Government sources often leak information to the media in hopes of targeting a particular person, Judge Andrew Napolitano said Tuesday in response to reports that former FBI agent Peter Strzok and attorney Lisa Page had exchanged text messages discussing the bureau's "media leak strategy."
"The federal government is the best leaker in the world, and they do this when they want to target a person," the Fox News judicial analyst told "Fox and Friends," explaining that the Department of Justice and the FBI can leak information to the press and then use the resulting stories as a basis for obtaining Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court warrants.
According to a letter written from Rep. Mark Meadows to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Strzok sent Page, with whom he was romantically involved, a message on April 10, 2017, saying he wanted to speak with her about "media leak strategy."
Two days later, he sent her another message, telling her "well done" after stories had been published about the FBI obtaining FISA warrants against Carter Page, a former aide to President Donald Trump.
Napolitano said he opposes the FISA court, as it has lower standards for issuing warrants.
"There is no scrutiny, there is no transparency, there is no challenge, and the standard is so low," he said. "This is obviously the wrong way for the FBI to conduct law enforcement."
He said it is not clear if Strzok or Page broke the law, but if they leaked secret grand jury information, they could face prosecution.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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