Former CIA Director John Brennan is under scrutiny from a grand jury in South Florida as his legal troubles deepen. According to his lawyers, Brennan has been identified as a “target” of the investigation. This comes on the heels of revelations that he and former FBI Director James Comey faced inquiries regarding their involvement in the discredited Russiagate investigation.
In July, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred both Brennan and Comey for prosecution. The current investigation is led by U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones in the Southern District of Florida. Last month, Brennan surfaced in the news again when it was reported that a federal grand jury had issued subpoenas to him alongside notable figures such as former FBI lawyer Lisa Page and ex-FBI counterintelligence special agent Peter Strzok. Strzok, notorious for his role in the Crossfire Hurricane probe, was dismissed from the FBI in 2018 due to violations, particularly for sending controversial text messages that raised alarms about his bias.
Among the troubling texts, Strzok and Page discussed a so-called “insurance policy” aimed at preventing Donald Trump from assuming office. One message from Strzok to Page on August 15, 2016, captures the sentiment. He expressed his desire to believe that Trump would not win, saying, “I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration…that there’s no way [Trump] gets elected…but I’m afraid we can’t take that risk.” He further noted, “It’s like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you’re 40.” Such exchanges suggest an alarming mindset among those in the bureau tasked with investigating potential threats to the election process.
Brennan’s confirmation as a “target” was made public during a legal maneuver involving his defense team. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, Brennan’s lawyers argued that the Justice Department is supposedly engaging in “judge shopping” to gain an advantage in the case. Judge Altonaga, appointed by George W. Bush, oversees the Miami federal court district and is now involved in addressing this significant request.
The investigation focuses on Brennan’s involvement in the 2016-2017 Russia collusion probe, specifically the CIA assessment that claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to aid Trump’s election. This allegation has been widely refuted over time, leading to intense scrutiny of those who originally presented it as fact. Additionally, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan has referred Brennan to the Department of Justice for allegedly making false statements during a May 2023 interview with the House Judiciary Committee.
This increasing focus on Brennan reflects larger concerns surrounding the integrity and motivations of those in positions of power during the controversial investigation. As legal proceedings evolve, the implications of this grand jury probe could resonate beyond Brennan himself, potentially shaking the foundations of established narratives about the 2016 presidential election.
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