*Fox News (banned) – Page 28

August 14, 2018June 12, 2020

Peter Strzok Fired Despite Initial FBI Decision

FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok has been fired, following the discovery of text messages by Strzok that disparaged Donald Trump during the 2106 presidential campaign. Strzok, a 21-year FBI veteran, had been instrumental in the FBI investigation into Hilary Clinton’s private email server, and took part in the FBI recommendation that no criminal charges be brought against Clinton. Peter Strzok was also involved in beginning of the FBI investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.

Originally, and in accordance with FBI procedure, the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) had made the decision to demote Peter Strzok from supervisory duties, along with giving him a 60-day suspension. On Friday, August 10, FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich reversed that decision.

“Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI – finally. The list of bad players in the FBI & DOJ gets longer & longer,” tweeted Donald Trump. “Based on the fact that Strzok was in charge of the Witch Hunt, will it be dropped? It is a total Hoax. No Collusion, No Obstruction – I just fight back!”

Later, Trump tweeted, “Just fired Agent Strzok, formerly of the FBI, was in charge of the Crooked Hillary Clinton sham investigation. It was a total fraud on the American public and should be properly redone!”

Strzok and a former FBI attorney, Lisa Page, had been involved in an extramarital affair, and had exchanged numerous text messages mocking politicians from both parties, but showing particular disdain for Donald Trump. Before the 2016 presidential election, Page and Strzok exchanged a set of texts that, when discovered, appeared to Trump supporters to be evidence that Strzok’s political views could impact the Russia investigation.

Lisa Page texted, “(Trump is) “not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” Strzok’s response was “No. No he’s not. We’ll stop it.” Later, Strzok explained that by that he meant that, because of Trump’s behavior, voters would never support him.

Peter Strzok has apologized, and maintains that at no time have his personal political beliefs influenced his actions as an FBI agent. His 21 years of service have born that out. It remains to be seen how, or if, Strzok’s firing will impact the ongoing Russia investigation.

“The suggestion that I’m in some dark chamber somewhere in the FBI would somehow cast aside all of these procedures, all of these safeguards, and somehow be able to do this is astounding to me — it simply couldn’t happen,” Peter Strzok has said.

Strzok lawyer claims firing was politically motivated | Fox News [2018-08-13]

FBI Fires Agent Peter Strzok, Who Sent Anti-Trump Texts | NBC Nightly News
[2018-08-13]

July 31, 2018June 16, 2020

Failure to Reunite 711 Migrant Children with Their Parents

The greatest of policy failures are those that fail families – particularly children – such as the recent policy hastily enacted by the Trump administration that has resulted in the separation of hundreds of migrant families who may never be reunited.

Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy required that those attempting to cross into the U.S. from Mexico be detained, their children separated from them and held in detention facilities. U.S. District judge Dana Sabraw ordered the Trump administration to reunite the migrant families by July 26, 2018. (July 10 was the deadline for children under five, and only 38 families out of 102 were reunited), yet the deadline has passed, and roughly 700 migrant children remain separated from their parents.

The Trump administration, however, claims that it has met the goal, reuniting all “eligible” migrant familes. The 711 migrant children who remain separated from their families, it says, are “ineligible” to be returned to them for one reason or another.

Some of the migrant parents have red flags on their background checks, and others were held in criminal custody so weren’t eligible to be reunited with their children. For at least 431 children, though, according to the Independent, their parents either left the U.S. without their children, or were deported. The parents of roughly 120 additional children allegedly “waived reunification” by signing documents that they may have not fully understood.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), many of the migrant parents reported not fully comprehending what they were signing, or being coerced into signing the waivers. Some said they were told that signing the papers would expedite being reunited with their children. Others said they were threatened with the possibility of never seeing their children again if they didn’t sign.

In short, the Trump administration put a poorly-thought-out policy in place without a backup plan. When a U.S. District judge called them out on it and ordered them to reunite the affected migrant families, it became apparent that the administration had neglected to closely track the parents and their children after they were separated. With the threat of missing their legal deadline for reunification, it’s speculated that they made another hasty decision – this time to cover their sloppiness by conveniently having the immigrant parents waive their rights to being reunited with their families. Thus, the Trump administration can neatly say that it met the deadline to reunite all “eligible” migrant families.

Trump administration says 711 children can’t be reunited with parents by deadline | CBS Evening New [2018-07-26]

DHS: All eligible separated children reunited with parents | Fox News [2018-07-27]