DOJ Will Add Scrutiny of FBI ‘Political Motives’ to Its Trump-Russia Probe

The Justice Department announced late Sunday that it would ask its inspector general to expand a review to include “determining whether there was any impropriety or political motivation in how the FBI conducted its counterintelligence investigation” into suspected individuals involved in Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Hours earlier, President Trump tweeted that he would “hereby demand” the DOJ open an investigation into the unnamed FBI informant who he believes “infiltrated” his campaign as part of the Russia investigation “for Political Purposes-and if any such demands or requests were made by people within the Obama Administration.” Trump and his Republican allies have pushed the Justice Department to release documents containing details on the unnamed FBI informant in recent days, though officials have pushed back, saying such a move could put lives at risk. Trump’s cries of foul play over the supposed spy—who officials have said contacted Trump aides only after suspicious Russia-related evidence had already emerged about them—is largely seen by Democrats as a way to undermine the Russia investigation.