Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who has been pilloried by President Trump and was sharply criticized in a new Justice Department watchdog report, was escorted from the FBI building Friday as a disciplinary process plays out, reports Politico. Strzok was removed last August from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian contacts with the Trump campaign after the DOJ inspector general found stridently anti-Trump text messages Strzok exchanged with FBI attorney Lisa Page. Strzok, a veteran agent who served as deputy assistant director of the counterintelligence division, was reassigned to the FBI’s human resources division.
Strzok’s attorney, Aitan Goelman, said the incident was just the latest in a string of humiliating episodes the long-serving civil servant has had to endure. “Despite being put through a highly questionable process, Pete has complied with every FBI procedure, including being escorted from the building as part of the ongoing internal proceedings,” Goelman said. “Pete has steadfastly played by the rules and respected the process, and yet he continues to be the target of unfounded personal attacks, political games and inappropriate information leaks.” Goelman said. Strzok’s removal occurred one day after the inspector general released a report that examined whether the agent’s political opinions affected his work on the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email use as secretary of state. While the report cited Strzok’s “biased state of mind,” it concluded that his views did not affect the conclusions in the Clinton probe. The IG is looking at whether Strzok’s beliefs played an unwarranted role in launching the Trump-Russia probe.