Peter Strzok on Tuesday called allegations by Attorney General William Barr that the former FBI counterintelligence agent set up a perjury trap for former national security adviser Michael Flynn “ludicrous.”
“The Justice Department is trying to dismiss charges against former national security adviser Flynn. You went to the White House to interview him back in 2017. The attorney general is saying what you did is set up a quote ‘perjury trap.’ Did you do that, sir?” “CBS This Morning” co-host Tony Dokoupil asked Strzok.
“Not at all. That’s a ludicrous accusation,” Strzok replied. “The national security adviser of the United States had discussions with the Russian ambassador about lessening Russian response to … sanctions well before the Trump administration was sworn in.
“We get one president at a time in this country and what Flynn did and what the FBI was trying to do to understand what he had done was absolutely legitimate, was absolutely justified,” he added.
Strzok’s comments come on the day his new book, “Compromised,” goes on sale.
He was fired from the FBI in August 2018 after multiple texts were revealed with FBI lawyer Lisa Page that were highly critical of President Trump during Strzok’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Strzok has sued the FBI and Department of Justice for publicly releasing his personal text messages with Page, with whom he had a personal relationship.
Trump has mocked the pair during rallies and on social media.
Page, who was signed by MSNBC as a contributor earlier this year, is also suing the Justice Department.