DOJ’s IG released a Management Advisory Memorandum reporting on its results to date of the Woods File review promised in the wake of the DOJ IG Report that found (in part) that 8 (in the first) and 16 (in the last) claims made over the course of four FISA applications to surveil Carter Page were not backed by the Woods file meant to ensure the integrity of FISA applications. (The table starting on PDF 460 lists these errors.)
I’ll have more on its methodology and findings, but the key takeaway is that Carter Page was not special, nor specially targeted by a Deep State intent on taking down the President.
Of 29 FISA applications DOJ IG selected for review, the Woods File was missing for four applications.
And for the 25 Woods Files there were able to review, there were an average of 20 issues identified per application, a higher rate than that found in the Carter Page review.
Although all 29 FISA applications that we selected for review were required by FBI policy to have Woods Files created by the case agent and reviewed by the supervisory special agent, we have identified 4 applications for which, as of the date of this memorandum, the FBI either has been unable to locate the Woods File that was prepared at the time of the application or for which FBI personnel suggested a Woods File was not completed. We, therefore, make a recommendation below that the FBI take steps to ensure that a Woods File exists for every FISA application submitted to the FISC in all pending investigations.
Additionally, for all 25 FISA applications with Woods Files that we have reviewed to date, we identified facts stated in the FISA application that were: (a) not supported by any documentation in the Woods File, (b) not clearly corroborated by the supporting documentation in the Woods File, or (c) inconsistent with the supporting documentation in the Woods File. While our review of these issues and follow-up with case agents is still ongoing—and we have not made materiality judgments for these or other errors or concerns we identified—at this time we have identified an average of about 20 issues per application reviewed, with a high of approximately 65 issues in one application and less than 5 issues in another application.
It’s not that the Deep State was specifically targeting Page and candidate Donald Trump. It’s that the Woods Procedures weren’t working.