The FBI lost track of “a large number” of paid undercover informants who were at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a former bureau official. new york post report.
Stephen D’Antuono, a former assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, recently told the House Judiciary Committee that a “poll” was conducted to determine how many “confidential human sources” were involved in the protests at the U.S. Capitol. He testified that it was necessary to carry out
in Tuesday’s letter Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R) expressed concerns to FBI Director Christopher Wray about how the agency handles and vets paid confidential informants.
“We were recently informed by a former FBI official that there was internal ambiguity about the number of FBI CHS present at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and that the FBI was conducting a ‘poll’ to determine the exact number. “We learned that FBI officials who were present that day had to carry out a “We also learned that at least one FBI CHS was in contact with the handler that day as the incident unfolded.”
D’Antuono testified that the FBI knew in advance that some CHS would participate in the protests, but that several unknown CHS participated of their own volition. He said that although his field office knew that some of the informants would be attending the event, he said that he in other field offices did not know that CHS would also be attending.
He reported that the Washington field office asked FBI headquarters to “take a poll or come out with something that people are saying.”[ere] Mr. D’Antuono surveyed the CHSs involved to determine the number of CHSs in attendance. After he contacted the FBI, “we started getting answers,” D’Antuono said.
A former FBI official claimed that CHS in the Kansas City field office attended the protests and was in contact with the handlers. “I think CHS told the handlers that while they were in the crowd, they were going to come in. They were trying to stop some of the activity that was going on and then they left or something,” D’Antuono explained. did.
Former FBI officials said the agency’s audit revealed a “small number” of informants attended the rally.
The committee said the revelations were “extremely disturbing” and called into question the FBI’s use of CHS and their credibility as informants. According to the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General, the department spends $42 million a year in payments to CHS.
“These revelations reinforce existing concerns identified by the special counsel.” [John] In a letter to Wray, Jordan wrote: “Director Durham spoke of the FBI’s use of and payments to CHS for fabricating evidence and misrepresenting information. “We also pointed to serious problems with the FBI’s CHS program, including the failure to provide services.” Veterans CHS and the FBI’s willingness to ignore red flags that cast doubt on the credibility of informants. ”
Jordan asked Ray to provide a “substantive explanation” detailing how the department used informants on Jan. 6, as well as a written report provided by CHS after the rally.
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