Peter Strzok - the controversial agent who sent texts about Trump - has been escorted from FBI headquarters
- FBI agent Peter Strzok was escorted from FBI headquarters as part of internal proceedings involving him, his lawyer said in a statement.
- The proceedings likely have to do with the inspector general's investigation into the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe.
- Strzok was a key figure in both the Clinton and Russia investigations.
- He attracted scrutiny when it surfaced last year that he exchanged politically charged texts with FBI lawyer Lisa Page that appeared to show a bias against President Donald Trump and in favor of Clinton.
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Longtime FBI official Peter Strzok was escorted from FBI headquarters as part of internal proceedings, his lawyer confirmed in a statement to Politico on Tuesday.
Strzok has been a lightning rod in the political sphere over the last few months after it surfaced that he and FBI lawyer Lisa Page exchanged politically charged text messages that appeared to be biased against President Donald Trump and in favor of former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Strzok and Page worked on the Russia investigation with the special counsel Robert Mueller before they were moved. Strzok was relocated to the bureau's human resources division. He was also the FBI official who signed off on the document that launched the Russia investigation, and he was a critical figure in the Clinton email investigation.
Trump and his allies have long been calling for Strzok's ouster from the bureau, but the calls intensified following the release of a brutal report last week from inspector general Michael Horowitz.
Among other things, Horowitz found that Strzok and Page may have had a willingness to take official action to prevent Trump from winning the 2016 presidential election.
Strzok's conduct was also the subject of harsh criticism from Republican lawmakers when Horowitz testified before the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees on Tuesday.
"Pete has steadfastly played by the rules and respected the process, and yet he continues to be the target of unfounded personal attacks, political games and inappropriate information leaks," Strzok's lawyer said in the statement. "Despite being put through a highly questionable process, Pete has complied with every FBI procedure, including being escorted from the building as part of the ongoing internal proceedings."
This story is developing. Check back for updates.