Graham Continues Investigation into Origins of Russia Probe

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today sent letters to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz regarding communications between a State Department official and Christopher Steele, who compiled the dossier used to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants to surveil Trump campaign officials.  

It was recently revealed through a Freedom of Information Act request that Steele met with then-State Department official Kathleen Kavalec ten days prior to the issuance of the initial Carter Page FISA warrant and told her that he was “keen to see this information [the dossier] come to light prior to November 8,”  the date of the 2016 presidential election.  

“This important information further demonstrates the bias of the primary source of material that was the basis for the Carter Page FISA warrant,” Graham wrote. 

Chairman Graham requested:

• All documents and communications on or after May 1, 2016 between State Department and DOJ employees or officials relating to Christopher Steele, the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, or anyone associated with the Trump campaign. 
• The State Department make Ms. Kavalec available for a transcribed interview with the Judiciary Committee.
• DOJ Inspector General Horowitz consider this new information as he continues to investigate potential FISA warrant abuse. 

Graham’s letter to Secretary Pompeo is available HERE. Graham’s letter to Inspector General Horowitz is available HERE.