A top agent in the FBI violated the agency’s policy by having “unauthorized contacts” with reporters, according to a Department of Justice report.
The partially-redacted report (pdf), which was obtained by Politico through the Freedom of Information Act, states that now-retired agent Michael Steinbach broke numerous bureau rules when he met with and communicated with reporters between 2014 and 2016 “in violation of the Public Affairs (PA) manual” and the FBI media relations policy guide.
Steinbach served as an executive assistant director at the FBI’s national security branch during the same time the bureau was investigating alleged ties between former President Donald Trump and Russia and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state. He retired in February 2017….