There is an interesting dynamic unfolding with White Hats and Black Hats amid the story of how political forces within the DOJ and FBI conspired with Clinton allies in the 2016 presidential election, ie. “The Trump Operation”. [Hi Glenn, Jim, Andy]
Back-story – There are two central components:
♦First, corruption within the DOJ and FBI that included their use of unlawful use of FISA-702 exploits; and ♦second, how that intelligence information was extracted, passed along to those outside government, repackaged, and reconstituted into the “Steele Dossier”.  The finished, albeit sketchy, intelligence was later returned to the FBI to request lawful FISA court surveillance authority.  It is a circle of “intelligence laundering”.
We know the DOJ (National Security Division), and FBI (Counterintelligence Division), worked together on the enterprise.  This collaboration is where the insider “small group” participants assemble, intersect and ultimately redistribute themselves into the Mueller investigation with the help of Mueller’s adviser, FBI Chief Legal Counsel James Baker.

The Players, “Insiders”:

DOJ side: Asst. Attorney General Sally Yates, Asst. AG Head of National Security Division John P Carlin; Deputy Attorney Bruce Ohr; and legal liaison between Main Justice and FBI, Attorney Lisa Page.

FBI side: FBI Director Jim Comey; Asst. FBI Director Andrew McCabe; Director of Counterintelligence W.H. “Bill Priestap”; FBI Chief Legal Counsel James Baker; and lead FBI Counterintelligence Agent Peter Strzok.

Outsiders (The Dossier Crew):

Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson; the wife of Simpson, Mary B. Jacoby; a hired private contractor, familiar with CIA operations, Nellie Ohr (also wife of DOJ team insider Bruce Ohr); contracted former British MI6 Agent and head of Russia House, Christopher Steele (also attributed authorship of ‘Dossier’).

♦The basic enterprise seems pretty straightforward albeit corrupt as hell.  During a period of November 2015 through April 18th 2016, Justice Department political insiders and outside political contractors, including Fusion-GPS, accessed the NSA and FBI database using FISA-702(17) “About Queries”. They gathered information on candidate Hillary Clinton’s political opposition including Donald Trump campaign officials and affiliates.
This was essentially deep state political opposition research being conducted inside government for a considerable period of time. The information, gathered on Clinton’s  political opposition, was then weaponized against the candidacy of Donald Trump.
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Consider this an addendum “break out” thread, a reference of sorts, to help prepare people for the upcoming week and discussions about FISA-702.

We’ll break down the term: “ FISA-702(16)(17) ” into the elements that will help you make sense of this story in the future.

• FISA – Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
• 702 – An American caught up in the process of Foreign Surveillance
• (16) – A search query based on “TO” and/or “FROM”
• (17) – A search query based on “ABOUT”

Again, to repeat, there are differing FISA rules for use of the NSA or FBI database depending on the originating intelligence compartment.
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Unless the professional praetorian media apparatus can find another ‘sh**hole’ to hide behind, next week is shaping up to be a VERY bad week for Democrats:

The U.S. DOJ Has Begun Taking down the low hanging fruit on the Uranium One Tree – SEE HERE
The Inspector General, Michael Horowitz, Has Begun releasing a years-worth of Investigative Documents to the House Judiciary Committee – SEE HERE
(Great job Dave)

For those that are paranoid about the DOJ/FBI leadership and want to view them as an adversary that is fine. IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. Even if they were opposed to cleaning up (which they are not) they are between a rock (IG) and a hard place (Congress) and will comply. (more)

Even Sean Hannity has discovered the BIGGER STORY behind the OIG Report – HERE
And Chairman Devin Nunes is now openly telling his colleagues in congress that the Obama, Lynch and Comey DOJ and FBI FISA violations are beyond their imaginings:

(Via Fox) House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes told Republican colleagues in two closed-door meetings this week he has seen evidence that shows clear “abuse” of government surveillance programs by FBI and Justice Department officials, according to three sources familiar with the conversations, raising more questions about whether the controversial anti-Trump dossier was used by the Obama administration to authorize surveillance of advisers to President Trump.

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Following the released transcript of Fusion-GPS Co-Founder Glenn Simpson’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee by Senator Dianne Feinstein, several media outlets have begun questioning the relationship between the FBI investigators, Glenn Simpson and dossier author Christopher Steele.
What we have discovered highlights the answer to those relationship questions; and also answers a host of other questions, including: Did the FBI pay Christopher Steele?  Yes, but now how media has stated.  Was the FBI connected to the creation of the Steele Dossier? Yes, but again, not the way the media is currently outlining.

The motive within the FBI/DOJ surveillance of the 2016 campaign of Donald Trump is simple. However, to understand how they did it – the story becomes more complex.  Some key background understanding is necessary.
♦First, to understand what took place in 2016 we must travel back to 2015 when Office of Inspector General (OIG) Michael Horowitz asked for approval to conduct oversight over the National Security Division of the Department of Justice; the DOJ-NSD.
In 2015 Inspector General Michael Horowitz was blocked by the Department of Justice from having oversight over the DOJ-NSD. In a lengthy response to the IG’s office [Full 58 page pdf HERE] Sally Yates essentially said ‘all DOJ is subject to oversight, except the National Security Division’.
♦Second, to understand how FISA is used within the intelligence community it is CRITICAL to understand that IC departments centered around National Security, such as the DOJ National Security Division, or the FBI Counterintelligence Division, may use the NSA database -and FISA enabled inquires- with considerably more leeway, and less restrictions on access and use.  In short, FISA “queries” from any national security department within government are allowed without seeking court approval.
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It can be difficult to see through the wording to understand the accurate story.  Sara Carter and Fox News are both confirming the DOJ and FBI used the Steele Dossier to get FISA-702 Data Surveillance Authority allowing them to spy on Trump campaign officials.
In the latest developments, as reported by Sara Carter and Fox News, the DOJ and FBI used the sketchy ‘Steele Dossier’ as the foundation for their FISA application. WATCH:

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Both Carter and Hannity use the term “FISA Warrants”, however in the interest of understanding, and accurately portraying what took place, it was not technically a “warrant” as we traditionally think about it.
A warrant implies advanced judicial approval to begin surveillance and collecting emails and phone calls etc.  Like a traditional Title III DOJ / law enforcement search warrant. But that’s not how FISA-702 works.
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This outline is intended to clear up some confusion and answer common questions about the 2016 DOJ and FBI Counterintelligence Operation against candidate Trump.  ie. “The Trump Operation”.

