Ex-FBI lawyer to plead guilty to falsifying documents in Russia inquiry; first case brought in DOJ review

Kevin Johnson and Kristine Phillips, USA TODAY

August 14, 2020 at 1:44 PM·3 min read

A former FBI lawyer was charged Friday and is expected to plead guilty to falsifying documents used to support the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

The case against Kevin Clinesmith is the first to be brought by federal prosecutor John Durham, appointed last year to review the origins of the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Clinesmith's lawyers said their client "deeply regrets" his actions involving work on surveillance applications for Page submitted to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

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

Specifically, Clinesmith is charged with altering an email in 2017 used to support a surveillance warrant. The altered email indicated that Page had not served as a source for the Central Intelligence Agency. The original CIA email indicated that Page had indeed been a contact for the agency.

Homeland Security: Homeland Security acting chief Chad Wolf, deputy Cuccinelli were wrongly appointed, watchdog says

In this April 25, 2006, file photo, John Durham speaks to reporters on the steps of U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn.

Attorney General William Barr hinted late Thursday there would be new developments as soon as Friday in the inquiry.

President Donald Trump and Republican allies in Congress have long cast the Russia investigation, headed by former special counsel Robert Mueller, as an attempt by the Obama administration to undermine Trump's presidency and have urged the attorney general to publish his findings prior to the 2020 election.

On Friday, House Judiciary Republicans sought to cast Clinesmith's guilty plea as proof of an anti-Trump conspiracy, tweeting that a "cabal" involving former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and former FBI director James Comey "was out to get" Trump. But the charging documents made public Friday do not suggest Clinesmith conspired with FBI leadership when he altered the email.

"While I’m encouraged by this advancement in the Durham investigation, I hope this is simply step one in our quest for accountability," said Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., a member of the Judiciary panel. "It’s clear that this coup reached the highest levels of the Obama Administration, all the way up to the Oval Office."

In previous references to the investigation, Barr has maintained that neither former President Barack Obama nor former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee for the Democratic nomination, are subjects of the investigation.

Nonetheless, the attorney general, in a Thursday interview with Fox News, said there would be "significant developments" before the November election in the review, headed by Durham, the chief federal prosecutor in Connecticut.

Barr appointed Durham more than a year ago after claiming federal authorities "spied" on the Trump campaign during the Russia investigation.

More: Attorney general says he will review government 'spying' on Trump campaign; 'I am concerned'

The attorney general, harshly critical of Mueller's work, has asserted that the special counsel promoted an "utterly false" theory that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government.

"What happened to the president in the 2016 election and throughout the first two years of his presidency was abhorrent. It was a grave injustice and it was unprecedented in American history," Barr said in May. "The Durham investigation is trying to get to the bottom of what happened. And it will determine whether there are federal laws broken. Those who broke the laws will be held to account."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-FBI lawyer charged with making false statements in Russia inquiry

