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For Immediate Release
January 22, 2007
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Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691
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FBI
Response to OIG Review of FBI Initial
Response to Rep. Mark Foley E-Mails to a Former Page
Washington,
D.C. - The FBI appreciates the work of the Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) in reviewing the FBI's initial response
to Rep. Mark Foley's e-mails to a former page.
The
OIG concluded that the FBI acted within the range of its
discretion in deciding not to open a criminal investigation
in July 2006 after receiving e-mails between Foley and a
former page from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics
in Washington (CREW). As detailed in the report, the United
States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia later
reviewed these same e-mails and agreed that no further investigation
was warranted.
The
OIG determined that the e-mails were reviewed by three separate
investigative squads and that FBI agents acted quickly and
appropriately in assessing the information and providing
it to the Cyber Crimes Squad where the decision was made
not to pursue a criminal investigation. The OIG found that
this decision was not influenced in any way by the fact
that Foley was then a member of Congress. Although the OIG
concluded that the FBI acted within its discretion, the
review suggests certain follow-up steps that could have
been undertaken with regard to the e-mails. The OIG acknowledges
that its assessment was conducted after the fact and after
explicit instant messages surfaced - none of which were
part of the FBI's initial evaluation.
The
OIG also reviewed the accuracy of Department of Justice
and FBI statements made to the media in October 2006 regarding
the e-mails received from CREW. The OIG concluded that inaccurate
information about the emails provided by CREW was disseminated
within the FBI and the Department of Justice. This information
resulted in misunderstandings on the part of FBI and DOJ
spokespersons and may have contributed to inaccurate information
provided to the news media.
The
FBI shares the OIG's interest in ensuring that information
regarding potential criminal activity is evaluated objectively
and in conformance with established policies and practices.
Accordingly, the FBI will carefully examine the OIG review
for any changes to existing policies or procedures that
may be warranted.
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