The Justice Department has agreed to pay a total of $2 million to settle legal claims brought by former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page over the DOJ’s release of text messages.
The ‘insurance policy’ has been paid, it seems.
Strzok was removed from then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team investigating false claims of Russian collusion with the campaign of former President Donald Trump.
He was relieved of his role once messages were discovered between him and his lover, Page, that showed the pair exchanging rabidly anti-Trump messages.
He was, at one time, Mueller’s most senior agent on the case, and exchanged messages with Page discussing an “insurance policy.”
Peter Strzok Gets Quite The Payday From Biden DOJ
The New York Times first reported on the settlement and framed Strzok as a victim “targeted by Trump.” Journalist Byron York quickly pointed out that the outlet’s framing was false.
Wouldn’t this headline be more accurate if it said ‘Officials Who Targeted Trump’? pic.twitter.com/amyP6rU2C6
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 27, 2024
The settlement comes in response to a lawsuit alleging that the department’s release of the text messages showing Strzok and Page to be virulently biased in their investigations violated their right to privacy.
The text messages were exchanged on government-issued phones, however, and the lawsuit could easily have been defended by the DOJ in court.
Instead, they opted to pay out the two.
Biden administration launders $1.2M payment to Peter Strzok (and likely a similar payment to Lisa Page) through settlement of likely-doomed lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/rKHCNMaeGl
— (((tedfrank))) (@tedfrank) July 26, 2024
RELATED: Former ‘RussiaGate’ FBI Agent Peter Strzok Says January 6 Was Far Worse Than 9/11
Rewarded For Clear And Unprecedented Bias
It’s difficult to look at this settlement and not view it as a wink and a nod of appreciation for Peter Strzok and Lisa Page’s efforts in helping foment a false Russia collusion narrative that hindered the Trump presidency for years.
Let’s be clear here – Strzok and Page indisputably demonstrated a clear political bias with messages that showed the pair discussing ways of ‘stopping’ President Trump.
“Several FBI employees Who played critical roles in the investigation sent political messages,” IG report says.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 14, 2018
It cites Lisa Page text to Peter Strzok: “(Trump’s) not ever going to become president, right? Right?!”
Strzok: “No. No he’s not. We’ll stop it.”
Other previously disclosed text messages exchanged between them show Strzok and Page referring to then-candidate Trump as a “douche” and a “idiot.”
Politico reports that the combined settlement for Strzok and Page amounts to roughly $2 million. Strzok, based on this precedent, will likely earn another payout as he has an additional case claiming he was fired in order to please Trump.
After being removed by the FBI, he became a pundit for CNN where he demonstrates continued clear bias by suggesting such things as the January 6th protest at the Capitol was worse than 9/11.
