DOJ Inspector General Finds Rampant Errors in FBI Surveillance

The Justice Department’s watchdog determined that the FBI failed to properly document the facts in 29 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications that were reviewed in an audit.

Pervasive errors spanning every FISA application audited

The findings are part of a report (pdf) released on March 30 by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. The office had previously found widespread fundamental and serious errors in the FISA applications used to spy on former Trump campaign associate Carter Page. The review of the Page applications determined FBI agents broke bureau policy by failing to adequately maintain a so-called Woods file, a set of records substantiating the factual assertions in surveillance applications. The flaws with the surveillance of Page prompted Inspector General Michael Horowitz to open a review of the Woods procedures throughout the bureau, which, in turn, unearthed pervasive errors spanning every FISA application audited. Original article: