Former Trump campaign aide Carter Page on Tuesday slammed a series of Justice Department overhauls aimed at avoiding Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuses that lead to the FBI bungling their application to eavesdrop on him.
“As we now approach the next presidential election, these latest small steps by the DOJ and FBI have not yet sufficiently addressed the criminal acts by ruthlessly partisan political actors in the Swamp,” Mr. Page said in a statement to The Washington Times.
“The cancerous abuses by the once-respected [Justice Department] National Security Division have still not found an effective remedy following the destruction of so many loyal American citizens,” he continued.
Mr. Page’s statement comes hours after Attorney General William P. Barr ordered a new round of changes to the FISA process. The FBI used the FISA process to surveil Mr. Page, who was suspected of working with Russians conspiring to meddle in the 2016 election.
No charges were ever lodged against Mr. Page and special counsel Robert Mueller’s lengthy Russia investigation uncovered no evidence that he was conspiring with Russians.
A report last year by the Justice Department inspector general found at least 17 errors and omissions in the Page warrant application, including the withholding of potentially exculpatory evidence.
SEE ALSO: Justice Department unveils new FISA rules to limit surveillance of political candidates
Last month an FBI lawyer pleaded guilty to doctoring evidence in the Page application to boost the bureau’s case against him.
Under the changes unveiled Tuesday, the FBI must consider giving a political candidate a defensive briefing before seeking a FISA warrant for the candidate or any member of their staff.
Mr. Barr also created an internal watchdog to ensure the FBI’s compliance with FISA regulations. The unit will help the FBI overcome gaps in its ability to monitor FISA applications before they are submitted to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
But Mr. Page said the reforms do little to reverse the years of FISA abuses directed at him and others. He has called for more stringent FISA reforms.
“After years of waiting for some basic level of accountability in the U.S. Intelligence Community and the Democrat party, the crooks continue to roam free in Washington,” he said in his statement.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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