Changes

On March 31, 2017 [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] Chairman [[Charles Grassley]] inquired of the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Dept.]] about a complaint filed in July 2016 alleging [[FusionGPS]], authors of the ''Steele dossier'', acting as an unregistered agent of Russia in a lobbying campaign to rewrite and overturn the Magnitsky Act, a law named for a [[Whistleblower Statutes|whistleblower]] who was allegedly murdered while in custody in Russia. The law imputed sanctions against certain Russian officials. Grassley wrote that when FusionGPS reportedly was acting as an unregistered agent of Russian interests, it simultaneously was creating the ''Steele dossier'' of unsubstantiated allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The Obama Justice Dept. had done nothing since July 2016 to respond to the complaint of FusionGPS' violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).  

On March 31, 2017 [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] Chairman [[Charles Grassley]] inquired of the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Dept.]] about a complaint filed in July 2016 alleging [[FusionGPS]], authors of the ''Steele dossier'', acting as an unregistered agent of Russia in a lobbying campaign to rewrite and overturn the Magnitsky Act, a law named for a [[Whistleblower Statutes|whistleblower]] who was allegedly murdered while in custody in Russia. The law imputed sanctions against certain Russian officials. Grassley wrote that when FusionGPS reportedly was acting as an unregistered agent of Russian interests, it simultaneously was creating the ''Steele dossier'' of unsubstantiated allegations of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The Obama Justice Dept. had done nothing since July 2016 to respond to the complaint of FusionGPS' violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).  

The committee is also seeking to determine the extent to which the [[FBI]] relied on the ''Steele dossier'' in its investigation. Chairman Grassley has requested documentation from Fusion GPS as to who hired and paid them, when Steele was hired, how the FBI got involved and whether Fusion GPS was aware of the FBI paying Steele.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/complaint-firm-behind-dossier-former-russian-intel-officer-joined-lobbying-effort</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/31/trump-dossier-financier-accused-of-improper-work-for-kremlin/</ref> Fox News reports both a Senate and House committee are investigating the FBI for leaks and civil rights violations.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/fbi-scrutinized-by-congress-over-probe-into-alleged-russia-trump-link.html</ref> Adam Housley reports "The person who did the unmasking is "very well known, very high up, very senior, in the intelligence world & is not in the FBI,"<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847858385798049793?s=09</ref> and that "unmasking the names and then spreading the names was for political purposes that have nothing to do with national security."<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847859134888239105</ref><ref>McCabe, Neil W. (March 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/31/fox-news-senior-obama-intelligence-official-unmasked-trump-associates/ Fox News: Senior Obama Intelligence Official Unmasked Trump Associates]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 1, 2017.</ref>

The committee is also seeking to determine the extent to which the [[FBI]] relied on the ''Steele dossier'' in its investigation. Chairman Grassley has requested documentation from Fusion GPS as to who hired and paid them, when Steele was hired, how the FBI got involved and whether Fusion GPS was aware of the FBI paying Steele.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/complaint-firm-behind-dossier-former-russian-intel-officer-joined-lobbying-effort</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/31/trump-dossier-financier-accused-of-improper-work-for-kremlin/</ref> Fox News reports both a Senate and House committee are investigating the FBI for leaks and civil rights violations.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/fbi-scrutinized-by-congress-over-probe-into-alleged-russia-trump-link.html</ref> Adam Housley reports "The person who did the unmasking is "very well known, very high up, very senior, in the intelligence world & is not in the FBI,"<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847858385798049793?s=09</ref> and that "unmasking the names and then spreading the names was for political purposes that have nothing to do with national security."<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/adamhousley/status/847859134888239105</ref><ref>McCabe, Neil W. (March 31, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/31/fox-news-senior-obama-intelligence-official-unmasked-trump-associates/ Fox News: Senior Obama Intelligence Official Unmasked Trump Associates]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 1, 2017.</ref>

==See also==

==See also==