IG Horowitz: “It’s Clear” FBI Agent in Clinton, Russia Probes “Had A Bias State of Mind”

Justice Department (DOJ) Inspector General (OIG) Michael Horowitz testified “it’s clear” the agent at the center of the Clinton email and Russia probe cases had “a bias state of mind.” He’s facing tough questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee after the release of a bombshell report and an 18-month internal review.

When asked about Peter Strzok — the head of FBI counterintelligence team who conducted the investigations into Hillary Clinton and then pivoted his focus to the Russia probe — Mr. Horowitz made a more definitive admission.

“I think it’s clear from the text messages we’ve talked about that he had as we say here, a bias state of mind,” Mr. Horowitz said in response.

The highly-anticipated IG report uncovered text messages between Mr. Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom he was having an affair. In one of the more damning messages, Mr. Strzok vowed to prevent Donald Trump from becoming the 45th President of the United States.

Lisa Page: “[Trump’s] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!”

Peter Strzok: “No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it.”

These messages were excluded from a disclosure from the same text string, which was previous handed over to members of Congress.

Previously obtained text messages also show the two lovers discussed needing to talk to “Andy” about an “insurance policy” in the event President Trump defeated Mrs. Clinton, a reference to then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

“I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy’s office — that there’s no way he gets elected — but I’m afraid we can’t take that risk. It’s like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you’re 40,” Mr. Strzok wrote to Ms. Page.

Mr. Horowitz also confirmed to the Senate Judiciary Committee that the IG believed “Andy” was a reference to Andrew McCabe, who has since been fired. The inspector general referred Mr. McCabe to the U.S. Attorney for criminal charges after concluding he lacked candor (lied) under oath.

Ms. Page, along with FBI lawyer Jim Baker, both of whom worked closely with fired former FBI director James Comey, resigned from the agency in May. Mr. Strzok has been relieved of his post as head of the counterintelligence department, currently works in Human Resources (HR) and is reportedly willing to testify before Congress.

Worth noting, Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page both worked on the Democrat-dominated team assembled by Special Counsel Robert Mueller III. They were fired last summer before members of Congress conducting oversight and the media learned of the content of the messages.

Mr. McCabe has requested immunity from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., in exchange for testimony and emails damaging to his former boss, Mr. Comey.