Within recently released transcripts of documents by Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham there is a deposition by FBI Supervisory Special Agent 1, Joseph Pientka.

SSA Pientka has always been a little bit of an enigma because his name, exclusively, has been redacted from every official government document within the full investigation of DOJ and FBI misconduct.  Even in tangential court documents (Flynn), related to Joseph Pientka and Peter Strzok’s investigative collaboration, Pientka is ALWAYS redacted from everything.   The system in DC essentially ‘ghosted’ him in all things.  Now, the nature of that motive is surfacing.

If the recent Senate transcripts are an indication of SSA Pientka’s side of the stories, it would appear the testimony and truthfulness of Pientka’s statements would be adverse to the interests of EVERYONE who framed the Trump-Russia narrative.

Within his testimony; and if we accept it is likely consistent with internal investigative statements to the IG and others; it appears Pientka realized the activity of the FBI was intentionally taken to hide the truth of how intelligence was weaponized against the Trump administration.

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Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, Jim Jordan, sends a scathing letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray questioning why the evidence of gross political corruption within his institution has to come from judicial documents in the Flynn case rather than honest production of material from the FBI.

Within the letter Mr. Jordan implicates Director Wray in an institutional effort to hide prior abuses in order to keep the American public blind to the corruption within it.  Given recent comments by President Trump about Director Wray, Jordan appears to be in-line with POTUS:

[…] “We write to request that you immediately review the actions of the FBI in targeting LTG Flynn. The American people continue to learn troubling details about the politicization and misconduct at the highest levels of the FBI during the Obama-Biden Administration.

Even more concerning, we continue to learn these new details from litigation and investigations—not from you. It is well past time that you show the leadership necessary to bring the FBI past the abuses of the Obama-Biden era.”

“Please facilitate making former FBI Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division Bill Priestap and FBI Agent Joe Pientka available for transcribed interviews about their actions related to LTG Flynn.”

Here’s the full six page letter:

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After appearing on Fox Business, former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne appeared on Fox TV with Martha MacCallum.  In this interview Byrne explained his impetus for contacting the FBI in 2015, about Russian national Maria Butina, surrounded a low-level security clearance he held and a responsibility to report suspicious contacts.
Mr. Byrne then names Peter Strzok, Bill Priestap, Andrew McCabe and James Comey as the top of an operation where Byrne was instructed to guide Butina into the contact circle of republican presidential candidates in 2015, and then back away.
Curiously, if you get beyond the confusing mess of communication, what Byrne is describing does factually align with what is already known. However, Byrne is describing an aspect to the DOJ/FBI operation that has not been discussed very much.
Byrne is describing the DOJ-NSD and FBI using Russian national Maria Butina as an unwitting, walking, FISA surveillance virus.

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In addition to Strzok, Priestap, McCabe and Comey, Patrick Byrne cites “Carlin” as one of the “suits” involved.  Carlin is likely a reference to John Carlin who was head of the DOJ-National Security Division until October 2016.
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Today House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins releases the transcript of testimony (full pdf below) from former FBI Director of Counterintelligence Bill Priestap. Director Priestap was the immediate supervisor of FBI Agent Peter Strzok. According to earlier reporting of this testimony Mr. Priestap noted how agent Strzok often worked around him in direct communication with FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Additionally, Strzok had a working relationship with former CIA Director John Brennan that also worked around Priestap. Brennan used Strzok as an author for the December 29, 2016 Joint Analysis Report on Russian measures; and the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment. Both reports were written to enhance the Russian election interference story-line; a critical component needed by a corrupt DOJ and FBI group to build a false narrative that could shield their 2016 election year political surveillance operations.
Here’s the transcript:
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Another unsourced leak of a congressional hearing transcript to The Epoch Times highlights the testimony of former FBI Director of Counterintelligence, Bill Priestap.
Unfortunately, the transcript is not provided, and there is no explanation as to why the transcript is not provided; however, one quote seems interesting.
The question surrounds why congressional leadership, including the Gang-of-Eight, were not briefed about the opening of a counterintelligence operation into a presidential campaign.  The investigation began on July 31st, 2016. Congress was not notified until early March 2017.

Rep. Jordan: I guess what I’m asking, Mr. Priestap, is who made the decision not to brief Congress in this particular instance?
Mr. Priestap: Mr. Comey.

This answer seems to be directly contradicting the March 20, 2017, testimony of FBI Director James Comey. Watch that first 3:00 minutes, ending with: ”because of the sensitivity of the matter.”

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So in open testimony Comey said congress was not notified upon the advice of the Director of Counterintelligence, Bill Priestap.  However, in closed testimony Bill Priestap says congress was not notified because of a decision by FBI Director James Comey.
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The only remaining FBI counterintelligence official at the center of all spygate and Clinton investigation issues is departing.

