Having reviewed every conversational message between FBI Counterintelligence Agent Peter Strzok and DOJ Special Counsel to FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, in new chronological order; and having overlaid those messages atop congressional witness testimony, released investigative reports, historic media presentations and generally known details of events; and having questioned all prior assumptions amid the latest information; here is some -perhaps new- perspective.

There is zero evidence of a romantic relationship between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page; and no, a complete chronological review doesn’t indicate the romantic stuff was withheld. By looking at the messaging chronologically, studying the date and times, there’s nothing to indicate segments of romantic stuff was removed. What does appear obvious in many redactions, and likely some removals of messages, is an intentional effort to remove content that would be of an embarrassing professional nature to Ms.Lisa Page.

It is more than likely the “affair narrative” was likely created by investigators as part of an agreement on content control to explain withholding some information and message redactions. Investigators would not want those being investigated to know the scale of the evidence trail. Regardless, except for the useful story, the romantic angle is irrelevant.

It is clear that when Lisa Page gave FBI INSD (Inspection Division) authorization to access *all* her communication and messaging *accounts* and devices (July 15 – 20th, 2017) the FBI INSD and Office of Inspector General (OIG) agreed to redact snarky interoffice material that would be embarrassing to Ms. Page.

[Congressional Report – Page 18, Item #3, second paragraph] “The DOJ OIG obtained the initial batch of text messages on July 20, 2017.” It is clear that Ms. Page underwent a period of (no less than) three solid days of extensive initial questioning by FBI (INSD) and DOJ (OIG) officials. [Which ended on/around July 20th, 2017.]

♦July 20th, 2017 is a key date. A critical point-of-reference to move forward and review action. It is absolutely clear [BEYOND CERTAIN], that INSD (Inspection Division) and OIG (Inspector General) knew of every single participant in the Page-Strzok engagement team by the end of July 2017.

Those doing the investigation(s) knew the content of the initial batch of messages; and as a consequence – from the end of July 2017 they knew every participant therein. This would include everyone in the “small group” who was demonstrably outlined in the messages as leaking to media.

The officials outlined in media leaks, direct or indirect, included: Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, James Baker (FBI Chief Legal Counsel), Andrew McCabe (Deputy Director), and Michael Kortan (FBI Office of Public Affairs). There are also discussions of other people leaking.

Indeed, one of the more stunning aspects of a full review was the scale of groups’ leaks to the media and how those leaks were used to frame the continued narrative about their ongoing efforts.

The messages show media leaks from 2015 all the way past the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Their discussions with the media were so frequent that Page and Strzok referred to media publications as “that’s your story”, or “that’s your article”, and enjoyed talking about the internal and external effect of the published accounts therein.

However, there was a period (after the 2016 election) where the scale of leaked stories was an issue; and a few examples of Lisa Page being angry at Peter Strzok for pointing the team toward the outcome of a “her story” too quickly. There are also examples of the Mueller team being concerned about leaks, and it appears -despite their efforts to hide- Mueller’s close inner circle knew Strzok and Page were the leak culprits.

A particular Strzok leak to Politico diminished his trust factor with key Mueller team member Aaron Zelby (aka “AZ”). Peter Strzok and Aaron Zelby were close friends prior to James Baker and Andrew McCabe selecting AZ as point person for enlisting Robert Mueller. [May 17th, 2017] Date of Mueller appointment. Discussions of team being assembled. Strzok notes “emailing with Aaron”, Zelby former Mueller Chief of Staff who was selected for Special Counsel position. At the time Zelby was a partner at WilmerHale.

♦The important aspect here is that after the INSD and OIG gained voluntary custody of Lisa Page’s side of the conversations (July 20th, 2017) these investigators knew who was leaking to the media.

The scale of knowledge of INSD and OIG investigators in July 2017 is important, because they didn’t move to act upon the information immediately and instead chose to wait.

The “small group” officials the investigators immediately knew about, yet appear intentionally to have allowed to remain, include: James Baker, Mike Kortan, Andrew McCabe, David Laufman and Jim Rybicki.

♦Key Example: It does not appear accidental that FBI Chief Legal Counsel James Baker was allowed, by INSD and OIG investigators, to remain in place, *until* Baker was notified of being called to testify to congress (December 21, 2017)… then INSD yanked him back; and FBI Director Christopher Wray removed Baker from responsibility.

James Baker remains inside the FBI today; in some unknown capacity. James Baker is also in the text messages as “JB”, “Jim”, “GC” (General Counsel), and “James”. He was also an interoffice mentor/role-model of sorts for DOJ assigned Special Counsel Lisa Page. Both Page and Strzok had a great deal of respect and admiration for Baker.

From the messages we can clearly see that James Baker is a key figure amid everything that was happening. Likely Baker’s cooperation with investigators is the biggest risk to James Comey and Andrew McCabe due to Baker’s knowledge of situations, decisions, non-decisions and events.

