Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to a misdemeanor statement in the first criminal case that emerged from U.S. Attorney John Durham’s review of Russia’s 2016 investigation into ties of Trump.
U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg accepted the lawsuit. Clinesmith’s sentencing date is set for Dec. 10. At 11 a.m. ET.
Durham’s office on Wednesday said Clinesmith’s guilty plea was “one count of making a false statement within both the jurisdiction of the executive branch and judicial branch of the U.S. government, a crime that carries a maximum term of faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $ 250,000. “
Clinesmith was referred for potential prosecution by the Office of the Office of the Inspector General of Justice, which conducted its own review of the Russia investigation.
The inspector general accused Clinesmith, though not by name, of exchanging an email about former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page saying he was “no source” for another government agency.
Page said he was a source for the CIA.
The Department of Justice relied on Clinesmith’s allegation because in 2017 it submitted a third and definitive application for innovation to pull off Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
During the lawsuit, Boasberg asked Clinesmith to confirm that he “deliberately altered an email and added language” that “individual number one” was “not a source … and you knew the statement was in fact untrue.”
Clinesmith replied, “At the time I thought the information I provided was accurate, but I agree that the information I entered was not original, and I entered the information.”
Boasberg went on to ask, “Did you intentionally modify the email to include information that was not originally in the email?”
“Yes, your honor,” replied Clinesmith.
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“Kevin deeply regrets that he changed the email. It was never his intention to mislead the court or his colleagues because he believed the information he passed on was accurate. But Kevin understands what he was doing. wrong and accepts responsibility, “Clinesmith’s attorney Justin Shur said in a statement.
President Trump, noting the matter at the top of a press conference last week, called the individual “corrupt” and predicted that the charge “is just the beginning.”
‘The fact is, they spied on my campaign and caught it. And you will hear more, ‘he said.
The Justice Department’s charge document stated that Clinesmith ‘knowingly and knowingly made and used a false writing and document, did the same to contain a materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statement and entry into a case before the jurisdiction of the executive department. and judicial branch of the United States Government. ”
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The document said he changed June 2017’s email from another official to say that Page (referred to as “Individual # 1”) was “not a source” when the original email did not contain those words.
The submission said another official took Clinesmith’s changed email, relied on it and signed and renewed the updated FISA application to the FISA court.
“The application for FISA # 4 does not cover the history or status of individual # 1 at the OGA [other government agency], ”Read the document.
Meanwhile, an FBI spokesman told Fox News last week that “under the leadership of Director Wray, the FBI has been, and will continue to be, fully cooperating with Mr. Durham’s review. This includes providing documents and assigning staff to his team to help. “
“Although the FBI has no comment on ongoing legal matters, it is important to note that the employee in this case no longer works for the FBI, and was fired before an internal disciplinary process was completed,” the FBI spokesman said. .
Durham was appointed by Attorney General Bill Barr last year to investigate the origins of the FBI’s original Russia probe, shortly after former Special Counsel Robert Mueller completed his years-long investigation into whether the campaign with the Russians coincided with the 2016 presidential election. to influence.
Durham’s timeline was set for July 2016, when the FBI’s original Russia probe began, through Mueller’s appointment in May 2017.
Mueller’s investigation provided no evidence of criminal collusion or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 elections, although the question of whether Trump obstructed justice was left open in the final report.
Meanwhile, Fox News reported last week that a declassified document revealed that the FBI agent who provided a defensive briefing on election interference to the Trump campaign in August 2016 “actively listened” to certain topics – used it as a “cover” to then check -candidate Donald Trump and Michael Flynn, a source familiar with the document said.
The agent who provided the briefing was Joe Pientka. Pientka’s notes follow a briefing on August 17, 2016 to then-candidates Trump, Michael Flynn and Chris Christie, “in support of ODNI briefings delivered to U.S. presidential candidates and two of their advisers.”
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The document was dated August 30, 2016, and submitted under “Crossfire Hurricane,” the FBI code name for its investigation into whether the Trump campaign was combined with the Russians to influence the 2016 election; “Crossfire Razor,” the FBI code name for the investigation into Michael Flynn; “Russia sensitive investigative case,” and FARA, the Law on the Registration of Foreign Agents.
The document states that Clinesmith and FBI official Peter Strzok “approved” Pientka’s “notes”.
