Durham: Five Witnesses Connected to the Clinton Campaigns False Russian Claims Have Refused to Cooperate – Jonathan Turley
Special Counsel John Durham continues to drop bombshells in filings in the prosecution of former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann. Just last week, Durham defeated an effort by Sussmann to dismiss the charges. He is now moving to give immunity to a key witness while revealing that the claims made by the Clinton campaign were viewed by the CIA as not technically plausible and user created. He also revealed that at least five of the former Clinton campaign contractors/researchers have invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to cooperate in fear that they might incriminate themselves in criminal conduct. Finally, Durham offers further details on the involvement of Clinton campaign general counsel Marc Elias and former British spy Christopher Steele in the alleged false claims.
The only witness currently immunized by the government, Researcher-2, was conferred with that status on July 28, 2021 over a month prior to the defendants Indictment in this matter. And the Government immunized Researcher-2 because, among other reasons, at least five other witnesses who conducted work relating to the Russian Bank-1 allegations invoked (or indicated their intent to invoke) their right against self-incrimination. The Government therefore pursued Researcher-2s immunity in order to uncover otherwise-unavailable facts underlying the opposition research project that Tech Executive-1 and others carried out in advance of the defendants meeting with the FBI.
Durham also detailed how the false Russian collusion claims related to Alfa Bank involved Clinton General Counsel Marc Elias and Christopher Steele. Indeed, the new requested immunized testimony would come from a Tech executive who allegedly can share information on meetings with Elias and Steele.
Durham notes that both the CIA and FBI were sent on an effective wild goose chase by the Clinton campaign. He notes that the government found the allegations to be manufactured and not even technically possible. He refers to the CIA in the following passage:
Agency-2 concluded in early 2017 that the Russian Bank-1 data and Russian Phone Provider-1 data was not technically plausible, did not withstand technical scrutiny, contained gaps, conflicted with [itself], and was user created and not machine/tool generated.
This dovetails with the statements of the Clinton associates themselves who were worried about the lack of support for the Russian collusion claims. Researcher 1 features prominently in those exchanges.
According to Durham, the Alfa Bank allegation fell apart even before Sussmann delivered it to the FBI. The indictment details how an unnamed tech executive allegedly used his authority at multiple internet companies to help develop the ridiculous claim. (The executive reportedly later claimed that he was promised a top cyber security job in the Clinton administration). Notably, there were many who expressed misgivings not only within the companies working on the secret project but also among unnamed university researchers who repeatedly said the argument was bogus.
The researchers were told they should not be looking for proof but just enough to give the base of a very useful narrative. The researchers argued, according to the indictment, that anyone familiar with analyzing internet traffic would poke several holes in that narrative, noting that what they saw likely was not a secret communications channel with Russian Bank-1, but a red herring, according to the indictment.
Researcher-1 repeated these doubts, the indictment says, and asked, How do we plan to defend against the criticism that this is not spoofed traffic we are observing? There is no answer to that. Lets assume again that they are not smart enough to refute our best case scenario. You do realize that we will have to expose every trick we have in our bag to even make a very weak association.
Researcher-1 allegedly further warned, We cannot technically make any claims that would fly public scrutiny. The only thing that drives us at this point is that we just do not like [Trump]. This will not fly in eyes of public scrutiny. Folks, I am afraid we have tunnel vision. Time to regroup?
It appears that the time to regroup has passed with the issuance of immunity deals to compel testimony.
Here is the filing:
US-v-Sussmann-04162022-US-Filing
Like Loading...
- Ex-IU doctor Brad Bomba Sr. invoked Fifth Amendment 45 times in deposition over alleged abuse - Yahoo! Voices - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- President Muizzu ratifies the fifth amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act - The Edition - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Doctor accused of abusing Indiana University athletes repeatedly invokes Fifth Amendment in deposition - NBC News - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Ex-IU doctor Brad Bomba Sr. invoked Fifth Amendment 45 times in deposition over alleged abuse - The Herald-Times - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- The Constitution: The Twenty-Fifth Amendment - Houston Public Media - November 28th, 2024 [November 28th, 2024]
- Karen Read accused of weaponizing Fifth Amendment by seeking to delay civil trial - CBS Boston - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Mother and grandmother of Willacy County murder victim invoke Fifth Amendment during trial - KRGV - August 20th, 2024 [August 20th, 2024]
- This Is What the Twenty-fifth Amendment Was Designed For - The New Yorker - July 4th, 2024 [July 4th, 2024]
- Young Thug trial: State witness held in contempt, taken into custody - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - June 12th, 2024 [June 12th, 2024]
- That's Not How Pleading The Fifth Works - Above the Law - June 12th, 2024 [June 12th, 2024]
- Why was Lil Woody arrested? Rapper invokes Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination to avoid testifying in Young ... - Sportskeeda - June 12th, 2024 [June 12th, 2024]
- New Ad Taunts Trump: 'Take the Stand, Donald, or Admit You're a Coward' - The New York Times - May 18th, 2024 [May 18th, 2024]
- How Democrats In Arizona Are Damaging The Fifth Amendment - The Daily Wire - May 1st, 2024 [May 1st, 2024]
- Social Media Platforms Have Property Rights Too - Reason - April 16th, 2024 [April 16th, 2024]
- Utah high court rules suspects don't have to provide police with phone passcodes - The Record from Recorded Future News - December 21st, 2023 [December 21st, 2023]
- Utah Supreme Court says accused don't have to share cellphone passwords with police - Salt Lake Tribune - December 21st, 2023 [December 21st, 2023]