Deep Background #1 HERE – Deep Background #2 HERE

Today Byron York attempts to clear up some details about what congressional intelligence committee members have seen regarding the DOJ/FBI FISA-702 surveillance of Donald Trump.  However, the FISA information is commonly, and inaccurately, conflated with “Wiretap Warrants”.

As we have explained there were no Title III wiretap warrants against the Trump campaign. Title III warrants are the historic reference to the DOJ or FBI wiretapping a suspect to gather information.  Former DNI James Clapper has denied there were any Title III wiretap warrants issued.  James Clapper is correct.
♦Here’s where the verbiage used by media doesn’t match with what was occurring. The DOJ and FBI didn’t use Title III wiretaps, because the current system of NSA intercepting and collecting all electronic data is already one big global wiretap.
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Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the leading minority member of the 2016 Gang of Eight (intelligence oversight) when she previously held Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the full transcript of the Judiciary Committee interview with Fusion-GPS founder Glenn Simpson.
The transcript was released over the objections of Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley who is investigating the role of Fusion-GPS and their “Steele Dossier” in the 2016 DOJ/FBI surveillance operation of presidential candidate Donald Trump.

This follows on the heels of reports last night that Devin Nunes has been allowed to look at all documents surrounding the DOJ/FBI use of the Steele Dossier in advancing the DOJ/FBI Trump Operation.  It would appear that Feinstein is diluting the investigation of Chuck Grassley.   Feinstein has a personal motive within this larger story.  In 2016 Dianne Feinstein was part of the Gang-of-Eight who were supposed to conduct oversight over the FBI counterintelligence operation executed by the DOJ National Security Division and FBI Counterintelligence Division.
It has been suspected that Feinstein gave up her Senate Intelligence Vice-Chair position, following the election, because there was an inherent political risk for any oversight Democrat in relation to the FBI’s Trump Operation.
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For those following the story, this is a significant development….
According to information provided to The Daily Caller, today Chairman Devin Nunes received the FISA Application and Steele Dossier documentation from Asst. AG Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray.  This includes the critical FD-302’s and FD-1023’s that relate to interviews with Christopher Steele and his Russian Dossier.

(Daily Caller) House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence members gained access to all Department of Justice and FBI documents it possesses on the Trump dossier, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.
The committee was able to review Friday all FBI and DOJ documents on the Trump dossier, former MI-6 British agent Christopher Steele who authored the dossier, and Fusion GPS, the political opposition firm that hired Steele.

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The walls continue closing in.  The STORY IS GETTING OUT. The Bigger media voices will eventually catch up.   Right now the scale of the story is so large, and the consequences so damaging to the country and Obama legacy, the financially dependent media crews are scared to call it out… But that won’t last too much longer.  Ever cautious Rush Limbaugh is nibbling around the edges… –See Here–  Joe DiGenova outlined a big part again today on WMAL –See Here– They can’t ignore it much longer.
DOSSIER CREW: ♦The Steele dossier is a product financed by Hillary Clinton, orchestrated by Fusion-GPS, Glenn Simpson and Mary B. Jacoby.  ♦The Dossier was aided by Nellie Ohr, hired to create an underpinning for DOJ National Security Division FISA application used to legalize the surveillance of the Trump Campaign.  ♦The FISA application was a combined product using FISA 702(17) upstream email collection and phone surveillance, along with the Christopher Steele ‘Dossier’. ♦FBI agent Peter Strzok, DOJ Deputy Bruce Ohr and FBI/DOJ lawyer Lisa Page, under the authority granted to them by senior FBI and DOJ leadership, constructed the FISA application.

LEADERSHIP: •John P Carlin Asst. AG in charge of DOJ National Security Division oversaw the use of FISA 702(16)(17) surveillance on Trump officials. •Asst. AG Sally Yates ran interference for the DOJ side. •FBI Director of Counterintelligence W.H. “Bill” Priestap utilized the Counterintelligence unit for the FBI operation that began in July 2016. •FBI Asst. Director Andrew McCabe and •FBI Director James Comey plowed the political roads, coordinated with the IC, and provided cover.
The current President Trump appointed DOJ and FBI leadership are working diligently to reveal the BIGGER STORY and simultaneously weed out the corruption within each agency; and each sub-agency.  The level of ideological corruption is very deep, and the severity of the prior unlawful conduct is extreme.
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Wow.  Follow up to THIS STORY – In a stunning rebuke to federal prosecutors a federal court judge has thrown out the case against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy “with prejudice”.  Bundy and his sons cannot be retried, and will walk free.

In order for a federal judge to completely dismiss a case of this significance indicates the court has found serious and compelling evidence of “gross misconduct” on the part of the prosecuting team.

LAS VEGAS — Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, his two sons and a militia member will not face a retrial on charges that they led an armed rebellion against federal agents in 2014.

A federal judge on Monday said the federal prosecutors’ conduct was “outrageous” and “violated due process rights” of the defendants.

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