of fairness but journalistic integrity, you don't want to report allegations about anyone that you can't verify aren't true. >> still, corn believed steel's reputation and the fbi's interest in the broader outlines of steel's story gave it credibility. >> the fbi, you know, having said get lost, they will give us more information here. >> a few minutes before midnight on halloween, 2016, mother jones said a veteran spy gave the fbi information involving a russian operation to cultivate donald trump. it was a headline reporters were chasing for months. a candidate with a mirky relationship. a russian plot to tamper with the election. possible trump campaign collusion with the kremlin. the story was potentially huge and intriguing. but it was vague. who was this veteran spy? and what was the russian