FBI agent removed from inquiry

Anti-Trump texts led to Mueller’s decision in summer.

WASHINGTON — A veteran FBI counterintelligence agent was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team investigating Russian election meddling after the discovery of an exchange of anti-Trump text messages, a person familiar with the matter said Saturday.

The removal of the agent, who also had worked on the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, occurred this summer. The person who discussed the matter was not authorized to speak about it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, said Mueller removed the agent, Peter Strzok, from the team “immediately upon learning of the allegations.”

The swift removal undoubtedly reflected a desire to insulate the investigators from any claims of political bias or favoritism. President Donald Trump and many of his supporters have sought to discredit the investigation, in part by claiming a close relationship between Mueller and fired FBI Director James Comey and by pointing to political contributions to Democratic candidates made by some lawyers on the team.

The existence of the text messages was brought to the attention of Mueller’s office by the inspector general’s office, which has been conducting a wide-ranging investigation of the FBI’s handling of the Clinton email case.