Transcripts For CSPAN2 Former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McC

Trump. Welcome everybody. I think we have some republicans leadership elections coming in. Can you see me, can you hear me and is working. Week social media oversight, i cannot wait have social media come to the committee and explained to themselves about their platforms. Thats on the 17th and there is a lot of support to take a hard look at social media platforms, the act is on and crossfire hurricane, he is going to appear remotely so i appreciatet him coming it will o is make an opening statement. Crossfire hurricane has been looked at in many fashions, the Inspector Generals report found 17 policies of violation regarding the way the crossfire hurricane operation was performed they rebuke the fbi and the department of justice regarding the application made against carter page, every person that we talk to, have been able to get a hold of, i know then what i knew now i would not have signed the carter page warrant application, counterintelligence investigation of the political people created new rules of the road, this wont be the last important government has tried to interfere in our election and the russians did for sure. Try to interfere in the 2016 election, well see what happens inor 2020. But also you have to make sure those involved investigating campaigns have an even hand and it doesnt seep into the system so one candidate gets treated differently than the other and regular talk about that today with mr. Mckay but every allegation of a campaign being involved with foreign entities and trying to create an impression of involvement with foreign entities needs to be looked at, not just one side of the ledger and i look forward to asking mr. Mccabe did the fbi live up to that when it came to crossfiree hurricane, and try to find out how the system got off the rails when it came to mr. Page in the warrantnt application. With that i will turn it over to senator feinstein. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman, i appreciate your comments on the election, i think we all should be heartend by the record participation in the dedication of our poll workers and state Election Officials and certainly on the side of the aisle and i hope on the other side to in the results. So we thank you for calling this hearing, it is part of your examination of crossfire hurricane and that is the fbi investigation into russianyo interference in the 2016e, election. Special counsel mueller took control of that investigation when he was appointed in 2017. He concluded that there was foreign interference in the 2016 election, he found that russia interferedce in sweeping and systematic fashion. Ouhe also uncovered numerous contacts between members of thea Trump Campaign and individuals linked to russia and he determined that the campaign knew about, welcomed and expected it would benefit electorally from russias interference. The Senate Intelligence committee on which i sit confirmed what mueller findings and a bipartisan report with the report details russias 2016 interference and how the Trump Campaign members were involved. That includes Campaign Manager Paul Manafort whose ties to russia made him and the hommittees words a grave counterintelligence threat. These investigations make clear that the fbi was right to investigate Russian Election interference and the Trump Campaign ties to russia. Inspector general Michael Horowitz also confirmed that the fbi was right to investigate. After a twoyear investigation he concluded that the fbi was justified in openingti crossfire hurricane and there was no evidence that the political biased impact did the bureaus work. None of the 14 witnesses, the committee has heard from during the chairmansne investigation have provided evidence to the contrary. So where are we, more than four yearss have passed since the fbi opened crossfire hurricane and multiple investigations have confirmed that the fbi was correct to do so. So i think mr. Chairman it is time to turn the page on crossfire hurricane, i am anateful the fbi director ray and the career men and women of the fbi who worked hard to secure our country in the selection, they include fbi Deputy Director Andrew Mccabe who will look forward to hearing from today, thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Thank you very much mrs. Feinstein mr. Mccabe are you with us questioning. Mr. Mccabe . Can you speak up sir . We are not getting any sound. There with us will see if we can get this. Hello, can you hear me now. Thank you very much, loud and clear, can you raise your right hand. Yes, sir. Do solemnly swear the testimony are given to the committees of truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth so help me god. I do. Would you like to say anything. Yes i have an opening tatement i would like to read. Please, go ahead. Chairman graham, Ranking Member feinstein and distinguished members of the committee thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today i have the privilege to serve as an fbi agent for over 21 years, my first assignment working russian overnight used crime for the last years i spent as Deputy Director at fbi headquarters, i worked with the greatest people on earth, men and women who dedicated their lives protecting the country as agents, analyst and professional Staff Members of the fbi, i know fbi people hardworking dedicated patriots who are committed to the rule of law k above all else, the jobs are hard, sometimes dangerous and often they are pushed beyond the limits of their experience