A recent report from the White House Government Transparency Task Force has uncovered a secret FBI operation known as "Round River." This intelligence initiative allegedly categorized prominent American figures, including Mike Pompeo and Hillary Clinton, based on their perceived relationship to Russian disinformation during the 2020 election.
The Round River spreadsheet's partisan divide
The White House Government Transparency Task Force has made public a spreadsheet that reveals how the FBI categorized political figures during a secret counterintelligence operation. This operation, codenamed Round River, was reportedly launched during the 2020 election cycle to monitor foreign influence.. The document suggests that the FBI's internal logic was deeply intertwined with the political landscape of that year, creating a framework where political identity dictated an individual's intelligence profile.
According to the report, the spreadsheet divided individuals into two specific categories: "targets" and "conduits." Democratic figures such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, George Soros, and the Biden family were categorized as targets of Russian disinformation. Conversely, the FBI reportedly labeled conservative figures—including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Attorney General Bill Barr , filmmaker Michael Caputo, and lawyer Rudy Giuliani—as conduits for that same disinformation. Media organizations like Fox News and One America News were also included in the "conduit" classification.
Fourteen informants and the Biden investigation
Beyond the broad categorization of political leaders, the report highlights specific intelligence activities involving the Biden family. A letter from the FBI, released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force, indicates that the bureau identified at least 14 informants who provided derogatory information regarding the Bidens . The report notes that the FBI's investigation into these informants was part of a broader effort to understand foreign influence, yet the specific nature of the derogatory claims against the Bidens remains undisclosed.
Kash Patel’s probe into the FITF
FBI Director Kash Patel has launched an investigation into whether the Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) misused the intelligence gathered during the Round River assessment. As reported by the task force's findings, Patel is examining if the FITF used Round River data to unfairly influence or undermine ongoing investigations. Patel has noted that the task force was terminated under his leadership, but the investigation into its previous conduct remains active.
The investigation specifically looks at whether the FITF focused disproportionately on a subset of confidential human sources (CHS) related to the Bidens. Patel's letter to the White House Government Transparency Task Force suggests that the bureau is trying to determine if the FITF's investigative focus was shaped by the findings of the Round River assessment.
Who authorized the Round River classifications?
While the spreadsheet provides a clear map of the FBI's internal labeling,several critical questions remain unanswered. The report does not specify which high-ranking officials within the FBI or the broader intelligence community authorized the Round River operation or the specific "conduit" and "target" designations. It remains unclear if these labels were based on objective intelligence or if they reflected a subjective political bias within the bureau.
Furthermore, the report does not address whether the Foreign Influence Task Force had any oversight from the Department of Justice during the period when these classifications were being actively utilized. Without further transparency, it is impossible to know if the intelligence gathered by the FBI was used to verify claims or if the Round River assessment created a feedback loop that prioritized certain political narratives over others.
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