Justice Department Watchdog Finds Proper Legal Basis, But Errors, in Russia Probe
Inspector general’s report is expected to find that surveillance of former Trump aide was legally justified, but to also cite missteps including the alleged alteration of an email by an FBI lawyer.
By Sadie Gurman,
Byron Tau and
Aruna Viswanatha
Updated Nov. 23, 2019 3:34 am ET
WASHINGTON—The Justice Department’s inspector general is expected to conclude there was a proper legal basis for the government’s application to monitor a former Trump campaign foreign-policy adviser, but that errors and lapses in judgment were made during the process, according to people familiar with the matter.
Among the findings identified in the report is that an FBI lawyer altered an email related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser, people familiar with the matter said Friday. The conduct didn’t change the watchdog’s overall conclusion.
The allegation, detailed in Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s extensive review into early steps the Federal Bureau of Investigation took in its Russia investigation, is likely to fuel partisan debate over the bureau’s handling of the probe.
Mr. Horowitz told lawmakers this week he plans to release his findings on Dec. 9. Mr. Horowitz has promised minimal redactions in the report, which is hundreds of pages long, a person familiar with it said.
.
.
.