Overview
- Newly released 2019 emails show DOJ officials Richard Pilger and J.P. Cooney advised against opening a criminal inquiry into whether the Clinton campaign and the DNC concealed payments tied to Fusion GPS and the Steele dossier.
- An FBI Washington Field Office memo records that, after receiving those opinions, the bureau decided it would not open an investigation or even an assessment.
- A field agent argued the payments reflected "unambiguous concealment" and said Pilger’s responses had a "chilling effect," according to the correspondence.
- The Federal Election Commission in 2022 found probable cause of misreporting and fined both entities, noting DNC payments of $849,407 and Clinton campaign payments of $175,000 to Perkins Coie for work tied to Fusion GPS.
- Grassley says whistleblowers helped surface the records, notes Pilger and Cooney later had roles connected to Arctic Frost and Special Counsel activity, and has requested additional unredacted DOJ and FBI documents with a Nov. 27 deadline.