Epoch Times Investigation: Beyond the Memo

An investigative report based on the memo, a declassified FISC report, and public records on how the Trump team was spied on

A declassified House Intelligence Committee memo reveals how the unverified Fusion GPS dossier—opposition research paid for by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC)—was used by the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) to obtain a FISA surveillance warrant to spy on Donald Trump presidential campaign volunteer Carter Page.

The memo details how the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was intentionally left in the dark about the source of the allegations that led it to approve the spy warrant in October 2016.

It reveals that top FBI and DOJ officials signed off on the initial warrant and three subsequent renewals, including President Donald Trump’s deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.

In one instance, the FBI and DOJ used a Yahoo News article based on the Trump dossier as evidence to extend its FISA warrant, despite the unverified information having come from the same source.

The memo does not reveal how the FISA warrant was subsequently used.

The Epoch Times used additional sources, including a declassified top-secret report of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to paint a fuller picture of the apparent abuse of power.

After the initial FISA warrant was approved, dozens, if not hundreds of so-called unmasking requests were made by senior members of then-President Barack Obama’s administration.

It also opened the floodgates to a number of intelligence leaks to media organizations, which served to turn public opinion against Donald Trump.

Continuing well after Trump was elected, the spying and leaking raise serious concerns about apparent efforts by the Obama administration, the DNC, and the Clinton campaign to prevent Trump from being elected and to delegitimize him once he was in office.