Executive Summary

Rev i ew of Four  Appl i cat i ons and Other Aects of the FB I'  Cssf ir e Hur  cane Investgat  on

Background

The Department of Justice (Department) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) undertook this review to examine certain actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department during an FBI investigation opened on July 31, 2016, known as "Crossfire Hurricane, into whether individuals associated with the Donad J. Trump for President Campaign were coordinating, wittingy or unwittingy, with the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidentia election. Our review included examining: • The decision to open Crossfire Hurricane and four individua cases on current and former members of the Trump campaign, George Papadopoulos, Carter Page, Pau Manafort, and Michael Flynn; the eary investigative steps taken; and whether the openings and early steps complied with Depatment and FBI poicies; • The FBI's relationship with Christopher Steele, whom the FBI considered to be a confidentia human source (CHS); its receipt, use, and evaluation of election reports from Steele; and its decision to close Steele as an FBI CHS; • Four FBI applications fied with the Foreign Intelligence Suveillance Cout (FISC) in 2016 and 2017 to conduct Foreign Inteligence Surveilance Act (FISA) suveillance targeting Carter Page; and whether these appications complied with Department and FBI policies and satisfied the government's obligations to the FISC; • The interactions of Department attorney Bruce Ohr with Steele, the FBI, Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS, and the State Department ; whether work Ohr's spouse performed for Fusion GPS implicated ethical rues applicable to Ohr; and Ohr's interactions with Department attorneys regarding the Manafort criminal case; and • The FBI's use of Undercover Employees (UCEs) and CHSs other than Steele in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation; whether the FBI placed any CSs within the rump campaign or tasked any HSs to report on the Trump campaign; whether the use of CHSs and UCEs complied with Department and FBI policies; and the attendance of a Crossfire Hurricane supevisory agent at counterintelligence briefings given to the 2016 presidential candidates and certain campaign advisors

OIG Methodology