Credit where it’s due, but NBC Nightly News was the only one of the “big three” evening news broadcasts to cover the congressional hearing where former Special Counsel John Durham testified that evidence he uncovered during his probe into the origins of the Trump/Russia collusion hoax did not warrant the FBI opening up its investigation called “Crossfire Hurricane.” Despite this and many other newsworthy moments from Durham’s five-hour testimony, ABC’s World News Tonight and CBS Evening News looked the other way.
Instead, the two networks hyped a report from the left-wing outlet ProPublica that claimed Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito didn’t disclose a trip he took with a friend who happened to also be a donor to conservative causes.
Correspondent Garret Haake reported that John Durham argued that “the available evidence did not support opening the full investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane.”
NBC then aired Durham being questioned by Congressman Russell Fry (R-SC):
REP. RUSSELL FRY (R-SC): The FBI opened up Crossfire Hurricane without speaking to the people who provided the initial information. Is that true?
DURHAM: That's correct.
FRY: Was there adequate predication for the FBI to open Crossfire Hurricane as a full investigation?
DURHAM: On July 31 in my view based on our investigation there was not a legitimate basis to open a full investigation.
“Durham saying he found anti-Trump sentiment among the FBI brass who launched the investigation,” Haake added. While Durham testified that “There are some individuals who clearly expressed a personal bias.”
Haake ended by playing a clip of New York Congressman Jerry Nadler making juvenile attacks on Durham by falsely claiming that Durham’s report read like an attack ad on Hillary Clinton.
This bias by omission from ABC & CBS was made possible by Angi & Liberty Mutual. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript of the segment, click “expand.”
NBC Nightly News
6/21/2023
6:39:33 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: And on capitol hill a former special counsel investigating the FBI's Russia probe against then-candidate Donald Trump, Telling lawmakers his findings included sobering missteps by the FBI. Garret Haake now with that story.
GARRET HAAKE: Special counsel John Durham facing a five-hour grilling defending his explosive conclusion that the FBI acted improperly in its opening of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe.
JOHN DURHAM: We found troubling violations of law and policy.
HAAKE: Mr. Durham arguing that the available evidence did not support opening the full investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane.
REP. RUSSELL FRY (R-SC): The FBI opened up Crossfire Hurricane without speaking to the people who provided the initial information. Is that true?
DURHAM: That's correct.
FRY: Was there adequate predication for the FBI to open Crossfire Hurricane as a full investigation?
DURHAM: On July 31 in my view based on our investigation there was not a legitimate basis to open a full investigation.
HAAKE: And Durham saying he found anti-Trump sentiment among the FBI brass who launched the investigation.
DURHAM: There are some individuals who clearly expressed a personal bias.
HAAKE: The Mueller Report found no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia but resulted in 34 people criminally charged. Democrats noting Durham’s four-year investigation produced only three criminal cases including two acquittals and accusing the Bill Barr appointee of running political interference for former President Trump.
REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): Mr. Durham your report reads like a defense of the Trump campaign and an attack on Hillary Clinton because that's exactly what it is.
HAAKE: A DOJ inspector general report says the opening of the Russia investigation was justified, and the FBI says they've instituted dozens of reforms since. Lester?
