Former Hillary Clinton marketing campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann has been discovered not responsible of mendacity to the FBI about working for a consumer when he first introduced the company thumb drives that allegedly contained information connecting Donald Trump to Russia’s Alfa Financial institution. These had been instrumental within the Russiagate collusion narrative that later adopted.
This verdict is a serious blow for Particular Counsel John Durham and his investigation, as Sussmann was the primary particular person to be dropped at trial.
Of the 16 witnesses referred to as on behalf of the prosecutors, essentially the most high-profile was then-FBI Common Counsel James Baker, who instructed the jury he was “100% assured” that Sussmann had insisted he was not engaged on behalf of a consumer.
Prosecutor Deborah Brittain Shaw started her case in opposition to Sussmann by saying, “We’re right here as a result of the FBI is our establishment that shouldn’t be used as a political software for anybody — not Republicans, not Democrats, not anybody.”
Durham is predicted to carry to trial one other case later this 12 months.