into volatile unpredictable situations the fbi personnel are not perfect, when they make mistakes they submit to the rigors of oversight and remain committed to learning and getting it right the next time. I was honored to be one of them, i was honored to lead them and im honored to discuss her work today, ive agreed to testify today about my knowledge of events related to the u. S. Department of justice, office of the Inspector General report entitled review of fisa application and other aspects of the fbi crossfire hurricane investigation and the investigation into russian interference in the 2016 president ial election. Because i was not permitted to consult the documents that may have refreshed my memory to include my personal notes in my calendar i may not be as precise and accurate as otherwise would be. I appreciate the committees flexibility in conducting this hearing virtually rather than in person while i continue to believe in inperson appearance is a better vehicle for a fair and vigorous oversight hearing, the current status of the covenantee pandemic compels me too be extremely cautious about where i go and what i do, my wife is a frontline First Responder who takes care of children and their families and our local emergency room. I try to avoid unnecessary potential exposure that might put her at risk and possibly endanger her ability to continue caring for our committee. In july of 2016 the fbi initiated an investigation codenamess crossfire hurricane o determine whether an individual or individuals from the trump president ial campaign might be quorum mating with the russian government to interfere with the 2016 president ial election, the concerns have led to the initiation of this case are wellknown. In the fall 2014, the fbi began tracking cyber actors affiliated with russia who were targeting u. S. Political institutions, academic think tanks and other entities. In the spring of 2016 activity intensified as new russian cyber actors invaded computer networs at the Democratic National committee. At the time we did not know what they plan to do with the information they were stealing from the dnc but soon we foundy out. In july 2016 russian intelligence agents acting through the online alias 2. 0 published hundreds of thousands of emails and other information stolen from dnc with the intent of damaging Hillary Clinton on the eve of the Democratic National convention, the malicious use has stolen information signaled a new level of hostility directed at the heart of american democracy. Several months beforee the release and unknown to the fbi at that time, Foreign Policy advisor to the Trump Campaign George Papadopoulos informed a diplomat from a Foreign Government that the Trump Campaign had received indication from the russian government that it could assist the campaign to the anomalous release of information that would be damaging to Hillary Clinton. It was only after the dnc had this information was publicly released in july but the diplomat communicated the content of his conversation with George Papadopoulos to the United States government. So what do t we know in july 20 . We had known for almost two years the russians were targeting our Political Institutions in cyberspace. By the spring of 2016 we knew the russians had stolen information from the dnc. By july we knew the russians had use the information in a manner designed to hurt Hillary Clintons chances in the election and then we learned before the russians attacked us an individual from the Trump Campaign may have known the attack was coming. Fbi policy sets the thresholdr for opening this full field investigation at the moment when you have information or facts that indicate a threat to National Security might exist for federal crime might have been committed. In july of 2016 we had both. Russias Intelligent Services attacking a democratic process possibly in coordination with the president ial campaign. We opened the case to investigate and try to mitigate that threat and to find out what the russians mightve done. Let me be very clear, we did not open a case because we liked one candidate or did not like the other one, we did not open a case because we intended to stay jaiku to overthrow the government. We did not open a case because we thought it might be interesting or because we wanted to drag the fbi into a heated political contest. We opened the case to find out how the russians might be undermining our election, we opened the case because itss was our obligation and our duty to do so, we did our job. The ids review of fives applications and other aspects of the fbi and crossfire hurricane investigation details a significant number of errors and failures related to the fisa application in thiss case. I agreed to be interviewed in connection with the ids investigation and i have reviewed the report. I was shocked and disappointed that the errors and mistakes that the oig found. To me any material misrepresentation or air in a fisa application is unacceptable. The fbi should be held to the standard of accuracy that the core demands, pfizer remains one of the most important tools in our countrys efforts to protect National Security, the fbi is the custodian of that tool, i fully support every effort to ensure the fbi use of fisa maintains high standards at the court in the American People demand and deserve. This commitment to the rulear of law acknowledging our mistakes and doing Everything Possible to ensure that theyy are corrected, these are the reasons im here today, the same reasons ive cooperated with every interview