The enigma man, E.W. “Bill” Piestap is retiring from the FBI.  Bill Priestap is the FBI Asst. Director in charge of all counterintelligence operations.  Priestap was FBI Agent Peter Strzok’s boss; he was also at the epicenter of the story surrounding every action taken by the FBI in the Clinton investigation and the Trump campaign investigation.
Bill Priestap was copied on every email of consequence including the writing of the Clinton exoneration talking points delivered by FBI Director James Comey.  Priestap was the central figure on the FBI side of both Clinton and Trump operations.  “Bill” is mentioned in hundreds of text messages sent by Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.
In short, Bill Priestap was everywhere – except where you would most likely expect to find him, in media discussion.  The timing seems curious though the Wall Street Journal goes to great lengths to describe the timing as a mere happenstance due to his 20-year service anniversary and the opportunity to retire with full benefits:

WASHINGTON—A top FBI official who helped oversee two politically sensitive investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign is retiring from government service.

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UPDATE: 7:45pm – According to email from congressional staff, participation at the closed hearing was limited to only those selected by Committee Chairman (Gowdy, and Goodlatte).  The hearing was not available to all committee members.  Only Jordan, Meadows and Krishnamoorth were allowed to participate. 

Yesterday FBI Director of Counterintelligence E.W. “Bill” Priestap testified to a joint session of the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees.

The hearing was a matter of strong public interest.  Mr. Priestap was questioned for approximately seven hours.  However, journalist Olivia Beavers covering for The Hill dropped a detail that most, including myself, might find rather curious:

(The Hill) […] Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), however, said he felt that Priestap didn’t say anything that would indicate there was “political bias that motivated the Hillary Clinton email investigation.”

Priestap “completely” backed up everything that Comey said, according to a source familiar with his testimony.

Only three lawmakers — Jordan, Meadows and Krishnamoorthi — attended the hearing, which took place on the first day after a weeklong recess.

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As previously discussed, FBI Director of Counterintelligence E.W. “Bill” Priestap, FBI Head of National Security Division, Michael Steinbach, and the former head of the FBI National Security Division, John Giacalone, are all scheduled to testify to congress this month.

The three FBI officials will be testifying to a joint congressional committee of the Judiciary and House Oversight members.  The joint committee was formed by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy.  The first testimony is tomorrow; and FBI Director of Counterintelligence Bill Priestap will go first.   This will be Priestap’s first congressional testimony.  Unfortunately, the testimony will be behind closed doors.

FBI Asst. Director of Counterintelligence, Bill Priestap, is central to all of the activity that was happening in both the Clinton investigation and the Trump investigation. Bill Priestap was FBI Agent Peter Strzok’s immediate boss. However, as noted in the text messages Strzok often worked around Priestap at the behest of the person giving him political instructions – FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

The timing of the testimony also speaks to the timing of the upcoming Inspector General report regarding the politicization of the DOJ and FBI surrounding the Clinton investigative outcomes.  Some of the most significant releases have come while President Trump is outside of Washington DC; and with the G7 on June 8th – 9th in Canada; it would seem likely the IG report is to be made public anytime over the next 72 hours.

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There is a particular coordination of events that has been visible since December 2017 when the first evidence of the FBI and DOJ operations against the Trump campaign surfaced.  In the past six months a great deal of granular timing relates to this coordination.  In January 2017 the DOJ IG began investigating FBI and DOJ conduct during the Clinton investigation in 2015 and 2016.

Toward the end of 2017 a joint House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight Committee venture was established to look into the FBI/DOJ handling of the Clinton investigation, and the Trump counterintelligence investigation.  Judiciary Chairman Goodlatte and Oversight Chairman Gowdy established the joint-oversight venture and then little happened as they awaited the completion of the OIG internal review.

Between the Fall of 2017 and May 2018 the final stages of the DOJ-OIG investigative inquires took place. In this period DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz was joined with federal prosecutor John Huber. Horowitz focused on the ongoing internal investigation, while Huber received evidence carved out that holds value for criminal prosecutions.

During the period of January through May 2018 all congressional witness testimony from the FBI and DOJ participants to oversight committees was filtered through the need for U.S. Attorney John Huber to retain the integrity of criminal evidence.  Toward that end, testimony from multiple witnesses, sought by congress upon members of the DOJ and FBI, was cancelled.  Some of that testimony was cancelled at the last minute as the DOJ negotiated with congress and likely explained the reasoning therein.  Example:

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For over ten months we have been asking about one FBI official who has been mysteriously missing from the story within the DOJ/FBI ‘Small Group’ activity in the Counterintelligence operation, his name is E.W. “Bill” Priestap.
Bill Priestap is the FBI Asst. Director in charge of all counterintelligence operations.  Priestap was FBI Agent Peter Strzok’s boss; he is also at the epicenter of the story surrounding every action taken by the FBI in the Clinton investigation and the Trump campaign investigation.
Bill Priestap was copied on every email of consequence including the writing of the Clinton exoneration talking points delivered by FBI Director James Comey.  Priestap is the central figure on the FBI side of both Clinton and Trump operations.  “Bill” is mentioned in hundreds of text messages sent by Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.
In short, Bill is everywhere – except where you would most likely expect to find him, in media discussion.
Priestap is so important that during FBI Director James Comey’s March 20th, 2017, congressional testimony Director Comey told congress it was Bill Priestap who recommended that congressional oversight should not be notified of the ongoing counterintelligence operations.  Priestap’s instruction was so important that despite the statutory rules violation FBI Director Comey followed his recommendation and kept congress in the dark.
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