Appearing before a joint session of House Judiciary and House Oversight Committees Thursday, disgraced FBI agent Peter Strzok was ordered to read aloud his own text messages expressing anti-Trump sentiments.
A partial transcript follows:
REP. DARRELL ISSA: I’m going to ask one series of questions very quickly if I could. You did a number of texts. All of the texts that were presented to us, as far as I know, came from your government phone, correct?
FBI AGENT PETER STRZOK: I believe that to be the case, yes.
ISSA: You made no text available from your private phone, is that correct?
STRZOK: That’s correct.
ISSA: Did you ever text on your private phone?
STRZOK: I did.
ISSA: Did you ever text Lisa Page on your private phone?
STRZOK: I did.
ISSA: Did you ever text Lisa Page on your private phone similar texts to the ones you did on your government phone?
STRZOK: By similar, you mean what?
ISSA: Commenting on Mr. Trump or Hillary Clinton or anything else politically in nature.
STRZOK: I don’t specifically recall but it’s probably a safe assumption that yes I did.
ISSA: It’s likely that they’d be similar.
STRZOK: It’s a safe assumption.
ISSA: So your personal phone has likely similar texts to the ones we found on your government phone, that’s correct?
STRZOK: I would say it has similar expressions of personal belief.
ISSA: Okay, in front of you, you have one sheet of paper that was presented to you a few minutes ago. I’m going to just go to a date and ask you to read your own words. March 14, 2016.
STRZOK: You want me to read this?
ISSA: Yes, please.
STRZOK: “OMG, he’s an idiot.”
ISSA: May 4, 2016.
STRZOK: “Now the pressure really starts finish MYE.”
ISSA: July 19, 2016.
STRZOK: “Hi, how was Trump other than a douche? Melania?”
ISSA: July 21, 2016.
STRZOK: “Trump is a disaster. I have no idea how destabilizing his presidency would be.”
ISSA: August 6, 2016.
STRZOK: I don’t believe I wrote this text, sir.
ISSA: Okay, it’s been attributed to you, so we’ll go on to the next. August 8, 2016 and I’ll preference it by saying this for context – Ms. Page said “Not ever going to become president, right, right?”
STRZOK: No, no he’s not. We’ll stop it.
ISSA: Repeat that again.
STRZOK: “No, no he’s not.”
ISSA: August 15, 2016.
STRZOK: “I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy’s office that there’s no way he could be elected, but I’m afraid we can’t take that risk. It’s like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you’re 40.”
ISSA: On October 20, 2016.
STRZOK: “I can’t pull away” — I defer to the chairman whether or not –
ISSA: You could just use one letter if you don’t mind.
STRZOK: “Why the F—, what the F— happened to our country, Lis?”
ISSA: Okay, read it again that way.
STRZOK: Sir, did you not – you just want to hear it, for me to repeat it?
ISSA: Please.
STRZOK: Okay sir, happy to indulge you. “I can’t pull away, what the F- happened to our country, Lis?”
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