Trump Cleared of Any Wrongdoing In FBI Headquarters Spat

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

A watchdog has found that former President Donald Trump is innocent of allegations made by Democrats that he meddled in plans to move the FBI’s headquarters.

After a lengthy review, a Department of Justice watchdog has found that President Donald Trump didn’t improperly influence the FBI’s decision to keep its headquarters in downtown Washington rather than move it to suburban locations in Maryland or Virginia.

“With regard to possible influence by then-President Trump or the White House, we found no evidence that the FBI’s decisions were based on improper considerations or motives,” the Justice Department inspector general wrote in a report released on Oct. 24, after a four-year investigation.

Roughly 20 years ago, the FBI concluded that its Washington-based headquarters—the J. Edgar Hoover Building—was no longer meeting the needs of the agency in terms of security and supporting the needs of its workforce.

Starting in 2014, the government began to explore the possibility of transferring ownership of the current FBI headquarters land to a developer, who in exchange would build a new facility in the city’s suburbs in a deal dubbed an “exchange procurement.”

However, the General Services Administration (GSA) found that the value of the existing site wouldn’t cover the cost of a new facility, and so the Office of Management and Budget asked Congress for money to cover the difference.

Canceled Plans

In July 2017, the GSA announced that it had canceled plans to go ahead with the exchange procurement deal because Congress didn’t appropriate all of the requested funds. This prompted the FBI to scrap plans for a suburban campus and instead recommend that the J. Edgar Hoover Building be demolished and a new headquarters constructed in its place.

However, some Democrats saw a conspiracy afoot. They accused President Trump of meddling in that decision, claiming in an October 2018 letter to the GSA that he did it to keep competitors away from his Washington-based commercial property, the Trump International Hotel.

They alleged that President Trump directly influenced the decision to scrap the suburban campus construction deal during a January 2018 meeting that included officials from the GSA, the FBI, and the White House.

By Tom Ozimek

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Five Reasons Why The Latest Czech Elections Were So Important

Populist-nationalist politician Andrej Babis is poised to return to the premiership after his party's victory. Here are 5 reasons why this is so important.

Bad Bunny is the NFL’s Latest Insult

After years of advocating social justice causes, the NFL chose left wing, gender fluid rapper Bad Bunny to headline the next Super Bowl. Does the NFL want conservatives fans?

Scheduling collides with legacy

The ACC’s footprint now sprawls from Boston and Miami to Salt Lake City and the San Francisco Bay, defying both geography and its own name.

The Paradoxical Patriot: The political odyssey of Frank S. Meyer

In his book, Daniel J. Flynn examines the ideological evolution of one of conservatism’s most paradoxical and overlooked architects, Frank S. Meyer. 

This Is America: Target™ Reparations

“This Is America” explores the cultural undercurrents pulling Western...

Judge Upholds Nassau County Ban on Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

A New York judge on Oct. 6 upheld a Long Island county law banning male athletes from participating in women’s sports at county-run facilities.

Takeaways From Pam Bondi’s Testimony Before Senate Panel

AG Pam Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, defending some of the Justice Department’s moves while sparring with Democratic senators.

FBI Surveilled 8 GOP Members of Congress, Document Shows

The FBI surveilled Republican senators as part of its Arctic Frost investigation, a newly disclosed document shows.

Acting CDC Director Calls on Manufacturers to Break MMR Vaccine Into Separate Shots

A commonly used combination vaccine against measles should be replaced with separate shots, the acting director of the CDC said on Oct. 6.

Trump Says He May Invoke Insurrection Act in Portland If Necessary

President Donald Trump on Oct. 6 said he may consider invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, if necessary.

Trump: All Medium, Heavy Duty Trucks Entering US Will See 25 Percent Tariff on Nov. 1

President Trump announced on Monday that all medium and heavy-duty trucks entering the United States will see a 25 percent tariff starting on Nov. 1.

Treasury Names Social Security Commissioner as CEO of IRS

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent announced that Frank Bisignano, the head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), will also serve as CEO of the IRS.

Agencies Terminated, Descoped 94 Wasteful Contracts With $8.5 Billion Ceiling Value, Says DOGE

Various federal government agencies have terminated and descoped 94 wasteful contracts over the past five days, DOGE said in an Oct. 4 post on X.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central