The former British spy who composed the infamous dossier of unverified claims about the presidential campaign of Donald Trump was “very concerned” that the firing of then-FBI Director James Comey in May last year would expose a clandestine operation.
Whether Steele was referring to the private dirt-digging operation or something else, Steele’s message raises questions about Comey’s role in clandestine activities against the president, the exposure of which Steele was “very concerned” about.
“Hi! Just wondering if you had any news? Obviously, we’re a bit apprehensive given scheduled appearance at Congress on Monday. Hoping that important firewalls will hold. Many thanks,” Steele texted to Ohr on March 18, 2017.
“Sorry, no new news. I believe my earlier information is still accurate. I will let you know immediately if there is any change,” Ohr replied the same day.
Lawmakers investigating FBI and DOJ actions surrounding the 2016 election have scheduled a closed-door hearing to question Ohr on Aug. 28. Trump said on Aug. 16 that he plans to remove Ohr’s security clearance.
“I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace, I suspect I'll be taking it [clearance] away very quickly,” Trump said at the White House on Aug. 17. “I think that Bruce Ohr is a disgrace with his wife, Nellie. For him to be in the Justice Department and to be doing what he did, that is a disgrace, that is disqualifying for [special counsel Robert] Mueller.”
At the time of those communications between Steele and Ohr, Steele had already been officially terminated by the FBI and was prohibited from gathering intelligence on the bureau’s behalf. The FBI had terminated Steele on Nov. 1, 2016, for leaking to the media in violation of the bureau’s rules for confidential human sources. Ohr became Steele’s back channel to the FBI after the termination.
Ohr continued to aid Steele as late as November 2017 despite having no official role in the Russia investigation.
The Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) paid Fusion GPS $160,000 for Steele’s dossier. A counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign codenamed “Crossfire Hurricane” would go on to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to surveil former Trump-campaign volunteer Carter Page.
The officials who signed off on the FISA application failed to disclose that the Clinton campaign and the DNC funded the dossier, that the FBI knew of Steele’s bias against Trump, and the connection between the Ohrs, Steele, and Fusion GPS. Comey signed the initial FISA application in October 2016, and two renewal applications in January and April 2017.