Comment on How a modern-day James Bond went from uncovering political assassinations to penning the Trump dossier that's enraging Republica

Win McNamee/Getty Images and The Independent President Donald Trump's first year in office has been plagued by parallel Russia investigations — one led by special counsel Robert Mueller and the other led by the House Intelligence Committee. Behind both of these investigations stands British spy Christopher Steele, and the dossier he authored during the 2016 election about Trump's ties to Russia. The elusive MI6 agent has a fascinating life, from his time uncovering political assassinations to his current role as a defining figure in the Russia probes. The life of Christopher Steele reads like the script of an international spy thriller. From the shores of Yemen to MI6 offices in Moscow and London, the British spy amassed an impressive career before he compiled the infamous yet seminal dossier about then-US presidential candidate Donald Trump's ties to Russia in 2016. The elusive agent's credibility and expertise have come under increasing scrutiny over the last several months. While the explosive claims about Trump's collusion with Russia that Steele makes in his dossier have yet to be independently corroborated, little by little, investigators are confirming bits and pieces of the document.