CNN Shredded for Opting Out of Airing Hearing on FBI Misconduct
News network faces backlash for move
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News network CNN skipped airing Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee concerning FISA abuses during its probe into Trump campaign.
Former White House press secretary for President George W. Bush, Ari Fleischer, described the move as 'unbelievable' in a tweet:
“CNN is not taking the Senate Horowitz hearing live. Unbelievable. A perfect example of how bias works.
"It’s not just what they cover. It’s what they don’t cover.”
CNN instead featured commentary from anchor Jim Sciutto, one of its prime promoters of the now-debunked theory that the 2016 Trump and Russia narrative.
On Wednesday, Horowitz will testify in the Senate, detailing his report that found no evidence of bias in FBI efforts to investigate the Trump campaign as part of the Russia inquiry.
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Both Attorney General William Barr and U.S. Attorney John Durham publically disagreeing with Horowitz on that point.
The report answered accusations from President Donald Trump that the FBI acted inappropriately while surveilling former campaign adviser Carter Page, as it related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
“He will deliver a detailed report of what he found regarding his investigation, along with recommendations as to how to make our judicial and investigative systems better,” said panel Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham.
According to Horowitz’s report, there were aspects of the FBI’s surveillance activities that were rife with errors.
The report specified 17 inaccuracies in three FISA applications, which may have increased the bureau’s justification for surveillance against Page.
CNN is not taking the Senate Horowitz hearing live. Unbelievable. A perfect example of how bias works. It’s not just what they cover. It’s what they don’t cover.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 11, 2019
Instead of airing the hearing live, as the network did for every single mind-numbingly boring impeachment hearing, CNN is offering commentary from former Obama administration adviser Jim Sciutto, who is implicated in the Russian collusion hoax. https://t.co/FOJjmyWOY9
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 11, 2019
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Horrowitz also said that the FBI’s efforts were “in compliance with department and FBI policies" and that he did not find “documentary or testimonial evidence” that showed the bureau acted with political bias or improper motivation.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the report was a “constructive criticism that will make us stronger as an organization."
On Tuesday, Trump blasted Wray following his response on Twitter:
"I don’t know what report current Director of the FBI Christopher Wray was reading, but it sure wasn’t the one given to me."
"With that kind of attitude, he will never be able to fix the FBI, which is badly broken despite having some of the greatest men & women working there!"
Attorney General William Barr expressed criticism of the Russia probe and slammed the corporate press as “completely irresponsible” for pushing the Trump-Russia collusion narrative.
“I think our nation was turned on its head for three years, I think, based on a completely bogus narrative that was largely fanned and hyped by a completely irresponsible press,” said Barr.
“I think that there were gross abuses of FISA. And inexplicable behavior that are intolerable in the FBI,” he added.
“And the attorney general’s primary responsibility is to protect against the abuse of the law enforcement and intelligence apparatus. And make sure that it doesn’t.”
