'I Believe I Know the Answer': Deputy AG Gets Asked if the FBI Paid for Infamous Trump Dossier

During his Wednesday testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would not say if the FBI paid for the infamous Trump-Russia dossier.

Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis pointedly asked, “Did the FBI pay for the dossier?”

Rosenstein replied, “I’m not in the position to answer that question.” DeSantis rephrased his question and instead asked if the deputy attorney general knew the answer.

“I believe I know the answer, but the Intelligence Committee is the appropriate committee …” he continued.

DeSantis interrupted the Rosenstein to say, “We (the Judiciary panel) have every right to that information and you should provide it.”

Rosenstein also wouldn’t answer the question of who started the investigation, but reassured DeSantis that appropriate access will be opened for the Intelligence Committee in its investigation.

The funding of the Trump dossier has been constantly questioned by congressional Republicans, The Daily Caller reported. The dossier was written by former British spy Christopher Steele, with funds provided Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and Democratic National Committee.

Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina also questioned the deputy attorney general regarding potential conflicts of interest within the team investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election.

What happens when people who are supposed to cure the conflict of interest have even greater conflicts of interest than those they replace?https://t.co/s6nmJltHOe

— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) December 13, 2017

“We don’t like conflicts of interest because it undercuts people’s confidence in the process and the result. This is why we have special counsel,” Gowdy said. “Low and behold, those who are supposed to make sure there are no conflicts of interests seem to have a few of their own.”

He then proceeds to list the conflicts of interest uncovered thus far.

“There’s a senior prosecutor who sent obsequious emails to a fact-witness,” he said.

“And then we have prosecutors assigned to conduct this investigation who donated almost exclusively to one candidate (Clinton) over another,” he added.

Gowdy then referenced senior DOJ official Bruce Ohr, who “met with Fusion GPS who was paying for Russian dirt on the very person they are supposed to be investigating.” Moreover, he noted, Ohr’s wife “was on the payroll of Fusion GPS.”

Over the summer, FBI official Peter Strzok was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team for exchanging anti-Trump text messages with a colleague.

Nine of the 15 lawyers on Mueller’s team have reportedly made campaign contributions to Democrats, which many Republicans say creates an appearance of bias against Trump.

Rosenstein reassured the committee that he and Mueller “recognize we have … employees with political opinions,” during his testimony.

As The Western Journal reported, Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson confirmed Nellie Ohr, was hired to work on the anti-Trump dossier that included critical allegations against President Donald Trump.

The House Intelligence Committee is also looking into Bruce Ohr’s connection as part of its probe.

“We have appropriate internal affairs officers who will get to the bottom of that,” Rosenstein stated.

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