hearing and Oversight Effort requestedso of me both while i served and since ive left therv fbi. I have provided testimony to four different congressional a committees on these and related matters, i been interviewed in connection with special counsel investigation as well as three separate d. O. J. Oig investigations submitting to questioning and reviewing documents over the equivalent of seven full business days. In an effort to provide this committee with the most complete accurate testimony possible i request the fbi allow me to review my former materials including my calendars and personal notes that was grasped with deny, fortunately the broad scope in the passage of time makes many of the details of our work hard to remember, i will do my best to answer your questions today, i will not speculate or guess about details and facts that now remain beyond my reach without the benefit of refreshing my recollection. Recent testimony the director other intelligence officials see maney of the d russian targeting that concerned us in 2016 and were seen in the runup tosi the election we just completed. As a former career Law Enforcement officer in a senior officer e we had a comment, can you please wrap up. Yes, sir. I cannot stress the importance of focusing your efforts in the intention of this nation on the dangers of foreign influence on our election, the russians were successful beyond their wildest imagination in inomplishing their goals 2016, their successes serve asr an encouragement and other nations intent and undermining our security, safety and stability, the russians and others will be back, please do not let the calm of the 2020 election bluer the nation into a false sense of security, its up to you to ensure the nation recognizes the magnitude of the threat posed by foreign actors and take sufficiently aggressive steps t address it. Right before questioning one of the reasons he is not able t review his notes is that the fbi did not want him to have the lassifying information i promised mr. Mccain we would not go into details of his dismissal but i dont want anybody to have the belief to diss anybody with his formert was employers who made the decision. Now very quickly did anyone from the Trump Campaign wind up being prosecuted with the collisions of the russians . Senator it is my understanding the results of the Mueller Investigation that no one was prosecuted for criminal conspiracy involving activity. That would include George Papadopoulosi correct . George papadopoulos, he was prosecuted for making false statements to federal agents. Thank you. Lets make sure that the fbi treated both sides fairly, senator feinstein suggests it was right to open up the investigation against the Trump Campaign, you say was right and it was your duty, lets look at the entire record of the 2016 election and see how evenhanded the fbi was, on september the seventh 2016 the cia, not the australian ambassador, the United Kingdom and london but are cia sends an Investigative Lead over to the fbi and they informed the fbi of u. S. President ial candidate Hillary Clintons approval of a plan concerning u. S. President ial candidate donald trump and Russian Hackers hampering the selection as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private metal service. How many agents were assigned to investigate that . Senator, if you are referring to the memorandum, the raw intelligence memorandum recently declassified by the dni, i have read that memorandum and i dont understand it to be a request for investigative activity, im not aware thatta any agents were assigned to investigate ga timeout, you get a memo in Investigative Lead with the cia call it, alleging that Hillary Clinton has signed off on a plan t tie trump to russia for political purposes, how many people looked at that, how many agents were assigned to see if its true or not did you know about it . . I was not aware of the memorandum. Timeout. You get a cia memo Investigative Lead memo suggesting that the democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton is trying to divert attention from her email server problem by casting aspersions against the Trump Campaign being connected to russia and you did not know about it, how is that possible . I would like to explain to you how that is possible. Who did it go to . I will, i just want to make sure he understands. Who did the memo go to . I recently read m the memo in my understanding it went to director comey and also to the attention of peter strzok, that memorandum that you are referring to as i read it is in response to an fbi request, oral request for an update of the information that the crossfire Hurricane Task force was reviewing about russian activity in the campaign, that is my best recollection. I am here to tell you that that is not what happened, the cia, weve got the documents said to the fbi, the information suggesting that Hillary Clinton had approved of a plan to link donald trump to russia for political purposes and it went to peter strzok, do you believe peter strzok wasas fairminded when it came to the Trump Campaign . Senator, my experience working with peter strzok, yes i believe he was fair and the decisions that he made in the work that he did. Do you object mueller leavine him from the investigation because of the emails show that he hated trumps guts . My recollection stirred that we removed peter from that team because of the ongoing investigation. Did you remove him or did mueller remove him . We had conversations on the evening that it was first shown the Text Messages between peter