Both sides gave their closing arguments in the false statements trial of Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann on Friday, with each accusing the other of using “magic tricks” to try to sway the jury.
Sussmann, a former Perkins Coie lawyer, has been charged by special counsel John Durham with concealing his clients, Clinton's 2016 campaign and tech executive Rodney Joffe, from FBI General Counsel James Baker when he pushed allegations of a secret back channel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa-Bank during a Sept. 19, 2016, meeting. He has pleaded not guilty and did not take the stand in his own defense.
Berkowitz said that, similarly, “this is a case about misdirection” and attacked “the special counsel’s magic trick.” Durham prosecutor Jonathan Algor had delivered the first hourlong closing statement, arguing that Sussmann had used his privilege as a respected national security lawyer, former DOJ veteran, and friend of Baker to push false allegations to the FBI to try to generate an “October surprise” to hurt Trump ahead of the election.
Durham's team presented evidence this week showing Sussmann billed Clinton’s campaign for the thumb drives he used to push the allegations to the FBI in 2016. Fusion also drafted one of the “white papers” Sussmann gave Baker.“Michael Sussmann, a serious national security lawyer, got what he believed was credible and reliable data from world-leading DNS expert Rodney Joffe,” the defense lawyer said. “Sussmann gave a heads up to the FBI and did not ask for anything.
Baker met with him the next day and testified last week he was “100% confident” Sussmann told him in the meeting he was not there on behalf of a client.
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