Former FBI lawyer to plead guilty as part of Russia probe - defendant's lawyer

By Mark Hosenball

 

FILE PHOTO: The Department of Justice (DOJ) logo is pictured on a wall after a news conference to discuss alleged fraud by Russian Diplomats in New York December 5, 2013. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former FBI lawyer will plead guilty to falsifying a document as part of a federal probe into the origins of an investigation into possible contacts between Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, an attorney for the former FBI lawyer said on Friday.

 

The former FBI lawyer, Kevin Clinesmith, will admit he changed an email from the CIA that was used in seeking renewed court permission in 2017 for a secret wiretap on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, the New York Times reported.

 

"Kevin deeply regrets having altered the email," Justin Shur, a lawyer for Clinesmith, told Reuters in an email.

 

"It was never his intent to mislead the court or his colleagues as he believed the information he relayed was accurate.

But Kevin understands what he did was wrong and accepts responsibility," Shur added.

 

Prosecutors were not expected to reveal any evidence that shows a broader conspiracy that would cast doubt on the decision by the Obama Administration to open a Russia investigation, according to the Times.

 

But after Clinesmith's guilty plea was announced, President Trump suggested further similar cases were in the works.

 

"That’s just the beginning, I would imagine, because what happened should never happen again," Trump said on Friday, describing Clinesmith as a "corrupt FBI attorney".

 

"The fact is they spied on my campaign and they got caught. And you’ll be hearing more," Trump said.

 

Clinesmith wrote texts expressing opposition to President Trump, according to the Times, which said Trump is likely to tout Clinesmith's anticipated guilty plea as evidence the Russia investigation initiated by the administration of President Barack Obama was illegitimate and politically motivated.

 

According to a criminal information filed in Federal court in Washington D.C. on Friday, Clinesmith altered an email from another unnamed government agency, believed to be the CIA, to say that an unnamed individual, believed to be Page, "was not a source," even though an email from the other government agency did not say that.

 

In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr predicted there would be a "development" on Friday in the investigation by John Durham, a Connecticut-based federal prosecutor whom Barr named to investigate the origins of federal investigations into alleged contacts between Trump advisors and Russia in 2016.

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Franklin Paul, Chris Reese and David Gregorio)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-15

 

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Absolutely damning. The narrative surrounding the Russia conspiracy will change from Trump as the criminal and instigator, to Trump as the victim of the Obama cabinets vengeance. On the face of it, Obamagate makes Watergate look like some minor procedure error. Thanks to Bull Durham for lifting this very heavy rock and exposing the nasty critters hiding underneath.

 Sounds pretty innocuous to me. Likely a slap on the wrist and President Biden will surely grant a pardon. Cheating is a basic tenet of American law enforcement. They all seem to do it. 

23 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Absolutely damning. The narrative surrounding the Russia conspiracy will change from Trump as the criminal and instigator, to Trump as the victim of the Obama cabinets vengeance. On the face of it, Obamagate makes Watergate look like some minor procedure error. Thanks to Bull Durham for lifting this very heavy rock and exposing the nasty critters hiding underneath.

Sorry sounds to me like a small technically not the got ya like trump and his minions will try to balloon it up to be let’s keep our focus on trumps attempts to rigg the election and the blatant disregard of our constitution this imo is a distraction 

14 minutes ago, pegman said:

 Sounds pretty innocuous to me. Likely a slap on the wrist and President Biden will surely grant a pardon. Cheating is a basic tenet of American law enforcement. They all seem to do it. 

If he gets a slap on the wrist it's due to the massive amount of evidence he's provided about his colleagues.

 

This is only getting started, get ready. A storm is coming...

If have investigation from some politic's action. Should be leagal to use all evidence , not deny source where can get.

Politic's people can easy bury evidence whit friend in right post! And im not now talk only about potus!

How can end political corruption if much evidence stay "under ground"!

The beginning of the end for those who orchestrated the attempted coup.  Most likely an announcement on indictments in October, an "October Surprise."

