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EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump said revelations in the trial of former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann and his acquittal make him “want to fight even harder,” warning that if we don’t win, our country will collapse “.
A jury found Sussmann not guilty on Tuesday after special attorney John Durham accused him of making a false statement to the FBI.
MEGIR THE ABOLUTION, DURHAM’S PRODUCTION AGAINST SUSSMANN ADDED TO EVIDENCE CLINTON’S JOINT CAMPAIGN TO LINK TRUMP TO RUSSIA
Sussmann in September 2016 brought information to the FBI alleging a covert communication channel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alpha Bank. Durham alleged that Sussmann lied to then-FBI Attorney General James Baker when he said he presented these allegations as a national security concern.
Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer who represented Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign (AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta) ((AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta))
Durham said Sussmann was acting as a lawyer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and noted billing records that reveal that Sussmann repeatedly charged the campaign for his work in gathering information linking Trump to bank linked to the Kremlin.
When asked if the verdict had any effect on his future political plans, pointing to his 2024 campaign plans, Trump joked, “Anyway, it makes me want to fight even harder.”
TRUMP REACTS TO THE WITNESS THAT CLINTON SPREADED THE REPORTS IN RUSSIA: “WHERE DO I RETURN MY REPUTATION?”
“If we don’t win, our country will be ruined,” Trump said. “We have bad borders, bad elections and a judicial system that is not working properly.”
He added: “Our country is being systematically destroyed.”
“They spied on my campaign. They caught them. If a Republican had done that, and the obvious steps forward, it would be a virtual death penalty,” Trump said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Wednesday.
President Donald Trump crosses the south lawn when he arrives at the White House in Washington on Friday, April 28, 2017. (President Donald Trump crosses the south lawn as he arrives at the White House in Washington, Friday, April 28, 2017 ). .)
The key allegations that linked Trump to Russia during the 2016 election and his presidency and led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller originated with people linked to Clinton and her presidential campaign, with former officials now questioning why Mueller’s team of experienced prosecutors didn’t. report these connections as part of their research for years.
“They had words, they were just looking in one direction,” Trump said. “No matter how far they turned and saw all these crimes, they wouldn’t go.”
He added: “Mueller and everyone else knew what was going on, and they didn’t do anything about it.”
After nearly two years, Mueller’s more than $ 30 million investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.
FILE – In this May 29, 2019 archive photo, Special Counsel Robert Mueller speaks to the Washington Department of Justice about Russia’s investigation. (Photo AP / Carolyn Kaster, file) (Photo AP / Carolyn Kaster, file)
During the Sussmann trial – the first trial since the Durham investigation in years over the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation – Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said Hillary Clinton herself approved the release of untested information which he later denied to the media alleging a cover-up. communication channel between the Trump organization and Alfa Bank of Russia.
HILLARY CLINTON Approves Dissemination of Russian Trump Bank’s Allegations in the Media, Campaign Director Witnesses
“This was completely illegal. What they did was a betrayal, and it also put our country in great danger with Russia,” Trump said.
As for Clinton, Trump said, “She should be ashamed of herself.”
“I think she should be ashamed of herself and lost the election. She should be ashamed of herself and also [Adam] Schiff and all these corrupt politicians, “Trump told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the Trump-Alfa Bank allegations, Clinton-linked officials also pushed for and paid for the anti-Trump dossier, which contained allegations of coordination between Trump and the Russian government. It was written by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer.
FILE – In this July 8, 2016 archive photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the National Convention of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Donald Trump surprised the nation by winning the White House, a possible victory in part to become the first Republican presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since 1988. The businessman outperformed Clinton by about 44,000 votes (AP Photo / Matt Rourke, File) (AP Photo / Matt Rourke, file)
Clinton’s campaign attorney general Marc Elias said as part of the trial that Sussmann had personally hired Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm that commissioned the now infamous anti-Trump dossier.
The Clinton campaign and the DNC funded the case through Perkins Coie’s law firm, where both Elias and Sussmann were employed at the time.
The record has been largely discredited.
The allegations between Trump and Russia not only boosted federal law enforcement investigations, but also those in Congress.
The House Select Standing Committee on Intelligence, led by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., And the Senate Intelligence Committee opened investigations into whether Trump and his campaign members collaborated. to work with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential race.
Special Counsel John Durham. (REUTERS / Julia Nikhinson)
After declassifying thousands of pages of transcripts of House Intelligence Committee interviews, Schiff, under pressure from Grenell and House Republicans, finally published them. The transcripts revealed, among other things, that senior Obama officials acknowledged that they had no “empirical evidence” of collusion or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election. Fox News first reported on the transcripts.
Neither the House nor Senate investigation found evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia.
“Where do you get your reputation from?” Trump asked.
FLASHBACK: DNI DECLASSES BRENNAN, CIA MEMO NOTES ON HILLARY CLINTON’S STIRRING UP SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA
Trump went on to say that former Attorney General Bill Barr should have pushed Durham, whom Barr appointed in April 2019 to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation and then selected as special counsel, because publish the findings of their investigation before the 2020 elections.
“This should have been posted earlier so that voters could see what was going on and could have voted accordingly,” Trump said.
SUSSMANN-DURHAM TRIAL: MARC ELIAS SAYS HE INFORMED CLINTON CAMPAIGN OFFICERS ABOUT OPPO GPS FUSION AGAINST TRUMP
“Remember, what they did had a much bigger impact on the 2020 election than on the 2016 election, because they did a lot of that, it was a continuation of the pre-2016 election with Russia, Russia and Russia for three years, “Trump said.
Barr selected Durham as special counsel in October 2020, but did not make the appointment public until after the 2020 election.
Durham has charged three people as part of his investigation: Sussmann in September 2021, Igor Danchenko in November 2021, and Kevin Clinesmith in August 2020.
TRUMP “PROBABLY” TO ANNOUNCE 2024 PLANS AFTER MEDIA: “MANY PEOPLE WILL BE VERY HAPPY”
The Durham investigation is ongoing.
As for Trump’s plans for 2024, the former president told Fox News in November that he plans to make an announcement about his decision on whether or not to run again after the 2022 midterm elections.