A former top lawyer at the FBI gave “explosive” testimony about the bureau’s handling of the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election, two Republican lawmakers said.
James Baker, who worked closely with former FBI Director James Comey, testified behind closed doors to lawmakers Wednesday about the FBI’s handling of the investigation.
“Some of the things that were shared were explosive in nature,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-S.C., told Fox News. “The witness confirmed that things were done in an abnormal fashion. That’s extremely troubling.”
The House Freedom Caucus chairman, who has been critical of the Russia investigation, said the “abnormal” handling of the probe is “a reflection of inherent bias that seems to be evident in certain circles.”
Meadows did not provide specifics about the testimony.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said there was another source that was not previously known to congressional investigators feeding information to the FBI as it was preparing a warrant application to gain authority to surveil one-time Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
“During the time that the FBI was putting — that DOJ and FBI were putting together the FISA [warrant] during the time prior to the election — there was another sourcing giving information directly to the FBI, which we found the source to be pretty explosive,” Jordan said.
Jordan did not give additional information about the source.
Baker helped obtain the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant on Page, as well as three renewals of the warrant. The warrant has come under intense scrutiny by Republicans and President Trump’s allies, who have argued the Obama administration unlawfully spied on Trump’s campaign.
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