Clinton 2016 Campaign Lawyer Michael Sussmann Acquitted of Lying to the FBI
SnopesDec 23, 2021
Jury Acquits Clinton Campaign Lawyer Accused of Lying to FBI
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Image copyright: The New York Times
The Facts
After deliberating for six hours over two days, a jury in Washington DC on Tues. acquitted Michael Sussmann – the lawyer for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign – who stood accused of lying to the FBI in the run up to the 2016 election.
Sussmann, then a cybersecurity attorney at Perkins Coie, was accused of deliberately misleading the agency during a meeting on Sept. 19 with then-FBI general counsel James Baker.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
After three years of investigation, Durham was only able to bring a thin charge against Sussmann. This acquittal calls into question how long Durham can continue in this politically motivated probe that's fishing to prove right-wing, Trump-related conspiracy theories.
Republican narrative
Just because a largely Democrat-leaning jury pool acquitted one of their own doesn't mean that this probe is at an end. The trial showcased evidence that Clinton was directly involved in an attempt to disseminate false information about Trump prior to the election and more cases are on the way.
