Flynn case bombshell: FBI analysts bought insurance fearing they'd be sued for misconduct

FBI analysts working on the Michael Flynn Russia investigation originally planned to end the inquiry in fall 2016 and eventually bought liability insurance fearing they could be sued after their bosses continued to keep the investigation open based on "conspiracy theories," explosive new text messages showed Thursday.

"We all went and purchased professional liability insurance," one analyst texted on Jan. 10, 2017, just 10 days before Trump took office.

"Holy crap," a colleague responded. "All the analysts too?"

"Yep," the first analyst said. "All the folks at the Agency as well."

"Can I ask who are the most likely litigators?" a colleague responded. "As far as potentially suing y'all."

"Haha, who knows….I think the concern when we got it was that there was a big leak at DOJ and the NYT among others was going to do a piece," the original analyst texted back.

The explosive messages were attached to a new filing by Flynn's attorney Sidney Powell, who argued to the court that is considering dismissing her client's guilty plea that the emails show "stunning government misconduct" and "wrongful prosecution."

A hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.

"There was no case against General Flynn," Powell wrote in the new motion. "There was no crime. The FBI and the prosecutors knew that. This American hero and his entire family have suffered for four years from public abuse, slander, libel, and all means of defamation at the hands of the very government he pledged his life to defend."

The new FBI evidence was turned over late Wednesday and included a stunning revelation that FBI agents originally planned to close Flynn's probe, known as Crossfire Razor, on Nov. 8, 2016, nearly a year before he was charged with lying to the FBI.

"He said shut down Razor" and "so glad they're closing Razor," an FBI official texted that day. "However [redacted] was silent though, so who knows what he will want."

By January, the FBI analysts were alarmed that their agency was engaged in misconduct that could be discovered by President Trump's new attorney general.

"The new AG might have some questions….then yada yada yada…we all get screwed," one official wrote.

A follow-up string of messages suggested the bureau would be exposed for "rabbit holes and conspiracy theories" if the Russia casework was ever exposed because of its lack of evidence.

"I'm tellying [sic] man, if this thing ever gets FOIA'd, there are going to be some tough questions asked," one official wrote.