Reuters
Haiti's death toll rises as international support lags, UN report says
More than 2,500 people were killed or injured in gang violence in Haiti from January through March, up 53% from the last three months of 2023, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said on Friday. At least 590 were killed during police operations, BINUH said in a report. Several were apparently not involved in gang violence, some had impaired mobility, and at least 141 were killed by vigilante justice groups.
28m ago
Associated Press
Federal officials are investigating a Rockies coach's cockpit visit during a United flight
Federal transportation officials are investigating an unauthorized inflight cockpit visit by a coach for the Colorado Rockies baseball team during a United Airlines charter flight last week from Denver to Toronto. Video surfaced this week that appears to show Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens sitting in a pilot's seat while the April 10 flight was at cruising altitude. It is against federal regulations for unauthorized people to be on the flight deck.
1h ago
Reuters
US State Dept 'fully expects' to finalize new AUKUS trade exemptions in next 120 days
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department said on Friday it fully expects to finalize new trade exemptions for the AUKUS defense project with Australia and Britain over the next 120 days. "Exemptions in our export control systems, within a framework of shared standards with Australia and the UK, are key to harnessing and maximizing the innovative power residing in our defense industrial bases," a department statement said. "We fully expect to finalize the new trade exemptions – based on stakeholder input – over the course of the next 120 days," it said.
1h ago
Yahoo Finance
Stock market today: Tech stocks smoked, Nvidia tumbles 10% to cap worst week of the year
A measure of calm was returning after Israel's retaliatory strike on Iran spooked the market and spurred a rush to safe havens such as gold.
2h ago
Yahoo News
Trump's hush money trial, as seen through courtroom sketches
Since it’s not being televised — and news photographers are only permitted in for 45 seconds at the start of each day — the only other images from inside the courtroom are portraits being done by sketch artists.
2h ago
Associated Press
National Guard delays Alaska staffing changes that threatened national security, civilian rescues
The Air National Guard has delayed its plan to downgrade the status of about 80 members of its Alaska unit, a move that would have threatened national security and civilian rescues in the nation’s most remote state. The Alaska Air National Guard confirmed the delay in an email to The Associated Press on Friday. Efforts by the state’s politicians and Alaskans “have been instrumental in getting this delay which will allow everyone involved the time to conduct more thorough research and analysis,” wrote Alan Brown, an Alaska guard spokesperson.
2h ago
Reuters
Mexican presidential frontrunner would focus on renewable energy, water
Mexican presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday said that if elected, her administration would focus on water management and renewable energy as part of a plan to boost the country's sustainability. Speaking at a banking event on the country's Pacific coast, Sheinbaum added that she would also focus on developing areas for nearshoring, investing in industrial parks and boosting the country's freight and passenger train networks. The candidate for the ruling MORENA party, Sheinbaum is strongly favored to win the June elections and her campaign has centered on broadly continuing the policies of current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
2h ago
Reuters
UnitedHealth CEO to testify before US House panel on cyberattack at tech unit
"We look forward to learning more on what happened in the lead up to, and in the weeks following, the attack," said Cathy Rodgers, energy and commerce committee chair, and Morgan Griffith, chair of the subcommittee on oversight and investigations. "This hearing will help inform the committee as we continue working toward solutions that protect the health and well-being of all Americans."
2h ago
Yahoo Finance
Paramount stock soars as Wall Street sees possible Sony, Apollo buyout as 'positive' for all shareholders
Paramount is currently in exclusive merger talks with David Ellison's Skydance Media.
2h ago
Yahoo Finance
Netflix stock sinks on disappointing revenue forecast, move to scrap membership metrics
Netflix reported first quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday. Here's what to know.
2h ago
Yahoo Finance
This week in Bidenomics: A Middle East breather
Biden desperately wants to keep gasoline prices down. He may get his wish.
2h ago
Yahoo News
Trump’s hush money trial jury is set. Here’s why we won’t learn much about them.
The jury that will decide whether Donald Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records is made up of seven men and five women who live in Manhattan.
3h ago
Reuters
USDA confirms cow-to-cow transmission a factor in bird flu spread
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said this week that cow-to-cow transmission is a factor in the spread of bird flu in dairy herds, but it still does not know exactly how the virus is being moved around. Dairy herds in eight states tested positive over the past month, along with one dairy worker in Texas. "Those of us that have worked with influenza for a long time were fairly quickly saying, 'Yep it moves cow to cow,'" Jim Lowe, an associate dean at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, said on Friday.
3h ago
Yahoo News
Trump trial updates: Jury selection finished, man sets himself on fire outside courthouse
Five more alternate jurors were selected Friday following questioning from prosecution and defense lawyers, rounding out the 12 jurors and six alternates needed for the case against Trump to proceed.
3h ago
Reuters
Amazon ad exec Aubrey steps aside for new role
Amazon.com's advertising executive Colleen Aubrey, a member of the elite internal team advising the CEO, is moving to a new undisclosed position at the company. Spokeswoman Kristin Mariani said Aubrey's new position would be announced later. Aubrey is a member of the so-called "S-team," which counsels CEO Andy Jassy, and has worked at Amazon for nearly two decades.
3h ago
Reuters
Stablecoin Tether gets boost as dollar alternative in emerging markets, CEO says
Stablecoin Tether's recent growth is being driven by its use as an alternative to the U.S. dollar in emerging markets, rather than by demand for cryptocurrency trading, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino told Reuters on Friday. Tether issues a stablecoin, also called Tether or USDT, which is designed to maintain a constant value of $1 and is widely used in crypto-to-crypto trading. It has grown rapidly in recent years, hitting more than $100 billion worth of Tether tokens in circulation in March.
4h ago
Reuters
Organisers of Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia cancel annual celebrations over Gaza
An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Tunisia's Djerba‮ ‬synagogue and celebration has been cancelled due to the war in Gaza, the head of the organising committee, Perez Trabelsi, told Reuters on Friday. Trabelsi added that the committee has reduced the annual pilgrimage to limited rituals only inside the temple, and expects a very small number to arrive from France due to the tense situation in the Middle East. The southern island of Djerba – a holiday destination – is home to Africa’s oldest synagogue and the annual pilgrimage,‮ ‬attract thousands of Jews annually who come from Israel and several European countries.
4h ago
Reuters
Google scraps minimum wage, benefits rules for suppliers and staffing firms
Alphabet Inc's Google on Friday said it will roll back requirements that U.S. suppliers and staffing firms pay their employees at least $15 an hour and provide health insurance and other benefits, a move that could allow the tech giant to avoid bargaining with unions. The elimination of the 2019 policy, along with other steps such as limiting access by temporary workers and vendors to internal systems, are designed to comply with shifting U.S. and global labor regulations related to contingent workers, a spokesperson for Mountain View, California-based Google told Reuters. "These updates bring us in line with other large companies and simply clarify that Google is not, and has never been, the employer of our suppliers’ employees," the spokesperson said.
4h ago
Associated Press
A convicted rapist is charged with murder in the killing of a Connecticut visiting nurse
A convicted rapist was charged with murder and attempted sexual assault Friday in the killing of a visiting nurse at a Connecticut halfway house for sex offenders in October — a crime that spurred calls for better safety measures for home health care workers. Authorities added the charges against Michael Reese, 39, as he appeared in state court in Danielson for a related larceny and drug paraphernalia case. Police arrested him on those allegations as he was leaving the Willimantic halfway house on the day when Joyce Grayson was found dead in the basement on Oct. 28.
4h ago
Associated Press
New York closing in on $237B state budget with plans on housing, migrants, bootleg pot shops
New York state lawmakers are on the verge of passing a $237 billion budget that includes sweeping plans to build housing, shutter unlicensed cannabis storefronts and help manage the city's migrant crisis. The raft of proposals is expected to pass through the Legislature late Friday and into the weekend, almost three weeks after the budget was due. The governor and leaders of the state Senate and Assembly weighed countless political and business demands during their negotiations behind doors.
4h ago

Latest Stories