Sen. Lindsey Graham presses DOJ on role of Strzok, Page in Russia probe

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Graham seeks answers from Rosenstein on Russia investigation

Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sen. Lindsey Graham joins 'The Story' with questions he wants Rod Rosenstein to answer.

Sen. Lindsey Graham sent a letter Tuesday to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein asking the Justice Department to answer questions regarding the role of embattled FBI agent Peter Strzok and attorney Lisa Page in the launch of the investigation into Russian ties to the Trump campaign.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is set to interview Strzok behind closed doors Wednesday, Graham told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that based on DOJ Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz’s report and testimony from last week, Strzok and Page appeared to be “in the tank for Clinton and hated Trump.”

Horowitz wrote in his report that he found no bias in the decision from federal prosecutors not to bring charges against Clinton.

Speaking after the report's release, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “The report does identify errors of judgment, violations of or disregard for policy, and decisions that, at the very least, in hindsight, were not the best choices,” but added that “nothing in the report impugns the integrity of our workforce as a whole, or the FBI as an institution.”

“The evidence contained in Mr. Horowitz’s report shows an overwhelming bias against then-candidate Donald Trump,” Graham, R-S.C., wrote. “In particular, Peter Strzok, the head agent in charge of the Clinton email investigation, and Lisa Page, a top FBI attorney, exchanged message after message showing extreme bias against Donald Trump and a willingness to use their positions at FBI to ensure that he not get elected.”

The senator told Fox News' “The Story” that he now “understands why Mueller fired” Strzok.

“You've got to remember that the people we are looking at here hated Trump and I think they were all in the tank for Clinton and we’ll see what Mr. Mueller says, but I do know this -- the primary investigator when it comes to the Russian-Trump connection early on was Mr. Strzok, who was clearly in the tank for Clinton and hated Trump.”

PETER STRZOK HEADING TO HILL FOR CLOSED-DOOR INTERVIEW WITH HOUSE LAWMAKERS

Graham, who penned a similar letter last week, is asking the DOJ to answer the following questions, pertaining to their role in the use of informants and the surveillance warrant for a Trump adviser:

1.      Did Strzok or Page have any role in retaining or supervising the informant or directing the decision to use the informant? Did Strzok or Page have any such role as to any informant used to investigate the Trump camp or Trump associates?

2.      Did Strzok or Page have any role in reviewing, approving, or supplying information for the FISA warrant obtained to surveil Carter Page?

Fox News' Martha MacCallum and Jason Donner contributed to this report.