Jimmie Johnson Reporter

FBI’s Brian Auten under scrutiny for role in Trump, Biden investigations

Sep 12, 2022

Jimmie Johnson Reporter

By Jimmie Johnson (Reporter), Brian Spencer (Editor), Heath Cary (Senior Motion Designer)

The FBI played a major role in high-profile investigations during the last two presidencies. Analyst Brian Auten has been at the center of them all.

He played part in the Trump-Russia probe, Hunter Biden laptop investigation, and is now reportedly involved in the investigation of classified documents stored at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

Chuck Grassley, R-IA, sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on July 25 over concerns about Auten’s handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden.

“This is hurting the credibility of the FBI. People ought to have ultimate confidence in the FBI,” Grassley said In an interview on Fox News.

From 2016 to 2017, Auten was also a part of the counterintelligence division that led the year-long investigation into Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election known as ‘Crossfire Hurricane.’

The unit examined if any of the Trump campaign’s associates coordinated with the Russians. Much of that investigation centered around the infamous Steele dossier, which was later proven not credible and left many on the right to question the FBI’s integrity.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, pressed the FBI director when he testified at an Aug. 4 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to see if anyone involved in the “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation had been “been fired or disciplined.”

“There are a number of people who are currently in what we call our office of professional responsibility and our disciplinary arm,” FBI director Christopher Wray said. “You may wonder why that hasn’t yielded any results yet. That’s because we are working closely with, cooperating closely with, assisting the Durham investigation.”

Auten has been under internal investigation by special counsel John Durham since 2019 for his role in the Russia probe. Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz pointed out Auten’s failure to vet the Steele dossier and knowingly allowing false information to be used in warrant affidavits.

Despite the investigation, Auten remains active in the bureau, which is why some Republicans say they do not trust the FBI.

JIMMIE JOHNSON: THE FBI HAS PLAYED A STARRING ROLE IN SOME MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS OVER THE LAST TWO PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS. THE TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE, HUNTER BIDEN, AND NOW – THE INVESTIGATION INTO CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS STORED AT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FLORIDA ESTATE.

AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF IT – ONE MAN. MAKING FBI INTELLIGENCE ANALYST BRIAN AUTEN – JUST ONE NAME YOU SHOULD KNOW.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY SENT THIS LETTER TO FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY IN JULY OVER CONCERNS ABOUT AUTEN’S HANDLING OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO HUNTER BIDEN’S ALLEGED FOREIGN BUSINESS DEALINGS.

AUTEN WAS ALSO A PART OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIA’S EFFORTS TO INTERFERE IN OUR 20-16 ELECTION KNOWN AS OPERATION ‘CROSSFIRE HURRICANE.’

THE UNIT EXAMINED IF ANY OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN’S ASSOCIATES COORDINATED WITH THE RUSSIANS. MUCH OF THAT INVESTIGATION CENTERED AROUND THE INFAMOUS STEELE DOSSIER, WHICH WAS LATER PROVEN UNCREDIBLE, AND LEFT MANY ON THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THE FBI’S INTEGRITY.

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): Anyone who’s been held accountable who was involved in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation? Has anyone in the bureau that has been fired or disciplined?

FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY: There are a number of people who are currently in what we call our Office of Professional Responsibility and our disciplinary arm. you may wonder why that hasn’t yielded any results yet. that’s because we are working closely with, cooperating closely with, assisting the Durham investigation.”

JOHNSON: AUTEN HAS BEEN UNDER INTERNAL INVESTIGATION BY SPECIAL COUNSEL JOHN DURHAM SINCE 20-19 FOR HIS ROLE IN THE RUSSIA PROBE. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSPECTOR GENERAL MICHAEL HOROWITZ POINTED OUT AUTEN’S FAILURE TO VET THE STEELE DOSSIER AND KNOWINGLY ALLOWING FALSE INFORMATION TO BE USED IN WARRANT AFFIDAVITS.

BUT HE REMAINS ACTIVE IN THE BUREAU. AND NOW REPORTS INDICATE THAT HIS UNIT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE MAR-A-LAGO RAID AND INVESTIGATION.

WITH REPUBLICANS POISED TO TAKE CONTROL OF AT LEAST ONE CHAMBER OF CONGRESS, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FBI’S INTEGRITY AND AUTEN’S INVOLVEMENT IN MULTIPLE POLITICAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE SURE TO KEEP COMING UP.

BRIAN AUTEN IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW.