FBI leadership was 'fired up' about alleged secret channel between Trump-Russian bank: Sussmann trial

Former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman breaks down the faces to watch in the case against the former Clinton campaign lawyer.WASHINGTON, DC – FBI leadership, including then-Director James Comey, was "fired up" about the alleged covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank in the days after Michael Sussmann brought the allegations to the bureau, according to testimony and documents revealed in the trial.Sussmann, on Sept. An investigation was formally opened at first in the FBI’s cyber division.Messages submitted as evidence in the trial this week between a supervisory agent for the FBI’s Trump-Russia probe, also known as "Crossfire Hurricane," Joe Pientka, and FBI Special Agent Curtis Heide revealed that the top brass of the FBI called for an investigation into the data.DURHAM-SUSSMANN TRIAL: BAKER BRIEFED COMEY, MCCABE ON ALLEGED COVERT COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN TRUMP ORG, RUSSIA"People on the 7th floor to include Director are fired up about this server," Pientka messaged Heide. "We are opening a CI [counterintelligence] case today."Baker, in testimony last week, said he immediately notified Priestap, and later, briefed then-FBI Director James Comey and then-FBI Deputy Director Andy McCabe following his meeting with Sussmann.CLINTON TEAM 'DID NOT TRUST' FBI IN 2016, BLAMES 'MOST DAMAGING DAYS OF CAMPAIGN' ON COMEY: MOOK TESTIMONY"The FBI was already conducting an investigation into alleged connections between the Trump campaign and Russians at this point in time, so that was a matter of great concern to all of us," Baker said. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)But on Tuesday, Heide testified that after weeks of investigating, the FBI was "unable to substantiate any of the allegations in the white paper."EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP REACTS TO TESTIMONY THAT CLINTON SPREAD RUSSIA ALLEGATIONS: 'WHERE DO I GET MY REPUTATION BACK?'FBI Special Agent Scott Hellman, last week, testified that the data revealing the alleged covert communications channel between Trump and Russia that Sussmann brought to the FBI turned out to be untrue, and said he did not agree with the narrative.