There's no way to sugarcoat it.
Former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan are reportedly under criminal investigation related to the Steele dossier, according to a Fox News Digital report.
Legal analyst Gregg Jarrett cautioned on “Hannity” Wednesday night that prosecuting either figure in Washington, D.C. could prove nearly impossible due to political bias in the local courts.
Jarrett told guest host Kellyanne Conway that the FBI would need to bring any potential case before a D.C.-based grand jury, but said doing so against prominent Democrats is “almost a fool’s errand.”
He
outlined possible charges under review, including conspiracy, defrauding the government, and deprivation of rights under color of law — all allegedly tied to knowingly using false evidence in the FBI’s investigation into President Donald Trump.
The Steele dossier played a central role in the 2016–2017 Russia collusion investigation. The document, now discredited, was used to obtain a FISA warrant targeting Trump adviser Carter Page.
Comey later admitted the dossier had not been verified at the time of the application. Despite early claims that Republicans initiated the opposition research, Comey later distanced himself from knowledge of the dossier’s weaknesses.
As for Brennan, the reported investigation comes on the heels of declassified documents from current CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
A “lessons learned” review of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) revealed that Brennan accelerated the ICA’s development and incorporated the Steele dossier over internal objections. One declassified email from Brennan’s deputy warned that doing so risked the credibility of the entire report.
Brennan’s 2023 congressional testimony, in which he denied endorsing the dossier’s inclusion in the ICA, may now be under renewed scrutiny. Allegations of political motives date back to at least 2018, when retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata accused Brennan of attempting to “overthrow” Trump.
Statutes of limitation may not be a barrier to potential charges. Jarrett explained that when evidence is deliberately concealed, the timeline can be suspended. “We’re just now learning of some of the withheld, concealed evidence,” he said.