It very nearly flew under the radar, but U.S. Attorney John Durham spent 8 long hours interviewing former CIA head John Brennan Friday, leading to debate (largely spawned by Brennan’s own people) over whether Brennan is a target of the investigation or merely a witness to material events. My colleague Shipwreckedcrew wrote yesterday about how Brennan is almost certainly a target of the investigation for many different reasons, not least because an 8-hour interview of the CIA chief under the incumbent president is not conducted as a mere way of  “‘filling in the blanks’ on ‘events that are under review.'”

And Brennan — despite the statement released by his spokesman Nick Shapiro — knows it. And buried in Shapiro’s statement are the seeds of Brennan’s counter argument when Durham finally reveals he was a target all along: Brennan will cry politics.

Brennan also told Durham that the repeated efforts of Donald Trump & William Barr to politicize Mr. Durham's work have been appalling & have tarnished the independence & integrity of the Department of Justice, making it difficult for DoJ professionals to carry out their job. 7/8

— Nick Shapiro (@nick_shapiro) August 22, 2020

It’s important to remember, as journalist Adam Housley points out, that the Durham team has said nothing publicly so any information indicating Brennan is not a target of the investigation is coming from Brennan via Shapiro. Given Brennan’s known tendency to lie — not just in the course of CIA official business but when his rear end is on the line — Shapiro’s assertion that Durham made any statements regarding Brennan’s status should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

Because it’s likely part of what Brennan will ultimately claim: that we was lied to in the course of a political witch hunt.

Pay attention in this clip to what Brennan’s “fervent hope” is said to be:

W T F pic.twitter.com/rxntayB5VR

— Karli 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) August 22, 2020

Responding to this clip, Housley acknowledges the former CIA spook’s skill at swamp methods.

This is exactly what Brennan wants out. LOL. Mike is an amazing guy. All this info is coming from Brennan’s team. It’s freaking textbook to eventually claim politics. He plays the game well. But he’s still on the hot seat. https://t.co/NgNonyXbYL

— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) August 22, 2020

Among conservatives and those who respect the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power there’s been a tendency to believe that no justice will come for the attempted coup that was the Russia collusion investigation. But Friday’s interview and Brennan’s attempts to get in front of Durham’s findings by dog whistling about politics should help soothe some of those concerns. Brennan’s post-interview statement indicates there’s yet still more of the game afoot. And the former head of the CIA came to play.