The application does not mention Steele was ultimately working on behalf of - and paid by - the DNC and Clinton campaign, or that the FBI had separately authorized payment to Steele for the same information.I believe that the part in bold is what the FBI wanted out of the memo because it exposes the uncomfortable fact that Christopher Steele was (and had been for some time) a paid asset of the FBI. That is huge news. In other words, Steele was not a mere consultant or sub-contractor for the FBI. He was being paid to provide information/intelligence to the FBI.
There are two classes of FBI "informants." One is serving as a "criminal informant" and the other is as an "intelligence asset." Information from "criminal informants" can be used in a U.S. judicial proceeding and the informant called as a witness. Getting money under that circumstance can be problematic because the source's credibility can be impeached by defense counsel, who can argue that the testimony is purloined.













Comment: So if this theory is correct, then Steele was originally hired by Fusion GPS, who in turn were commissioned by the Clinton campaign/DNC, to get dirt on Trump connections with Russia, but when Steele found 'explosive stuff' - possibly gifted to him by Russians preying on his gullibility - he went around Fusion GPS and the Dems to report directly to the FBI because he had a history of being a source for them.