By Steve Neavling
Michael Sussman, a cybersecurity attorney who represented Hillary Clinton during the presidential election, was acquitted by a jury Tuesday of lying to the FBI.
The jury’s decision represents a significant defeat for special counsel John Durham, who was investigating the origins of the federal investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Sussmann was accused of lying to the FBI in September 2016 by falsely saying he was not representing Clinton’s campaign. At the time, Sussmann told the FBI that cybersecurity researchers were concerned about possible ties between Russia and the Trump organization.
The false statement “deprived the FBI of information that might have permitted it to more fully assess and uncover the origins of the relevant data and technical analysis, including the identities and motivations of Sussmann’s clients,” the indictment stated.
Sussman’s lawyers have long called the prosecution baseless and political.
The jury took six hours to deliberate.
After the trial, the jury’s forewoman said the Justice Department had a weak case.
“Personally, I don’t think it should have been prosecuted,” the forewoman said, adding the government “could have spent our time more wisely,” The Washington Post reports.
Former Attorney General William Barr appointed Durham three years ago to investigation wrongdoing during the Russia-Trump investigation.
Sussman thanked the jury.
“I told the truth to the FBI,” he said. “Despite being falsely accused, I am relieved that justice ultimately prevailed in this case. As you can imagine, this has been a difficult year for my family and me. But right now, we are grateful for the love and support of so many during this ordeal, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the work that I love.”
