The FBI conducted a six-hour raid on the home of a recognized Justice Department whistleblower who had confidentially submitted documents related to the Clinton Foundation and Uranium One to a government watchdog, according to the Daily Caller, citing the whistleblower’s attorney.
The Justice Department’s inspector general was informed that the documents show that federal officials failed to investigate potential criminal activity regarding former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Clinton Foundation and Rosatom, the Russian company that purchased Uranium One, a document reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation alleges.
The delivered documents also show that then-FBI Director Robert Mueller failed to investigate allegations of criminal misconduct pertaining to Rosatom and to other Russian government entities attached to Uranium One, the document reviewed by TheDCNF alleges. Mueller is now the special counsel investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election. –Daily Caller
“The bureau raided my client to seize what he legally gave Congress about the Clinton Foundation and Uranium One,” said the whistleblower’s lawyer, Michael Socarras – adding that he considered the FBI raid on his client, Dennis Nathan Cain, an “outrageous disregard” of whistleblower protections.
Cain – a former FBI contractor, was faced with sixteen federal agents during the November 19 raid on his Union Bridge, Maryland home, according to Socarras. The raid was authorized on November 15 after federal magistrate Stephanie A. Gallagher of the US District Court for Baltimore signed a court order.
The special agent who led the raid alleged that Cain possessed stolen federal property, and demanded entry to his home, Socarras added.
“On Nov. 19, the FBI conducted court authorized law enforcement activity in the Union Bridge, Maryland area,” said FBI spokesman Dave Fitz, adding that the agency had “no further comment.”
Cain told the agents at his doorstop that he was a recognized and protected whistleblower under the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act, and that DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz had recognized his status, according to Cain’s attorney.
Cain further told the FBI agent the potentially damaging classified information had been properly transmitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees as permitted under the act, Socarras said. The agent immediately directed his agents to begin a sweep of the suburban home, anyway.
Frightened and intimidated, Cain promptly handed over the documents, Socarras told TheDCNF. Yet even after surrendering the information to the FBI, the agents continued to rummage through the home for six hours. –Daily Caller
“After asking and getting my approval to do so, DOJ IG Michael Horowitz had a member of his staff physically take Mr. Cain’s classified document disclosure to the House and Senate Intelligence committees,” Socarras told the Caller, adding “For the bureau to show up at Mr. Cain’s home suggesting that those same documents are stolen federal property, and then proceed to seize copies of the same documents after being told at the house door that he is a legally protected whistleblower who gave them to Congress, is an outrageous disregard of the law.”
According to Socarras, Cain came across “potentially explosive information while working for an FBI contractor,” after which he met with a senior member of Horowitz’s office at a church close to the White House, where he delivered a cache of documents.
Cain sat in a pew with a hoodie and sun glasses, Socarras said. Cain held a double-sealed envelope containing a flash drive with the documents. The IG official met him and, without saying a word, took the pouch over Cain’s shoulder and left. –Daily Caller
The Whistleblower Protection law requires the Inspector General to share potentially damaging information with the attorney general, who at the time was Jeff Sessions. According to Socarras, two law enforcement officials directed the documents to the Senate and House Intelligence committees for review, which were hand delivered by an IG official.
“I cannot believe the Bureau informed the federal magistrate who approved the search warrant that they wanted to search the home of an FBI whistleblower to seize the information that he confidentially disclosed to the IG and Congress,” said Socarras.
The FBI has yet to discuss the matter with Cain’s attorney despite the raid.
“After the raid, and having received my name and phone number from Mr. Cain as his lawyer, an FBI agent actually called my client directly to discuss his seized electronics,” said Socarras. “Knowingly bypassing the lawyer of a represented client is serious misconduct.“
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