[spence]

Originally Posted by detbuch

McCabe stated under oath that without the Steele "dossier" there would not have been a FISA warrant to wire tap Page. There was a previous attempt to get a warrant on Page which was (which rarely happens) denied. The unverified dossier was the key element needed to get the warrant. Any information gathered via use of the warrant would be fruit of the poisoned tree and therefore inadmissible.

The Democrats in the same hearing have stated in writing that McCabe's remark is mis-characterized in the memo.

And if that is somehow in dispute, it still does not absolve the FBI from presenting the "dossier" to a FISA judge without revealing that it was not verified and was paid for by an opposition party or candidate. The knowing use of such a faulty document to get a warrant is, undeniably, a corruption of the process.

My understanding is that the use of the dossier was presented as political in nature in the FISA request. Remember both Republicans and Democrats contributed to it's creation.

As far as Papadopoulos goes, he was guilty of lying to the FBI, not of seeking dirt on Hillary (which would not have been enough "evidence" to get a FISA warrant to spy on Papadopoulos, and certainly not enough to do so on Page).

Page was already under a FISA warrant which had been renewed THREE times for a list of concerns all having nothing to do with the Dossier and everything about his potentially illegal dealings with Russians.