FBI Director Kash Patel has ordered an investigation into former FBI Director James Comey regarding his actions during the 2016 Trump campaign. This investigation is focused on claims that Comey authorized secret surveillance of Donald Trump’s campaign, according to a report on Tuesday.
According to The Washington Times, a whistleblower came forward last year, accusing Comey of running an “off-the-books” investigation into Trump. The whistleblower claimed that Comey used two female undercover agents to get close to Trump during his campaign in 2015.
This alleged investigation was separate from the official Trump-Russia collusion inquiry, known as Crossfire Hurricane. Patel and the newly-appointed Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino are reportedly targeting Comey based on the whistleblower’s accusations. The whistleblower’s story was shared with the House Judiciary Committee last year and was first reported by The Washington Times in October.
The whistleblower claimed that Comey used two female agents as “honeypots,” which is a term for undercover operatives who pretend to have romantic or sexual interest in a target to gather information.
For years, Trump and his supporters have claimed that Comey, with support from former President Barack Obama, tried to spy on his campaign. Comey has denied these accusations.
Patel and Bongino have now started their investigation by trying to locate the two undercover agents who were allegedly involved. The Times’ Kerry Picket, who broke the story, reported that the FBI, now led by Patel and Bongino, is looking for these agents.
Before being confirmed as FBI Director, Patel said he had no intention of using the FBI to go after Trump’s political opponents. He promised that there would be no political bias or retaliation at the FBI if he were confirmed. “I have no interest, no desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards,” Patel said during his confirmation hearing. “There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken.”
