Investigation into whether Russia tried to influence the 2016 election (did) and whether it collided with Trump’s campaign to do so was regularly described by the former president as “the biggest witch hunt in the world.” the history of the United States “.
The real story, according to Trump, was how the counterintelligence investigation in Russia began, a story that Special Adviser John Durham was going to get to the bottom of.
At the heart of what Trump called the “crime of the century” was a Durham allegation that Michael Sussman, a Clinton campaign attorney, had lied to the FBI about his own interests in conveying advice about Trump. and Russia. Tuesday. , Sussman was found not guilty of lying charges by a federal jury. As CNN wrote:
“The verdict is a major defeat for Durham and his Justice Department prosecutors, who have spent three years seeking harm to the Trump-Russia investigation.”
It remains to be seen when Durham will complete his investigation and whether he will file charges against anyone else.
But what is clear is that Sussman’s allegation, which was by far the most prominent outcome of Durham’s investigation to date, is a major change and a mistake on the part of the special counsel.
The point: It has always been difficult to align Trump’s savage claims about the seriousness of Durham’s investigation with its findings. This disparity has never been more pronounced than it is today.