An FBI official accepted baseball tickets from a CNN reporter and lied about the gifts during interviews with the Justice Department inspector general, despite FBI policy prohibiting officials from receiving gifts from journalists who cover the bureau.
Michael Kortan was investigated by the inspector general but resigned in February of last year amid the investigation, according to the Daily Caller. The report says that Kortan, who served as assistant director of public affairs, showed a “lack of candor” during interviews with investigators.
Kortan was accused of accepting tickets to Washington Nationals games from the correspondent at least twice, in May 2016 and September 2016, although the name of the reporter has not been disclosed.
“The OIG … concluded that Kortan lacked candor under oath when he provided answers to OIG’s questions relating to the September 2016 tickets that were misleading and false,” the report reads.
In a summary of the investigation into Kortan, the Office of Inspector General said that the Justice Department decided not to attempt to prosecute him for wrongdoing in the case, although Kortan is not referred to by name in the document. During the inquiry, investigators searched Kortan’s FBI-issued phones, as well as his emails and financial records.
Text messages from his phone show that on May 9, 2016, Kortan attended a game with the journalist who provided the tickets and was offered four tickets just months later on Sept. 27.
“Nats v Marlins Friday night. I have to be away,” the correspondent wrote Kortan. “Can you use four tix?”
“I’m good for 2 tix if that’s OK,” replied Kortan.
Kortan initially told investigators that he reimbursed the reporter for the seats, although he later contacted investigators and backed off that claim.