♦Understanding that INSD and OIG investigators had Page’s text messaging from July 20th, 2017 forward; and accepting those documents showed the alternate methods of messaging Strzok and Page were using (GMail, imsg etc.); there’s no way the investigators would not demand access to the GMail account and devices being used by Lisa Page. In fact it is almost guaranteed (I’d bet on it) that amid all those million+ documents held by IG Michael Horowitz is the content of the Page/Strzok GMail account(s) and their iMSG system use. [Passwords provided by Lisa Page and retrieved by FBI Investigators INSD]

This acceptance doesn’t belay the fear that current officials inside the DOJ and FBI may hold a motive to hide the other communication evidence; but then again, we also know about it – so it’s impossible for the OIG to come out with a report next month and not include it. Let’s hope to see full sunlight from IG Horowitz, but I’ll be the first over the barricades with the pitchfork if the GMail content etc. therein is not included.

♦Page and Strzok carefully maneuvered to shape the internal activity by their immediate supervisors, Andrew McCabe and Bill Priestap respectively. There’s a particular creepiness in how much the duo guide each other to tell other people specific points and shape opinion, and ultimately action or lack thereof. They’re like two spies inside an allied organization shaping the outcome in the direction of a goal they have agreed to privately.

Their approach also means they must be involved in every important detail of the ongoing effort. And there are a few times where FBI Director of Counterintelligence Bill Priestap pokes Peter Strzok. [May 9th, 2017] Strzok “angry” because his boss “Bill” is starting to question why Strzok needs to have his fingers in everything. “implication is I’m a busy body” etc.

However, there is also a transparent aspect to McCabe and more specifically James Comey being kept away from “small group” details so they can retain plausible deniability on the overall scheme. The Sept/October ’16 Weiner email problem is one such example. Comey’s lack of knowledge, and/or inaccuracy of knowledge, is a public defense; but FBI General Counsel James Baker’s knowledge of what Comey does know is a legal risk.

♦Another important revelation is the scale of influence of Benjamin Wittes and the Lawfare blog group. There are multiple times within the Page/Strzok discussions were Page references Lawfare blog as a resource to generate ideas for their efforts. It seems highly likely that James Comey’s friend Benjamin Wittes is connected to the activity of like-minded DOJ and FBI people. Indeed Wittes also wrote of the need for an “insurance policy” against President Trump in October of 2016.

Also remember, back in May 2017 Benjamin Wittes admitted he was one of the primary sources for the New York Times Comey Memo article (Michael Schmidt); and in so doing he outlined the severity of the political nature of the former FBI Director:

[…] I called Schmidt Friday morning after reading his earlier story, which ran the previous evening, about Comey’s dinner with President Trump and the President’s demands at that dinner for a vow of loyalty. (link)

The gist of Benjamin Wittes outline is that he interpreted his friend -the magnanimous harbinger of truth, justice and the American way- James Comey, as expressing a feeling of undue potential influence by horrible Trump that Comey did not feel with the more well regarded Obama. etc. etc. {insert pearl-clutching/couch-fainting violin music here}

It is no wonder that Lisa Page and Peter Strzok turned to Benjamin Wittes for ideas on their ongoing efforts to help Clinton and eliminate Donald Trump.

♦The primary Inspector General Horowitz report is specifically focused on the way the FBI and DOJ handled the Hillary Clinton investigation, and the possibility of politics driving the investigative outcome therein. At this point that reality is inarguable.

The secondary OIG report will focus on how the DOJ and FBI approached the FISA surveillance warrant filed against U.S. person Carter Page and used against the Trump campaign to conduct political surveillance. Lisa Page and Peter Strzok will figure heavily in both of these OIG investigations and outcomes.

Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, Bruce Ohr and James Baker have all been clearly identified by investigative releases as participating in gross misconduct at the DOJ and FBI. All four of them have been removed from their responsibilities, yet each of them remains employed within the FBI or DOJ.

It is highly likely all four of them are cooperating with INSD and OIG investigators. As a person familiar with such specific investigative measures shared:

“They are sat down, told to not do anything, say anything or discuss anything UNTIL they get an attorney. At which time, the attorney is handed a letter from the investigating unit. That letter says in essence, this is how screwed you are. If you want to be less screwed you will sign this letter of cooperation and assist us. When we don’t need you, you sit there. When we do we will call you and you will provide what we need. Any deviation from this agreement lands you in jail for the full term.”

Those within the DOJ/FBI “small group” who are not cooperating would include: FBI Communications Director Mike Kortan (quit), DOJ-NSD Deputy Asst. Attorney General David Laufman (quit), AG Loretta Lynch (replaced), AAG Sally Yates (fired), DOJ-NSD Asst Attorney General Mary McCord (quit), FBI Director James Comey (fired), Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe (fired), FBI Chief-of-staff James Rybicki (quit).

RESOURCES:

First FULL Batch – Hundreds of Text Messages HERE

Missing Text Messages HERE

Interim Report on Clinton Email Investigation HERE

Good Analysis of portion of Text Messages HERE