 

Trump 2020 guaranteed.

Edited August 15, 20205 yr by Kelsall

4 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

The beginning of the end for those who orchestrated the attempted coup.  Most likely an announcement on indictments in October, an "October Surprise."

Did you miss the part where there was no conspiracy.

 

small stuff.

Just now, Sujo said:

Did you miss the part where there was no conspiracy.

 

small stuff.

Did you miss the part where there are further cases in the works?

 

Big stuff.

38 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Did you miss the part where there are further cases in the works?

 

Big stuff.

What are they?

russia russia russia

 

collusion collusion collusion

 

that's all we heard from the media for over a year or so. hahaha idiots.

7 minutes ago, mr mr said:

russia russia russia

 

collusion collusion collusion

 

that's all we heard from the media for over a year or so. hahaha idiots.

More like 3 years wasn't it? I would like to see a public apology from the democrats. People still talk about Russia collusion as if it was a fact - while Mueller admitted no collusion, no obstruction at the end of his very expensive and divisive probe. A probe that thanks to the Durham investigation we learn was fraudulent and illegal to initiate. Time to set the record straight and stop the smears against President Trump, the real victim here.

1 hour ago, 2 is 1 said:

If have investigation from some politic's action. Should be leagal to use all evidence , not deny source where can get.

Politic's people can easy bury evidence whit friend in right post! And im not now talk only about potus!

How can end political corruption if much evidence stay "under ground"!

Sorry I have no idea what point you're trying to get across. If I run into Patrick Laine next hockey season I will ask for an interpretation.

3 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

More like 3 years wasn't it? I would like to see a public apology from the democrats. People still talk about Russia collusion as if it was a fact - while Mueller admitted no collusion, no obstruction at the end of his very expensive and divisive probe. A probe that thanks to the Durham investigation we learn was fraudulent and illegal to initiate. Time to set the record straight and stop the smears against President Trump, the real victim here.

 

Mueller did not "admit" what you allege. That you try to re-frame what the investigation was about is not new either. The probe being "expensive" is also the usual nonsense, and complaints about "divisive" from a Trump supporters mean less than nothing. It was not learned or shown that the Muller investigation was neither "fraudulent" nor "illegal to initiate". Trump is no victim.

5 hours ago, Tug said:

Sorry sounds to me like a small technically not the got ya like trump and his minions will try to balloon it up to be let’s keep our focus on trumps attempts to rigg the election and the blatant disregard of our constitution this imo is a distraction 

A small technicality.  LOL  Balloon it up.  LOL  A distraction.  LOL

7 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Absolutely damning. The narrative surrounding the Russia conspiracy will change from Trump as the criminal and instigator, to Trump as the victim of the Obama cabinets vengeance. On the face of it, Obamagate makes Watergate look like some minor procedure error. Thanks to Bull Durham for lifting this very heavy rock and exposing the nasty critters hiding underneath.

Chicken feed! Won't help him one bit come November 3rd.

6 hours ago, Kelsall said:

The beginning of the end for those who orchestrated the attempted coup.  Most likely an announcement on indictments in October, an "October Surprise."

 

Trump 2020 guaranteed.

"Ignorance is bliss"  

7 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Absolutely damning. The narrative surrounding the Russia conspiracy will change from Trump as the criminal and instigator, to Trump as the victim of the Obama cabinets vengeance. On the face of it, Obamagate makes Watergate look like some minor procedure error. Thanks to Bull Durham for lifting this very heavy rock and exposing the nasty critters hiding underneath.

 

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Kevin deeply regrets having altered the email,"

"It was never his intent to mislead the court or his colleagues as he believed the information he relayed was accurate. But Kevin understands what he did was wrong and accepts responsibility,"

Kevin is not a five-year-old who is still growing up and learning right from wrong in society. No, Kevin is a fully mature adult with a profession that requires him to interpret law for a high level law enforcement agency. Nonetheless, Kevin is an Idiot.

