CIA Asked FBI to Probe Clinton for 'Stirring Up' Russia Allegations

The CIA requested the FBI look into whether the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign OK'd a plan of "stirring up a scandal" of Russian interference in an effort to distract from their own candidate's email scandals, The Washington Times reports.

The information came to light as part of documents declassified on Tuesday.

According to the report, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe wrote in a letter to Congress that the referral was sent to then-FBI Director James Comey and Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok.

That referral was based on U.S. intelligence that was taken from Russian intel that alleged Clinton "had approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal against U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump by tying him to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee."

Though the intel community took no position on the accuracy of the claims against Clinton, Ratcliff, did say that former CIA Director John Brennan briefed President Barack Obama on them in late July 2016, according to the Times.

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