Claim: Comey 'lied' about 'Russia-hoax' mystery man

Former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos says he's eager to testify to the Senate about the mysterious intelligence operative who told him the Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton, Josef Mifsud, charging former FBI Director James Comey falsely claimed Mifsud was a Russian agent.

"Remember when Comey penned an op ed in the prestigious Washington Post and lied to both the American people and editors when he called Mifsud a Russian agent?" Papadopoulos asked in a tweet. "My testimony in front of the Senate should be interesting."

Comey claimed in a May op-ed that Mifsud, a Maltese-born professor who taught in London and Rome, was a Russian agent sought to make a connection with the Trump campaign, noted the Gateway Pundit.

Comey wrote: "In April 2016, that adviser talked to a Russian agent in London, learned that the Russians had obtained ‘dirt’ on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails and that the Russians could assist the Trump campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Clinton."

However, investigative reporter John Solomon of The Hill has presented evidence indicating Mifsud is a Western intelligence operative.

On Thursday night, Solomon told Fox News' Sean Hannity that Mifsud has testified in U.S. Attorney John Durham's criminal investigation of the origins of the Obama administration's Trump-Russia probe.

"I can report absolutely that the Durham investigators have now obtained an audio-taped deposition of Joseph Mifsud where he describes his work, why he targeted Papadopoulos, who directed him to do that, what directions he was given and why he set that entire process of introducing George Papadopoulos to Russia in motion in March of 2016. Which is really the flashpoint the start point of this whole Russia collusion narrative," Solomon said.

Durham 'progressing very, very quickly'

As WND reported, former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova this week said Durham "is progressing very, very quickly in his criminal investigation."

"This is not a 'view' of what went on. This is a criminal investigation of senior DOJ and FBI officials from the Obama administration and intelligence people including John Brennan," DiGenova told Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese, the co-hosts of "Mornings on the Mall" on Monday.

"This is a federal grand jury."

"This is not an IG audit," DiGenova emphasized. "This is not some Congressional Research Service look at history. This is a criminal investigation of a bunch of people who tried to seditiously overthrow the president."

In an interview last week with the Fox Business Network's Lou Dobbs, DiGenova explained Durham's criminal investigation has prompted FBI officials and others to ask Inspector General Michel Horowitz's team to re-interview them so they can "correct their testimony."

A report of Horowitz's IG review is expected to be released a short time after Labor Day, DiGenova said.

"People are worried – and they should be – because now it's beginning to become very clear that Durham is beginning to move forward with speed," said DiGenova in an interview in which he was accompanied by his wife, prominent Washington lawyer Victoria Toensing.

'The guys who starts it all'

During former special counsel Robert Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, zeroed in on Mifsud in his questioning of Mueller.

The congressman pointed out that the FBI opened its investigation after Australian diplomat Alexander Downer reported to the bureau that he was told by Papadopoulos that "the Russians have dirt on Hillary Clinton."

"What I'm wondering is, who told Papadopoulos?" the congressman asked Mueller. How did he find out?"

I can't get into the evidentiary findings," Mueller replied.

"Yes you can," Jordan shot back. "You wrote about it. You gave us the answer. On page 192 of the report you tell us who told him: Josef Mifsud."

Jordan described Mifsud as "the mysterious professor who lives in Rome and London, works and teaches at two universities."

"This is the guy who told Papadopoulos. This is the guy who starts it all," the Ohio Republican said.

"And when the FBI interviews him, he lies three times, and yet you don't charge him with a crime."

Jordan pointed out that Mueller charged several figures with making false statements, including one-time Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his associate, Rick Gates, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

"But the guy who puts the whole country through this saga, starts it all – for three years we've live through this now – he lies, and you guys don't charge him," Jordan said. "And I'm curious as to why."

Mueller replied: "Well, we can't get into it, and it's obvious, I think, that we can't get into charging decisions.

Jordan, noting the FBI interviewed Mifsud in February, asked Mueller if Mifsud also lied to the special counsel team.

"I can't get into that," Mueller said.

Asked further whether or not Mueller himself interviewed Mifsud and if Mifsud is Western intelligence or Russian intelligence, the former special counsel's answer was the same.

"A lot of things you can't get into," Jordan commented.