More than eight months after he was fingered for allegedly illegal activity, a former FBI lawyer is set to plead guilty to one federal charge related to doctoring a document.
That's according to the Department of Justice.
Inspector General Michael Horowitz uncovered the alleged wrongdoing by Kevin Clinesmith, then an FBI attorney, and announced it in his report last December: a doctored email submitted to a court to wiretap former Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page.
This is the first criminal charge related to the investigation by U.S. Attorney John Durham after Horowitz found dozens of egregious abuses made by government agents investigating the Trump campaign in 2016.
"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."
Attorney for former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith
According to reporting by the New York Times:
Mr. Clinesmith worked on both the Hillary Clinton email investigation and the Russia investigation. He was among the F.B.I. officials removed by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, after Mr. Horowitz found text messages expressing political animus against Mr. Trump.
Shortly after Mr. Trump’s election victory, for example, Mr. Clinesmith texted another official that “the crazies won finally,” disparaged Mr. Trump’s health care and immigration agendas, and called Vice President Mike Pence “stupid.” In another text, he wrote, in the context of a question about whether he intended to stay in government, “viva la resistance.”
New York Times
Do they think we are that dumb. He knew exactly what he was doing. He is part of the group trying to remove President Trump.
He should have the book thrown at him.
No wonder the Hillary emails were “lost. He worked that case.
He is just one of my heroes. Trump must removed at any cost by any means.
That’s how you stupid leftists roll isn’t it? Lie, cheat, steal, until you get what you want no matter who you take down or KILL in the process.
At any cost? By any means? It’s astonishing the hate that the left has for a political adversary. The right isn’t your enemy, they’re your opponent. Calm down. Make your mom proud
Wow, sounds like a threat! Guess you are all for law enforcement planting evidence if they don't agree with you then?
Robert the dipcht......with your comments. expect a visit from the fed. What a horrible thing to say about a hero who kepoot this shi p afloat after 8 years of destruction by Obama and Biden ( the demented one)
So you are ok with the Government fraudulently imprisoning American Citizens? You should be next!
How Machiavellian....
You are a Marxist. Perhaps you should be removed based on the same thought process. Get a new hero.
well that's wonderful....back in the USSR
Really the first man since for ever that has put America first. You should chage the channel they are lieing to you to push US to Socilisum! That's why they say everything will be free! Hahahaha
So is he going to get 7 years in prison like Roger Stone? NO he will get a slap on the wrist and told not to do that again. I would be shocked if he get anything over 1 week
As you indicated more than 8 months after the DOJ IG gifted this case to Durham wrapped with a bow, there better be more than this one plea by this little fish.
He made a deal.
Don't be a defeatist. He's expected to plead guilty. It's a good start.
That’s the saddest comment but you are probably right! President Trump has been pummeled continuously along with his Administration and his followers! It’s past time for these Law Breakers to be punished!! Let them pay for their crimes!! They don’t control America and shouldn’t feel free to cause harm to those they don’t agree with!! Period!!
He should be disbarred and not allowed to work I. Government ever again.
I’m afraid you’re right.
Don't care what he gets if he puts the ringleaders in orange PJs. As a felon he can kiss that law degree goodbye; maybe get a job at Walmart with all the Trump voters, oh no wait, I don't think they hire felons. He will have to raid mailboxes for a chance to vote.
His best punishment would be a minimum of 10 years of hard labor at Walmart with all the smelly Trump boosters!
I woul;d much rather work at Walmart WITH all of the Trump voters verses like yourself liove off the government and expect them to provide your means.
Roger Stone got pardoned virtually the next day.
How uninformed can one be?
Stone has not been pardoned
He didn't get pardoned. His sentence was commuted.
Roger Stone has not been pardoned.
considering that he shouldn't have ever been in the position to need it.
The hole thing was set up to take this president down. So.....
"So is he going to" have his consequences commuted like Roger Stone? " I would be shocked... "
I’m sorry is Roger Stone, Michael Flynn or Paul Manfort in jail? Not in this Banana Republic. Keep crying
Manafort has been. Released recently, I believe.
Just what I thought all along. A nobody will get a minor reprimand while the head conspiritors go free to coup again.
If this man does not do equal time to Stone suggested. You can count on Americans not paying attention to Your laws or tax requirements. You have lost your minds if that is allowed. .
The interesting question— is he cooperating?
Important not because of the potential sentence, but because his cooperation could help the cases against others.
I saw that McCabe takes credit for removing Strozk from the Mueller investigation in response to texts. This is before journalists, legislators, Trump supporters started investigating. How did these texts reach McCabe in 2017 before the world knew of them?
About Clinesmith, he was a product of the hive he was raised in.
Lock him up.
The little S.O.B. "deeply regrets" getting caught. The charge needs to be upped a bit..... to "Conspiracy to commit a Presidential coup".
I think what he did amounts to treason. What is the penalty for treason in the US?
it WAS "hanging"...don't know when the law was changed but it needs to be reinstated so we could get rid of ALL of these traitors all the way up to Obama and Hillary
His ilk should be making big rocks into smaller rocks at Leavenworth. He is a classic example of the Deep State with his little viva la resistance mentality. Trump needs to do a wholesale extermination of that D.C,. aka disgusting cesspool., toxic and bloated waste we laughing refer to as our government.
I don't understand why he admits guilt if he also claims he didn't know what he was doing. Is that what you learn in law school?
How do you alter the contents of someone else's email without knowing you are forwarding false information?
Of course he intended to mislead the court.
Let the dominos fall, all the way up the chain of command .
Let the dominos fall, all the way up the chain of command .
This attorney knew exactly what was going on. Make an example out of him.
Now that the first REAL TRUTH is out in the open, let's see if this guy will spill all the bean and bring in Clinton, Comey, and the rest to save his own skin.
AG Barr promised there would be movement today, but not earth shattering.
But like fracking, first you drill down then you frack sideways. When one pleads guilty, it's because prosecutors have everything for a conviction—and all parties know it. That said, as an attorney for the FBI, he also knows that full cooperation (turning states evidence through testimony and other inside corroboration of criminal acts by cohorts), may just be his ticket to a reduced sentence, depending on the value he can create. Some avalanches start as a snowball but can end as a D5 catastrophic event. I sincerely hope his cohorts in crime are sweating profusely as the hours tick by for showtime.
Well said, James. I share your hope.
Lock him up and keep them coming they’ lied and cheated to be able to spy on the Trump Campaign now it’s time to pay. You can only Joe Biden is next for advising the FBI to charge Flynn under The Logan Act which hasn’t been used since 1799 ..please keep the charges coming
Looks like the 3 tier system at work again. Poor man gets the book, rich man gets no or little time, and government officials gets sweet deals .
Career in politics, journalism awaits him.
"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."
What logic and coherence is this kid spewing forth, what law school did this kid graduate from