It’s Now a Criminal Probe by Justice Department into FBI Conduct and 2016 Election Interference | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: This post appears here courtesy of the LifeZette, and written by Polizette Staff.

    U.S. Attorney John Durham's probe into potential FBI and Justice Department misconduct in the run-up to the 2016 election through the spring of 2017 is now a criminal investigation.

    That's according to two sources familiar with the investigation, as Fox News reported on Thursday night and as the Fox News website noted as well.

    "One source added that DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz's upcoming report on alleged FBI surveillance abuses against the Trump campaign will shed light on why Durham's probe has become a criminal inquiry. Horowitz announced on Thursday his report would be available to the public soon, with 'few' redactions," the outlet also noted.

    Durham - with this new status - now can subpoena witnesses, file charges, and put fact-finding grand juries in place.

    The investigation was first launched by Barr earlier this year to answer questions he had about why the FBI began the counterintelligence investigation that eventually led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller.

    "However, escalating Barr's inquiry from a management review to a criminal matter means current and former FBI and Justice Department officials face the possibility of criminal charges arising from some aspect of their work on the Russia investigation," as Politico pointed out.

    Durham's investigation had expanded significantly based on new evidence that was uncovered during a recent trip to Rome with Attorney General Bill Barr, as Fox News reported earlier this week.

    Among those who will be under the newly hot microscope: former FBI director Jim Comey.

    Also, Durham is "very interested" in questioning James Clapper, the former director of National Intelligence, as well as former CIA Director John Brennan, a fervent anti-Trumper who recently dismissed the idea, sources told Fox News.

    Durham's criminal review has prompted some CIA officials to obtain criminal legal counsel in anticipation of being interviewed, The New York Times also reported.