On Wednesday, ex-FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty to making false statements.
In the first criminal case of U.S. Attorney John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation, the DOJ charged that Clinesmith changed an email regarding former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page, saying Page was “not a source” for another government agency, when, in fact, Page had been a CIA source in the past, having served as an “operational contact” from 2008 to 2013.
Fox reports that:
The Justice Department’s charging document stated that Clinesmith “did willfully and knowingly make and use a false writing and document, knowing the same to contain a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and entry in a matter before the jurisdiction of the executive branch and judicial branch of the Government of the United States.”
The document said he altered another official’s June 2017 email to say Page (referred to as “Individual #1”) was “not a source” when the original email did not contain those words.
The filing said another official took Clinesmith’s altered email, relied on it, and signed and submitted the renewed FISA application to the FISA Court.
“The application for FISA #4 did not include Individual #1’s history or status with the OGA [other government agency],” the document read.
Fox also reported that Clinesmith’s attorney Justin Shur stated:
“Kevin deeply regrets having altered the email. It was never his intent to mislead the court or his colleagues as he believed the information he relayed was accurate. But Kevin understands what he did was wrong and accepts responsibility.”
Justice needs to happen in order to rectify the biggest political scandal in U.S. history. Hopefully this is just the beginning.
