FBI considered paying Russia-collusion hoaxer Igor Danchenko to keep him quiet after discovering he lied. Durham Report reveals.
Special Counsel Confirms FBI’s Flawed Decision to Pay Dossier Sub-Source
The FBI’s Dubious Relationship with Igor Danchenko
The FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigators hoped to keep paying Russian national and Steele dossier primary sub-source Igor Danchenko six-figure sums even after they discovered he had lied to them, according to a 306-page report by Special Counsel John Durham. Danchenko was brought on as an official confidential human source (CHS) in March 2017 after working with Christopher Steele to fabricate dirt on Donald Trump for the Clinton campaign.
Despite Danchenko’s previous contact with Russian intelligence officers and his interest in entering the Russian diplomatic service, he was paid $220,000 to aid the agency as a CHS until October 2020. While Danchenko was a CHS, he was not subject to congressional oversight due to policies regarding ongoing investigations and sources and methods.
The FBI’s Attempt to Buy Danchenko’s Silence
After Danchenko left the immunity of the FBI’s “national security” excuses, the spy agency proposed keeping him on the payroll with payments totaling $300,000 while Durham’s investigation was ongoing. This move was seen as an attempt to buy Danchenko’s silence and avoid further scrutiny for its “flawed” decision to spy on the Trump campaign without corroborated evidence.
In 2021, Durham charged Danchenko with five counts of making false statements to the FBI. Despite hard evidence showing how Danchenko gamed the system, a Virginia jury acquitted him.
The FBI’s Failure to Address Danchenko’s Espionage Case
Durham wrote that it is “extremely concerning” that the FBI failed to deal with the prior unresolved counterespionage case on Danchenko. The Crossfire Hurricane team’s failure to properly consider and address the espionage case prior to opening Danchenko as a CHS is difficult to explain, particularly given their awareness that Danchenko was the linchpin to the uncorroborated allegations contained in the Steele Reports.
Republican Senators Demand Answers
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson first pressed the FBI over its payments to Danchenko in September of 2022 but their demands for all records related to the taxpayer-funded payments to Danchenko appear to have been ignored.
It is clear that the FBI’s relationship with Danchenko was dubious at best. The agency’s flawed decision to pay him despite his questionable background and known contacts with Russian intelligence officers raises serious concerns about the FBI’s judgment and motives.
About the Author: Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and co-producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @jordanboydtx.
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