Why is Trump tweeting about this Chinese American attorney?

DOJ attorney Bruce Ohr.

WHO IS BRUCE OHR and why is Donald Trump attacking him?

In just a few days, Ohr has moved from relative obscurity to the bulls-eye of Trump's ire.

Right-wing media, which likes to weave conspiracy theories in their reporting of the news of the day, has focused on this Department of Justice prosecutor. Trump, who often uses the conservative Fox News Network to interpret and filter the news he receives, has targeted the Chinese American attorney.

Right after former CIA director John Brenner lost his security clearance because the White House didn't like his assessment of the current administration, in Trump's view, Ohr belong right up there as a member of the so-called "deep state," that exists in the minds of the far right.

NELLIE OHR
(Trump mispelled her name.)

"Bruce Ohr of the 'Justice' Department (can you believe he is still there) is accused of helping disgraced Christopher Steele 'find dirt on Trump.' Ohr's wife, Nelly, was in on the act big time - worked for Fusion GPS on Fake Dossier," tweeted Trump on Aug. 14.

When Press Secretary listed the names of former government officials who might join Brennat in losing their security clearance, included Ohr, the only person on the list who still works for the government.

"I think Bruce Ohr is a disgrace," Trump told reporters from the South Lawn on Friday. "For him to be in the Justice Department and doing what he did, that is a disgrace."

So what has Ohr done to deserve all this vitriol?

Ohr is a longtime acquaintance of former British spy Christopher Steele, author of the infamous Trump dossier. The DOJ transferred Ohr last year when it became known he had been in contact with Steele before and after the November election. 

Ohr's wife, Nellie, worked at Fusion GPS, the firm that commissioned Steele on behalf of the Clinton campaign, for less than a year. However, Nellie “was not directly involved in the dossier project,” according to ABC.

Ohr apparently is an acquaintance of Steele and shared Steele's concerns about Trump and the Russians with the FBI even after the FBI terminated its relationship with the British spy. It is not clear if the DOJ knew about his activities with Steele but when it became known, Ohr was transferred to a different department. Some reports say he was demoted.

The Republican report of the House Intelligence Committee emphasized Ohr'salleged role as a kind of go-between with Steele and the FBI. With the information from Steele, the FBI was able to get permission to 

The Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee contend that the GOP report “overstates the significance of his interactions with Steele.”

After the flak Trump received when he revoked Brennan's security status, rather than take away the security status of any more former CIA heads, Ohr might be the next to be stripped of his security clearance as a sacrificial lamb because of his lower profile..

Ohr will face his critics in a closed-door interview on Aug. 28 with members of the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees.

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