- High court must uphold constitutional taking clause to protect ... - The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Jump Crypto chief pled Fifth over alleged backroom Do Kwon deal - Protos - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Donald Trump civil trial in Manhattan: Maybe he's not trying to win ... - Slate - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Commission weighs whether to discipline Illinois judge who ... - St. Louis Post-Dispatch - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Smith Sentenced To Probation In Break-In At Sheriff's Residence - wkdzradio.com - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- SCOTUS accepts 43 cases this term; 20 scheduled for argument so ... - Ballotpedia News - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Movie Review - Anatomy of a Fall | The-m-report | wboc.com - WBOC TV 16 - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Another Result Before It Happens: The Trump Civil Case In New York - Above the Law - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- The inherent American rights involved during and after an arrest - FOX 29 - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- She was killed walking home. Two men are now on trial for her ... - CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Are Abortion Bans Takings? - Reason - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Ex-San Francisco Official Offers Alibi for One of Series of Bear-Spray ... - The San Francisco Standard - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Road project threatens preserved farmland | News | dailycourier.com - Front Page - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Teacher, accused of seven felonies, pleads his case to Grand Island ... - Grand Island Independent - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- "That is a crime of cinema": After Saving Vin Diesel's Career With an ... - FandomWire - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- There Is No 'Moving On' From Corruption, by Laura Hollis - Creators Syndicate - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Left-wing Democrats Running Roughshod Over Constitutional ... - The New York Sun - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Tether SEC Action? USDT Selling Floods Liquidity Pools in Wake of ... - CCN.com - June 15th, 2023 [June 15th, 2023]
- Essential Education: Professor, attorney discuss importance of ... - LA Downtown News Online - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Inside The Murder Of Kristin Smart And How Her Killer Was Caught - All That's Interesting - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Louisiana's Sabine River Authority Not Entitled To Sovereign Immunity - The Energy Law Blog - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Ken Paxton Impeached on 20 Charges Including Bribery ... - The Texan - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Don Carmignani Recounts Brutal Beating From Witness Stand - The San Francisco Standard - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Simply losing it: Bitter fight brews over federal judges forced retirement effort - Yahoo! Voices - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Trump Organization finishes last in brand reputation survey for second straight year - The Hill - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Jekyll Island Authority board names new director | Local News ... - Brunswick News - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- They held down a Black teen who tried to shoplift. He died from ... - Wisconsin Examiner - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Police officer charged with obstruction for allegedly leaking information to Proud Boys leader - WAPT Jackson - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Deputies ordered to answer questions about knowledge of gangs in LA County Sheriffs Department - Daily Breeze - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- The 1950s Hollywood Blacklist Was an Assault on Free Expression - Jacobin magazine - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Will There Finally be Some Development on the Land Condemned ... - Reason - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Justice Scalia's Unpublished Dissent in Kelo v. City of New London - Reason - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Jurors to continue deliberations in trial for Woodson man accused of ... - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- The Red Scare Led to One of the Greatest Westerns of All Time - Collider - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- The Ghost of Ayn Rand as a Climate Activist? - InDepthNH.org - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Florida oversight board sues Walt Disney Company in ongoing legal ... - JURIST - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Suspended gynecologist accused of getting aroused during vaginal deliveries faces massive lawsuit from dozens of women - Law & Crime - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Suffolk grand jury could bring criminal charges against CPS workers in Thomas Valva child-abuse case - Newsday - May 8th, 2023 [May 8th, 2023]
- Trump will answer questions in New York fraud lawsuit, lawyer says - Daily Herald - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- Why the Founding Fathers passed the Fourth Amendment to the ... - Tennessean - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- Appeals court rejects Peter Navarro's bid to retain hundreds of ... - POLITICO - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- In Proud Boys Jan. 6 Sedition Trial, FBI Informants Abound - The New York Times - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Supreme Court Should Take and Reverse Fifth Circuit Decision that ... - Reason - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Court Action Underscores Peril for Trump in Documents Investigation - The New York Times - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORP : Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant,... - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Hartselle police: Chiropractor ingested lead to allay suspicion - Yahoo! Voices - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Georgia judge orders Fulton County DA to respond to Trumps motion seeking to quash grand jury report - Yahoo News - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Missing Franklin woman's children await answers on 2-year ... - WDJT - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Congressional oversight of the Trump International Hotel, civil rights ... - SCOTUSblog - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day over opposition protest - The Economic Times - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Why Civil Asset Forfeitures Need To End And Soon Could - Forbes - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- The Dangerous Journey of John Eastman - Washington Monthly - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- The Speaker Gets to do What he Wants to do,' Michael Madigan is Heard Saying at Secretly Recorded Leadership Meeting - NBC Chicago - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Letter to the editor: Rent control is government intrusion - Press Herald - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- 1 year after FreeFall tragedy: Where the criminal investigation stands - WESH 2 Orlando - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Lange Refuses to Stop Demolition of Strizheus House, But Says City ... - Dakota Free Press - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Form 10-K Evolve Transition Infras For: Dec 31 - StreetInsider.com - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- 11 exonerated men sue city detective Reynald Guevara - CBS News - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- California man charged with felony cocaine possession at airport - Idaho Mountain Express and Guide - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Alex Murdaugh and whether to testify in your own defense - ABA Journal - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- B.C. 'pump and dump' defendants' assets can be frozen by SEC - Vancouver Is Awesome - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- self-incrimination | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute - March 14th, 2023 [March 14th, 2023]
- TeraWulf Inc. Enters into the Fifth Amendment to Its Loan, Guaranty and Security Agreement - Marketscreener.com - March 14th, 2023 [March 14th, 2023]
- Tmc the Metals Company Inc. Enters into Fifth Amendment to Pilot Mining Test Agreement and Third Amendment to Strategic Alliance Agreement, Which Is... - February 24th, 2023 [February 24th, 2023]