Edited August 15, 20205 yr by klauskunkel

7 hours ago, Tug said:

Sorry sounds to me like a small technically not the got ya like trump and his minions will try to balloon it up to be let’s keep our focus on trumps attempts to rigg the election and the blatant disregard of our constitution this imo is a distraction 

 

Small technicality - he deliberately falsified a document to mislead the justice system!

 

Oh, well, he's a democrat and known Trump hater, so never mind.

 

Had it been the other way around, you'd be spitting blood and calling for mass investigations and prosecutions.

 

Once again we the Democrats intentions of corruptly using the Justice System for their own political agendas.

4 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Kevin is not a five-year-old who is still growing up and learning right from wrong in society. No, Kevin is a fully mature adult with a profession that requires him to interpret law for a high level law enforcement agency. Nonetheless, Kevin is an Idiot.

 

Yes, yes, but he hates Trump and supports the politically correct party. So it's all o k. He meant well!

 

SARCASM ALERT

Not surprised...the Russian collusion investigation into President Trump's 2016 campaign has been a corrupt Democrat Party enterprise from the start.

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

That’s just the beginning, I would imagine

Yes, you imagine!

Low hanging fruit but it's a start.

1 hour ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Not surprised...the Russian collusion investigation into President Trump's 2016 campaign has been a corrupt Democrat Party enterprise from the start.

Funny. It has just been discovered that In 2019 the Republican led Senate Intelligence committee sent a bipartisan criminal referral to the Justice Dept. It cited Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr. Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort and Hope Hicks about possible lying in testimony in reference to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. 

22 minutes ago, rcummings said:

Funny. It has just been discovered that In 2019 the Republican led Senate Intelligence committee sent a bipartisan criminal referral to the Justice Dept. It cited Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr. Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort and Hope Hicks about possible lying in testimony in reference to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. 

Interesting 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/senate-committee-sought-investigation-bannon-024424165.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHtWB-IkYSAAWYKQEU0RtbfazjapeMpP_fkwTF8kqZJciWlBVxtQ_aZxZcQzpTOsbv7GCTf3yxGySUyJhmbulgAZlAxTcb4ySG4TY1jUw4UPOHhXid0IdI3KpqzPBHMBGys7pkhIkQobtby0Y6dGW7KHw8-wkQ2XcsoAxABTe_9R&_guc_consent_skip=1597483176

2 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Not surprised...the Russian collusion investigation into President Trump's 2016 campaign has been a corrupt Democrat Party enterprise from the start.

Even the trump appointed investigator never came to that conclusion. In fact it was the opposite.

18 minutes ago, candide said:

Interesting 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/senate-committee-sought-investigation-bannon-024424165.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHtWB-IkYSAAWYKQEU0RtbfazjapeMpP_fkwTF8kqZJciWlBVxtQ_aZxZcQzpTOsbv7GCTf3yxGySUyJhmbulgAZlAxTcb4ySG4TY1jUw4UPOHhXid0IdI3KpqzPBHMBGys7pkhIkQobtby0Y6dGW7KHw8-wkQ2XcsoAxABTe_9R&_guc_consent_skip=1597483176

The swamp in action.

2 hours ago, Dap said:

"Ignorance is bliss"  

you said it big guy.

31 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Even the trump appointed investigator never came to that conclusion. In fact it was the opposite.

As the party in power gets to be the judge and jury in today’s partisan environment when was trump ever going to get indicted?

I think even the Thai judicial system would blush at how the republicans do the 3 monkeys act so well.

This is the same people who wanted to hang Clinton coz he wanted to whitewash a interns throat and had the audacity to lie about it omg.

Im not saying democrats are angels far from it but as an outsider looking in I would be ashamed of Being a republican letting trump lie and cheat his way through his tenure.

Seems to me as looks likely Mitch and his ilk are in for a dose of reality as come November there will be a new sheriff in town with a new majority in senate to go with congress.

There is only so long I didn’t see I didn’t hear routine works