Republican lawmakers were left “speechless” during a hearing Tuesday after a senior FBI official admitted that she hasn’t read the Durham Report. The special counsel’s long-awaited assessment found that the FBI had no evidence to support “collusion” allegations between Trump and the Russian government and concluded that the infamous probe should never have been opened.
“I’m honestly speechless at this point in time,” U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, told Jill Murphy, assistant director of counterintelligence at the FBI. “I just haven’t had the time,” Murphy answered when asked why she hasn’t read the 305-page report.
“I would highly recommend reading that because we spent four years discussing that — there was uncorroborated evidence. The Durham report specifically outlines the outcome of that. It’s very disappointing to hear this,” Pfluger said.
The senior FBI official later told U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) that she hadn’t even been briefed on the report. “That’s just astonishing… I’m just without words,” Bishop said. “Do you know whether anybody at the FBI has read the Durham report?”
“I’m sure people have read the Durham report sir,” Murphy replied. “Can you name anybody that you know who’s read it?” the North Carolina lawmaker followed up. “No sir,” conceded Murphy. She also refused to say whether the FBI will be making any changes the way it conducts counterintelligence operations.
Earlier in the hearing, U.S. Rep, Eli Crane (R-AZ) asked Murphy for her opinions on the three FBI whistleblowers who testified before the House Judiciary Select Committee on the weaponization of the federal government last week. “I’m proud and I’m happy that we live in a country where there is whistleblower protection acts, and that people can come forward when they think there are things that have been done incorrectly,” she answered. “I support the FBI, I think the FBI does amazing work.”
“I sure hope there’s part of you that is embarrassed and disgusted with what the FBI has been up to,” Crane said, later asking if she was torn between her loyalty to the FBI and her oath to the American people. “Not at the least,” she stated after reiterating that she is proud to work for the bureau.