On Wednesday morning, July 9, NBC News’ Ken Dilanian confirmed that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has “opened criminal investigations into the conduct of former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey.” Dilanian reported this development on X, formerly Twitter, and during a conversation with MSNBC’s Ana Cabera.
Dilanian described Brennan and Comey as “two of Donald Trump’s political foes who have long been the target of MAGA conspiracy theories.”
“Exactly what is being investigated is unclear,” Dilanian reported on X, “but a source briefed on the matter said CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a criminal referral to the Justice Department about Brennan. Ratcliffe last week released an internal CIA review that criticized Brennan’s handling of a 2017 intelligence assessment concluding that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.”
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Dilanian added, “The origin of the Comey probe is unclear. A special counsel appointed by Trump spent years investigating how the intelligence assessment on Russian election interference was put together, requiring many CIA officials to hire lawyers. That special counsel, John Durham, also used a grand jury to scrutinize the actions of Brennan, Comey and many who worked for them over how the FBI and CIA handled investigations into Russia’s effort to interfere in the 2016 election. But Durham did not charge the two former leaders or accuse them of wrongdoing.”
Dilanian told Cabrera that Comey and Brennan were “exhaustively investigated” by Durham, nothing that Brennan is a “paid MSNBC contributor and has been for years.”
Since returning to the White House, Trump has filled DOJ with MAGA loyalists — including U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino and Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Dilanian’s reporting is drawing a lot of discussion on X.
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Journalist Marcy Wheeler tweeted, “1) Clinesmith didn’t lie on an application. He altered an email. 2) Why do we assume the Comey thing isn’t about the 8647 tweet? Kash has been laying (false) foundation that Comey attracted look-alikes.”
X user Kimberly Suth posted, “Being that Comey single-handedly handed Trump his first win, you’d think there’d be a commendation.”
Another X user, CAC, commented, “The FBI and DOJ are accomplishing what was feared. A weaponized system to punish Trump’s perceived enemies.”
Trump critic Laura Karson wrote, “There’s nothing there other than to make life for Brennan and Comey miserable!”
X user Kathi Domalski tweeted, “Trump’s fascism is expanding.”
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Watch the MSNBC video below or at this link.