According to Circa News, a top lawyer for the FBI and “close confidant” to James Comey, General Counsel James A. Baker, is under a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice on suspicion of “leaking classified national security information to the media.”
Circa‘s Sara A. Carter reports that “multiple government officials close the probe” speaking on condition of anonymity told the outlet that Baker was being investigated over the alleged intelligence leaks. A bureau spokeswoman would neither confirm nor deny the claim.
President Trump has been ratcheting up public pressure on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to crack down on those responsible for the flood of often damaging intelligence leaks to the media. After Trump slammed Sessions for his “VERY weak” approach to the “intel leakers” and the “Hillary Clinton crimes,” Sessions said he would soon be announcing updates on the leak investigations.
When Circa sought more details from the DOJ, the department confirmed that it has “stepped up efforts on leak investigations.” When the outlet dug a little deeper, they got a name: Baker.
Three sources, with knowledge of the investigation, told Circa that Baker is the top suspect in an ongoing leak investigation, but Circa has not been able to confirm the details of what national security information or material was allegedly leaked.
A federal law enforcement official with knowledge of ongoing internal investigations in the bureau told Circa, “the bureau is scouring for leakers and there’s been a lot of investigations.”
On one level, that the department might suspect Baker is unsurprising, as he reportedly had a very close working relationship with the man who admitted to deliberately undermining Trump, former FBI Director Comey, whom Trump unceremoniously fired. Carter notes that “recent media reports suggested [Baker] was reportedly advising the then-FBI director on legal matters following private meetings the former director had in February with President Trump in the Oval Office.”
While Baker’s role as Carter’s “close confidant” might suggest he played some part in the leaks, his distinguished, award-filled career does not. However, in the anything-goes, hyper-partisan war between Trump and the Deep State, it’s becoming increasingly harder to know who is trustworthy or not.