UPDATE: Here is a fuller explanation of the events and a defense of Phares by Rebecca Bynum, who notes: “It appears Dr. Phares has been targeted yet again because he openly supports the counter-terrorism and counter-extremism campaign against the Jihadists and the Ikhwan in Egypt and around the globe—as his entire career will corroborate.”
———-
This is a scandal along the same lines as the framing of General Michael Flynn. The investigation of Walid Phares was absolutely uncalled for. Every foreign policy adviser has relationships with people in other countries, especially in countries that are allied with the United States. This is yet more evidence that the FBI is irredeemably corrupt and thoroughly politicized after eight years of Obama. It should be shuttered, and a completely new intelligence agency established, if a new one is even needed given the fact that so many others already exist today.
“F.B.I. Once Investigated Trump Campaign Adviser’s Ties to Egypt,” by Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, May 28, 2020
WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. and the special counsel’s office investigated whether a former Trump campaign adviser secretly worked for the Egyptian government to influence the incoming administration in the months before President Trump took office, according to several people familiar with the inquiry.
The former adviser, Walid Phares, was one of five Trump campaign aides investigated over their ties to foreign countries. Robert S. Mueller III took over the investigations after he was appointed special counsel in May 2017.
The decision to investigate Mr. Phares was based on highly classified information, the people said. Investigators examined the matter for months but ultimately brought no charges.
Though Mr. Mueller’s primary mandate was to examine Russia’s covert operation to sabotage the election and whether any Trump associates conspired, several Trump campaign advisers and transition team members elicited concerns at the F.B.I. because of their overseas contacts and the possibility that a variety of foreign governments might have been trying to secretly use the advisers to advance their agendas.
Mr. Phares declined to comment, as did a Justice Department spokeswoman….
RichardL says
Walid Phares works for Sisi? The Obama FBI tried to suppress any anti-jihadi…
spiro says
This corrupt government is terrified of Trump
He might expose them for what they are
I don’t know how Trump does it day after day he has real huspath
spelling ??
RD Lankes says
Hutzpah
spiro says
Thanks
?
eduardo odraude says
Also, chutzpah
gravenimage says
FBI investigated Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Walid Phares
……………
Yet they don’t have enough personnel to investigate Jihadists. What madness.
rubiconcrest says
Isn’t that the truth.
b.a. freeman says
several articles here at JW have referred to a certain national government agency as the “department of JUSTICE;” i think instead that it should be called by its real function: the department of INjustice. truth does not matter to the department; only the master which a person happens to be serving matters. if U’re not kissing the a** of the hard left or their craven tools, U deserve to die in prison, or at a bare minimum, spend the rest of your life under a bridge.
Bad Penguin says
After Trump is reelected he needs to do some serious house cleaning in the FBI as well as other federal agencies. All of those people behind the investigations should be put on trial for sedition.
David Darman says
Tell us, Robert, what was the classified info that instigated the investigation and which you dismiss as irrelevant? How can you be so sure the investigation was ill-founded?
rubiconcrest says
Academically interesting but not probably no more valid than the targeting of Flynn. I have read Walid Phares’s Future Jihad and War of Ideas. He is as is Flynn very clear eyed when it comes to Jihad and Islam. Obama wanted him destroyed for that reason.
LB says
Barrack Hussein Obama spent 8 years running USA into the ground as fast as he could, effectively doubling USA’s debt (which was accumulated by all previous administrations) all on his own. Not to mention staffing all investigative agencies (CIA, FBI, Secret Service, etc.) with anti-American fifth columnists and changing all agents’ training manuals, as well as empowering the swamp which is the Deep State like never before. Even in the final hours of his presidency (literally), he arranged for planes to carry mountains of money to Iran, and I’m not talking about the $billions he gave Iran just prior to that. To this day, I’m yet to find a single investigation started against anyone in his administration.
In a stark contrast to Hussein, Trump and all members of his administration were probed from all angles even during his candidacy. In case you forgot, he was even “impeached” once. There hasn’t been a day without Trump getting heckled by the mass media and his political opponents for whatever tiny straw they can grasp on. And now this. That’s why Robert Spencer dismisses it as irrelevant and I agree with him. The Deep State despises Trump and want to get rid of him by any means necessary, even if it means making shit up, just make sure it gets unrelenting media coverage for maximum brainwashing-of-the-masses effect.
LB says
Meanwhile, Hillary received $MILLIONS from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other KNOW MUSLIM TERROR FINANCIER COUNTRIES through various “fundraisers” at Clinton Foundation and no one bats an eye. Luckily she’s wasn’t elected, but I imagine no investigation of her or her administration personnel would ever happen if she was. The Deep State runs deep indeed.
Kepha says
A high-minded lady called Shrillary
In assets took more than her fill-ery.
If her name were D. Trump,
They’d be taking a dump
On her face in the pillory!
jewdog says
This is an outrage, but I’m sure that since Phares didn’t have the high profile of Flynn, it will not get much notice, which is a shame.
seabird says
This doesn’t surprise me, Gen. Flynn, regardless of the high esteem many have for him, took a payment of $530,000 to promote the Turkish Govts interests and didn’t disclose it until after he became our NSA top security advisor (a serious crime).
His job was to promote the (Islamic) Erdogan Govt in obtaining weapons (Like the f-35) , aiding Turkey militarily with assistance, rejecting Genocide charges against Turkey, (the Genocide resolution was passed unanimously by the House and Senate but not supported by Trump), and extraditing a
Mr Gullen.
In the case of Mr Gullen, (who Erdogan believes directed the coup attempt), Flynn was willing to assist the Turkish Govt in returning him (a legal US resident) to certain torture and death in Turkey.
Flynn reportedly was going to be paid $14.5 mil. for this (and other) efforts.
The Turkish Govt will use any methods (including illegal) to return Gullen to Turkey.
Flynn may have been a fine General but he was willing to betray our country for self-gain the minute he joined the administration.
The FBI, (which does have serious problems), knowing that the top US security figure had been corrupted, was probably curious of what other Officials were on the take acting as a foreign agent of another country for profit.