Allies of President Donald Trump are picking apart the texts released from Peter Strzok, the FBI official demoted from the Russian investigation, but one in particular is raising eyebrows.
What did the text say?
The text in question was an interaction between Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page.
...in a text from August 15, 2016, Strzok tells Page: "I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy's office" -- an apparent reference to Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe -- "that there's no way he gets 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 . . . . " Page does not appear to have responded, according to records reviewed by CNN.
While many of the other texts express disgust and anger at Trump and his followers, this text exchange appears to refer to acts that they may have committed in order to prevent Trump's election.
Strzok was demoted from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference and alleged collusion with the Trump campaign over the anti-Trump texts.
Later it was discovered that he had a large role in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private server and her use of sensitive government information.
What was the reaction?
Wall Street columnist Kimberley Strassel noted that the media was focusing on other texts and ignoring that one.
Press is focusing (deliberately) on Strzok texts expressing hostility to Trump, and noting it is OK for agents to h… https://t.co/hNYgxlmWbF— Kimberley Strassel (@Kimberley Strassel) 1513189070.0
David Harsanyi of the Federalist asked what was meant by the "insurance policy."
"It's one thing to have opinions about re: politicians — certainly it shouldn't disqualify anyone," he added. "But it's another thing to talk about using an insurance policy to get your way. sounds like abuse."
Here's conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg discussing the texts on Fox News:
.@JonahNRO on anti-Trump texts sent by former Mueller aide: "The optics on that look bad and I think it is...a hot mess." #SpecialReporthttps://t.co/4V8BekDAzopic.twitter.com/9p6QvmJnfR
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 13, 2017