Hillarys Role in the Russia Smear

[ad_1]

Michael Sussmann speaks to members of the media outside the federal courthouse in Washington, May 31. Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press

The acquittal of former Hillary Clinton lawyer Michael Sussmanncharged with lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation while acting on behalf of her 2016 campaignleaves major questions unanswered about Mrs. Clintons role in her campaigns effort to tie Donald Trump to Russia. It also provides new evidence that she personally directed the effort.

In July 2016, John Brennan, then director of the Central Intelligence Agency, briefed President Obama that Mrs. Clinton gave approval for a proposal from one of her foreign policy advisors to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up scandal and claiming interference by the Russian security service, according to Mr. Brennans notes from the meeting, which were obtained by Fox News.

During Mr. Sussmanns trial, Mrs. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, testified that he and other top aides decided to feed the press a story in October 2016 about the now-disproven allegations of secret ties between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank. Importantly, Mr. Mook said that Mrs. Clinton was aware of, and approved of, this plan. We discussed it with Hillary, Mr. Mook testified. She agreed with the decision.

When the campaign leaked the unverified story, Clinton aide Jake Sullivannow President Bidens national security adviser, and perhaps the foreign-policy adviser to whom Mr. Brennan referredissued a statement indicating that a probe could be imminent: We can only assume that federal authorities will now explore this direct connection between Trump and Russia as part of their existing probe into Russias meddling in our elections. Mrs. Clinton tweeted out Mr. Sullivans statement.

Another reason to think Mrs. Clinton directed the effort was its sheer cost. The Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee paid $ 12.4 million, $ 5.6 million of which came from the campaign, to Perkins Coie, Mr. Sussmanns law firm, to pay Fusion GPS for this opposition research on Trump.

One of us (Mr. Schoen) worked with Mrs. Clinton during her 2000 Senate race and worked closely with President Clinton during his 1996 re-election campaign. In 1996 both Clintons had detailed knowledge of virtually every aspect of the campaign and the Whitewater investigation. Mrs. Clinton is far more precise and organized than her husband, and she is meticulous about campaign spending. It isnt plausible that her campaign would have spent so much money without her knowing every major aspect of the undertakingincluding how this information would be shared with federal authorities.

Mr. Clinton is also obsessed with October surprises. In 1996 he led Bob Dole comfortably, yet six months before the election the campaign had internal conversations about what Doles October surprise would be and how the campaign could blunt it. Its probable that Mrs. Clinton, a prohibitive favorite 20 years later, also worried about October surprises.

FBI director James Comey delivered an October surprise, the revelation that the bureau had reopened its investigation into Mrs. Clintons improper use of a private email account to conduct official State Department business. But in September 2016, when Mr. Sussmann went to the FBI, she had every reason to believe the bureau wouldn’t be hostile. Mr. Comey had issued a favorable decision for Mrs. Clinton on the email matter in July 2016, and the wife of then deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe had run for Virginia Senate with the Clintons support.

Taken together, the revelations from the Sussmann trial, the resources that went into the campaigns attempt to tie Trump to Russia, the Clintons focus on October surprises, and their cordial relationship with the FBI make it abundantly likely that Mrs. Clinton not only knew about but led the entire smear campaign.

Mr. Schoen was a senior adviser to Bill Clintons 1996 campaign, a White House adviser (1994-2000) and an adviser to Hillary Clintons 2000 US Senate campaign. Mr. Stein, a Democrat, served as New York City Council president, 1986-94.

Review & Outlook: Appearing as a witness in John Durhams trial of Michael Sussmann, Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign manager, Robby Mook, says she personally approved a plan to give a false ‘Trump, Russia’ claim to the news media. Images: Reuters Composite: Mark Kelly

Copyright 2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

[ad_2]