FBI agent Peter Strzok admitted he could have derailed President Donald Trump’s campaign by revealing the investigation into possible Russian collusion — but he never considered doing that.
Strzok, whose anti-Trump texts with fellow agent Lisa Page have fueled Trump’s “witch hunt” claims, issued a statement ahead of his congressional testimony Thursday about his alleged partisan bias, reported the Associated Press.
The FBI agent said the Russia investigation that began in summer 2016 had the power to “derail, and quite possibly, defeat Mr. Trump.”
“But the thought of exposing that information never crossed my mind,” Strzok said. “This investigation is not politically motivated, it is not a witch hunt, it is not a hoax.”
Strzok, who helped lead investigations of Hillary Clinton’s emails and ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, will testify publicly Thursday before Congress after previously testifying before lawmakers in a closed session.
He will tell lawmakers in his opening statement that he never allowed his personal opinions to influence his work for the FBI.
“Let me be clear, unequivocally and under oath: not once in my 26 years of defending my nation did my personal opinions impact any official action I took,” Strzok said in the statement.
The FBI agent also said that Republican attacks on him and Page aided Russian president Vladimir Putin’s efforts to undermine American unity and corrupt democratic institutions.
“I truly believe that today’s hearing is just another victory notch in Putin’s belt and another milestone in our enemies’ campaign to tear America apart,” Strzok said.