Norah, the investigation cost over $6 million.
O’DONNELL: Catherine Herridge, thank you very much.
NBC Nightly News
May 15, 2023
6:35:38 p.m. EasternTOM LLAMAS: Okay. Now to another investigation, this one involving whether the FBI mishandled its probe of the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Tonight, Special Counsel John Durham slamming the FBI and how it carried out its investigation into the Trump campaign. Here's Ken Dilanian.
[Cuts to video]
KEN DILANIAN: Tonight, in his long-awaited report, the Special Counsel looking into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, blasting the FBI's performance as “seriously deficient.” John Durham concluding the bureau was too quick to open an investigation into the Trump campaign in 2016 based on raw and uncorroborated information, while saying the FBI was much more cautious and skeptical about allegations against the Clinton campaign.
Code-named Crossfire Hurricane, the FBI probe examined alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia and led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who in the end did not find any conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, while noting some Russians contacted the campaign.
Tonight, Mr. Trump posting, "The American public was scammed."
As part of Durham's investigation, an FBI lawyer pleaded guilty to falsifying records in an application for a secret warrant to conduct surveillance on a Trump campaign aide, Carter Page. But after nearly four years, Durham's report does not find corruption or conspiracy or recommend any wholesale changes. Durham lost the only two criminal cases he brought to court, with juries acquitting these two men of lying to investigators.
Durham's report follows this 2019 report by the Justice Department's inspector general, which found that the FBI made mistakes but was justified in opening the Trump investigation.
[Cuts back to live]
LLAMAS: Ken joins us now live. Ken, the Special Counsel's report was highly critical of the FBI and now the bureau is weighing in?
DILANIAN: Yeah, Tom, the FBI says in a statement that they have overhauled how they handle national security investigations and that if those reforms had been in place in 2016 many of the missteps identified in this report could have been prevented. Tom.
LLAMAS: All right. Ken Dilanian for us. Ken, we appreciate it.
