Two top Republican senators are signaling that the intelligence community's top watchdog should probe potential "leaks" to reporters after the 2016 presidential election about the investigation into Russia's election meddling and President Trump
Donald John TrumpA better VA, with mental health services, is essential for America's veterans Pelosi, Nadler tangle on impeachment, contempt vote Trump arrives in Japan to kick off 4-day state visit MORE's campaign. The two senators previously requested a briefing from Attorney General William Barr
William Pelham BarrPelosi, Nadler tangle on impeachment, contempt vote Five takeaways from Barr's new powers in 'spying' probe Trump declassification move unnerves Democrats MORE on his effort to investigate alleged "spying" during the 2016 election after Barr told lawmakers that he was looking into the issue.
Donald John TrumpA better VA, with mental health services, is essential for America's veterans Pelosi, Nadler tangle on impeachment, contempt vote Trump arrives in Japan to kick off 4-day state visit MORE's campaign. Sens. Ron Johnson
Ronald (Ron) Harold JohnsonFrustration boils over with Senate's 'legislative graveyard' Barr throws curveball into Senate GOP 'spying' probe Bipartisan group of senators introduce legislation designed to strengthen cybersecurity of voting systems MORE (R-Wis.) and Chuck Grassley
Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyTrump-Pelosi fight threatens drug pricing talks Overnight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Senators unveil sweeping bipartisan health care package | House lawmakers float Medicare pricing reforms | Dems offer bill to guarantee abortion access Bipartisan senators reveal sweeping health care package MORE (R-Iowa) — the chairmen of the Senate Homeland Security and Finance committees, respectively — sent a letter on Monday to Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community, asking if his office was investigating "apparent leaks" from the intelligence agencies.
Ronald (Ron) Harold JohnsonFrustration boils over with Senate's 'legislative graveyard' Barr throws curveball into Senate GOP 'spying' probe Bipartisan group of senators introduce legislation designed to strengthen cybersecurity of voting systems MORE (R-Wis.) and Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyTrump-Pelosi fight threatens drug pricing talks Overnight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Senators unveil sweeping bipartisan health care package | House lawmakers float Medicare pricing reforms | Dems offer bill to guarantee abortion access Bipartisan senators reveal sweeping health care package MORE (R-Iowa) — the chairmen of the Senate Homeland Security and Finance committees, respectively — sent a letter on Monday to Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community, asking if his office was investigating "apparent leaks" from the intelligence agencies. "Texts and emails demonstrate the need to investigate leaks from agencies or entities other than FBI," the two senators wrote in their letter.
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If an investigation isn't ongoing, the two senators want an explanation from Atkinson on why the watchdog office hasn't opened a probe.
A spokesperson for the intelligence community's inspector general office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The letter comes as Grassley, Johnson and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamTrump declassification move unnerves Democrats Climate change is a GOP issue, too New Yorker cover titled 'The Shining' shows Graham, McConnell, Barr polishing Trump's shoes MORE (R-S.C.) are laying the groundwork for their own probe into the 2016 election, including the FBI's handling of the probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillary Clinton slams Trump for spreading 'sexist trash' about Pelosi Gillibrand seizes on abortion debate to jump-start campaign DNC boss says candidates to be involved in debate lottery MORE's emails and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
Lindsey Olin GrahamTrump declassification move unnerves Democrats Climate change is a GOP issue, too New Yorker cover titled 'The Shining' shows Graham, McConnell, Barr polishing Trump's shoes MORE (R-S.C.) are laying the groundwork for their own probe into the 2016 election, including the FBI's handling of the probe into former Secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillary Clinton slams Trump for spreading 'sexist trash' about Pelosi Gillibrand seizes on abortion debate to jump-start campaign DNC boss says candidates to be involved in debate lottery MORE's emails and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. William Pelham BarrPelosi, Nadler tangle on impeachment, contempt vote Five takeaways from Barr's new powers in 'spying' probe Trump declassification move unnerves Democrats MORE on his effort to investigate alleged "spying" during the 2016 election after Barr told lawmakers that he was looking into the issue.In one text message from December 2016 included in the Grassley-Johnson letter, Strzok is quoted as texting that he thought "our sisters have begun leaking like mad." The letter doesn't clarify who "sisters" refers to, and Grassley and Johnson also appear to be in the dark about who it is.
In another email, Strzok in April 2017 posits that an "agency" got more information than he previously realized and adds "might explain all these weird/seemingly incorrect leads all these media folks have. Would also highlight agency as source of some of the leaks."
The GOP senators also appear not to know who the "agency" in question is, asking in their letter to the intelligence community watchdog who Strzok is referring to and why he thinks it implies an agency is leaking. But the two senators say in their letter that Strzok's email is in response to a Guardian article about British intelligence agencies alerting their U.S. counterparts about contact between members of Trump's campaign and Moscow.
