Special Counsel John Durham’s trial revealed Tuesday that the FBI set up an immunity agreement with former British spy Christopher Steele.
QUICK FACTS:
- FBI analyst Brian Auten told special counsel John Durham that the agency offered Christopher Steele’s main source “up to $1 million” to corroborate evidence in his dossier that was central to a federal investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.
- The findings appear to reveal that the FBI had insufficient evidence for the FISA warrant for Trump campaign advisor Carter Page in the investigation and used uncorroborated information to move forward.
- Auten said during testimony that Steele never got the money because he wasn’t able to prove the allegations.
DURHAM JUDGE ON DANCHENKO’S IMMUNITY DEAL:
“Mr. Onorato’s statement needs to be clarified,” Trenga told the jury, adding, “While it does not provide total immunity, it does provide use immunity.”
BACKGROUND:
- Opening arguments began Tuesday in the trial of Russian information analyst Igor Danchenko, as federal prosecutors are claiming he fabricated and concealed sources from speaking with the FBI about the Trump and Russia collusion allegations.
- Danchenko, who supplied information to the fake Steele dossier, is on trial for allegedly lying to the FBI.
- Prosecutors put out five counts against Danchenko, the first focusing on whether he met with Democrat operative Charles Dolan about the dossier that sought to smear Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
