Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

FBI fires agent who sent anti-Trump text messages

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Washington: The FBI has fired agent Peter Strzok, his lawyer said on Monday in a statement quoted by several media outlets about the FBI agent who helped lead the probe of ties between Russia and President Donald Trump’s election campaign until it was discovered he sent anti-Trump texts.


Strzok exchanged anti-Trump texts with FBI lawyer Lisa Page during the 2016 presidential campaign. Strzok and Page, with whom he had an affair, worked on the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state.


He also worked initially on special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but was taken off that investigation when the texts were discovered.


A statement issued by Strzok’s lawyer, which was quoted in US media reports, said the decision to terminate Strzok “was taken in response to political pressure.” The FBI declined to comment about Strzok’s firing.


Trump has claimed that text messages sent between Strzok and Page revealed bias against him within the FBI.


On Monday the president acknowledged Strzok’s firing in a tweet, saying that Strzok “was in charge of the Crooked Hillary Clinton sham investigation,” adding, “It was a total fraud on the American public and should be properly redone!”


A report issued in June by the US Justice Department’s inspector general reviewed the FBI’s actions prior to the 2016 presidential election.


It revealed an undisclosed text message between Strzok and Page in which Strzok said “we’ll stop” Trump from becoming president in response to one from Page saying “(Trump’s) not ever going to become president, right? Right?!”— dpa


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