The basis of the on-going investigation into Trump’s campaign has been a long standing question. From early reports of FISA warrants to the FBI Director’s testimony, there has been no answer as to what gave impetus to launch the investigation. The recent reports by both the New York Times and Washington Post describing a warrant against Carter Page shed some light on the subject. The FBI pointed to his interactions with Russian intelligence years ago as grounds for its suspicion. The reports also claim that additional evidence was presented beyond these well-known prior connections but they refused to elaborate. Importantly, they never showed any evidence that would suddenly spur interest in monitoring his communications, which raised suspicions of a political motive. A new CNN report puts forth an additional justification used in the warrant request, political opposition research funded by Trump’s opponents created by group with links to Russian intelligence.

The famed ‘dossier’ is riddled with errors and outright falsehoods, but contains superficial facts on which it bases its unverifiable claims. CNN breathlessly claims that the FBI would not have used it without independently verifying it, but tellingly ‘officials would not say what or how much was corroborated.’ In fact, we know that none of the salacious details were ever confirmed due to former Obama officials openly stating as much. Both Mike Morell and James Clapper unequivocally stated that there was never any evidence of collusion discovered during their time in the government. Instead, the DOJ used the circumstantial evidence presented to justify its belief in the document. For example, the dossier mentions that Carter Page took a trip to Russia to give a speech, which is true. But then it makes an audacious claim that he was offered a $500 million brokerage fee in transferring Rosneft to Trump associates in return for Trump removing sanctions. Let’s repeat that. The document claims Russia offered $500 million to a nobody in the Trump campaign, a campaign it believed would lose, in return for a promise that, in the case of victory, sanctions would be removed. Of course, since the deal didn’t go as the document promised, it excuses the failed allegation as a change of heart for Russia. This among other absurdities, warded off any media coverage when it was first circulated back in the summer of 2016. However, despite the press dismissing the document, Obama’s DOJ used it as the basis for ordering a wiretap on a member of Trump’s campaign. When the FBI founds a major investigatory probe on a report that even the tabloids refuse to touch there is cause for serious concern. Reports of the FBI’s involvement in the perpetuation of this document raises an additional conflict. Rather than strengthening the perception of the dossier, this episode highlights the baseless foundation of the entire investigation. A congressional review is not only needed, it is required.