FBI's top lawyer, Dana Boente, ousted amid Fox News criticism for role in Flynn investigation

[Mrs. Overall]

Source: NBC

After a 38-year career with the Justice Department, the FBI's top lawyer Dana Boente was asked to resign on Friday. Two sources familiar with the decision to dismiss Boente said it came from high levels of the Justice Department rather than directly from FBI Director Christopher Wray.

His departure comes on the heels of recent criticism by Fox News for his role in the investigation of former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

A spokesman for the FBI confirmed to NBC News that Boente did in fact resign on Friday.

Fox News has recently criticized Boente's role in the investigation of Flynn, whose criminal charge for lying to the FBI was recently dropped by the Justice Department based in part on the argument that his lies were not material to an underlying investigation. Boente signed one of the warrants renewing the FBI's authority to surveil Flynn. The warrants, known as FISA warrants, were renewed several times and had to be approved by a judge.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/fbi-s-top-lawyer-dana-boente-ousted-amid-fox-news-n1219721

[elleng]

1. 'On October 27, 2017 Boente announced his intention to resign as U.S. Attorney

and as acting assistant attorney general for the National Security Division; he said he would remain in the positions until a replacement is confirmed.

On January 23, 2018, Boente was named general counsel to the FBI by Director Christopher Wray, filling the vacancy after James Baker's reassignment to another part of the bureau.

On April 11, 2018, Rachel Maddow showed on The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC notes from Boente where he documented his conversation with James Comey about Comey's experiences with Donald Trump. Maddow also showed a letter from Boente to the Department of Justice wherein Boente relayed a request to other officials to preserve "Documents and Responsive Materials" about Trump's dismissal of James Comey as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.'>>>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Boente

[stillcool]

2. another one bites the dust..

if they all got together, and told their tales...ah...wouldn't matter.

[pecosbob]

3. So now Fox 'News' determines who serves at Justice?

[riversedge]

4. I was taken back when I read that headline. This is not the US that I thought I knew.

[pecosbob]

5. More like Chaplin's Tomainia.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. JUST IN: FBI's top lawyer, Dana Boente, has been asked to resign, and 2 sources familiar with ...

UnlimitedPowerHat Retweeted

JUST IN: FBI's top lawyer, Dana Boente, has been asked to resign, and 2 sources familiar with the decision to dismiss him say it came from high levels of the Justice Dept. rather than directly from FBI Director Wray.

Link to tweet

[Karadeniz]

7. Getting rid of everyone connected with evidence...Fox providing the propaganda...sickening