WASHINGTON — The senior FBI agent who was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe earlier this year referred to Donald Trump prior to his election as an “idiot,” according to a tranche of emails turned over to the House Judiciary Committee late Tuesday.

Peter Strzok, a counter-intelligence agent who also helped run the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, expressed a clear preference for the Democratic candidate while leveling expletive-laden insults against Republicans. The GOP, he said in one exchange, “needs to pull their head out of their ass."

Strzok was removed from Mueller's staff earlier this year after Justice Department investigators began reviewing whether he exchanged messages critical of President Trump. Strzok was abruptly reassigned this summer to the bureau’s human resources office.

The disclosure of 375 text message communications between Strzok and FBI colleague Lisa Page not only included disparaging references to Trump but also slammed former Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley – and pondered the sexual preference of Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

The communications obtained by USA TODAY late Tuesday covered more than a year’s worth of communications between Strzok and Page, beginning Aug. 16, 2015 to Dec. 1, 2016.

The communications between the two officials initially came to the attention of the Justice Department's inspector general during an ongoing inquiry into the department's handling of the Clinton email investigation. Page also had been assigned to the Mueller team but had returned to the FBI before the text messages were discovered.

Republican lawmakers, including House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., have sought the release of these communications since Strzok’s removal was explained earlier this month.

During one Aug. 16, 2015 exchange, Page noted that she had just noticed “my first Bernie Sanders bumper sticker. Made me want to key the car.”

“He’s an idiot like Trump,” Strzok replied. “Figure they cancel each other out.”

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The release of the communications came on the eve of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.

Last week, Republican lawmakers on the same panel closely questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about Strzok – and also raised questions about the continuing credibility of Mueller’s inquiry because of Strzok’s association with it.

The contents of the communications are only likely to intensify those criticisms Wednesday, especially the agent's repeated slamming of Trump.

In a March 4, 2016, exchange, Page refers to Trump as “a loathsome human.”

Strzok responds less than a minute later, “Yet he may win. Would he be a worse president than (Republican Texas Sen. Ted) Cruz?”

“Trump? Yes, I think so,” Page said.

Strzok and Page appear to cover the political waterfront with explicit commentary that spared neither candidates nor voters. They exchange digs about Trump’s famous reference to the size of his hands and how that measure might refer to his sexual prowess.

“America will get what the voting public deserves,” Strzok said last March.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Page replies.

“God, Hillary should win 100,000,000 – 0,” Strzok said as part of the same March text string.

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A few months later, with the Clinton email investigating winding down and the Republican and Democratic national conventions looming, Strzok and Page appeared to dread Trump’s continued march through the Republican field.

In a June 12, 2016 text, Strzok referred to the “bigoted nonsense of Trump” and “how a lot of people are holding their breath, hoping” for Clinton.

And just days after then-FBI Director James Comey announced that he would not recommend charges against Clinton in the email inquiry, Strzok cited a New York Times poll indicating that the email inquiry was “weighing on Hillary Clinton” who was then running even with Trump.

During the Republican convention the two colleagues engaged in running commentary on the roster of speakers, including actor Scott Baio.

“Oooh, TURN IT ON, TURN IT ON!!! THE D----BAGS ARE ABOUT TO COME OUT,” Strzok writes.

Later, Strzok asks about Trump’s performance, also referring to him as “a d-----.”

During the Democratic convention later that month, the tone of the commentary noticeably softened, as Strzok recognized Clinton’s historic nomination.

“Congrats on a woman nominated for president in a major party! About damn time! Many, many more returns of the day!”

“That’s cute,” Page responded. “Thanks.”

Describing the moment Clinton won the nomination, Strzok texted his friend, “Chills, just because I’m a homer for American democracy that way.”

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Ever since federal authorities announced Strzok's move, conservatives have questioned the credibility of the Russia probe and revved up their calls for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint a special prosecutor. They are seeking a review of not just political bias within Mueller's team but also Comey's decision to close the investigation into Clinton's email server without recommending charges, and a Russian company's acquisition of U.S. uranium.

On Tuesday, Trump's lawyers called for a new special counsel to investigate any links between the Justice Department and Fusion GPS, the political research firm that generated an unverified dossier alleging extensive ties between Trump and the Russian government.

Sessions has directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate Republican members' various requests for a special counsel, but has not made any decisions yet.

Democrats say Republicans are raising these grievances now to divert attention away from the widening investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and possible obstruction of justice by the president.

Mueller's probe recently resulted in two indictments and two guilty pleas from Trump associates — including a guilty plea from former national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI about his communications with the Russian ambassador.

The news about Strzok's move came just one day after Mueller’s team announced it had reached a deal with Flynn. Flynn agreed to cooperate with Mueller's ongoing inquiry into Russia’s interference in the 2016 campaign.

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In a statement released on Dec. 2, Sessions said the allegations that Strzok sent anti-Trump communications "would raise serious questions of public trust" if proven to be true. "We will ensure that anyone who works on any investigation in the Department of Justice does so objectively and free from bias or favoritism," Sessions said.

The FBI also released a statement saying it has "clearly defined policies and procedures regarding appropriate employee conduct, including communications."

"When the FBI first learned of the allegations, the employees involved were immediately reassigned, consistent with practices involving employee matters," the statement said.

– Erin Kelly contributed

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