OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Just weeks after special counsel John Durham, charged during the Trump administration with investigating the origins of “Russian collusion” allegations, dropped his report after a lengthy four-year investigation, shocking new details regarding the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign have emerged.
According to senior RealClearInvestigations reporter Paul Sperry, a key Clinton legal contractor with ties to the so-called “Steele Dossier,” refused to hand over hundreds of documents sought by Durham during his probe. And what’s more, Sperry says that Durham didn’t even try to force the issue.
“BREAKING: Hillary Clinton campaign contractor Fusion GPS held back more than 1,500 DOCUMENTS sought by Special Counsel Durham, claiming attorney-client privilege, and Durham didn’t sue for the evidence,” Sperry wrote on Twitter on Friday.
He added: “[Federal Election Commission] ruled against Clinton campaign for hiding behind a related legal claim.”
BREAKING: Hillary Clinton campaign contractor Fusion GPS held back more than 1,500 DOCUMENTS sought by Special Counsel Durham, claiming attorney-client privilege, and Durham didn’t sue for the evidence. (FEC ruled against Clinton campaign for hiding behind a related legal claim.)
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) June 2, 2023
In another tweet, Sperry added: “DEVELOPING: Garland and Wray persuaded Durham to bury in a Classified Appendix of his report even more egregious examples of FBI misconduct in the last 2 FISA applications to renew wiretaps to spy on Trump aide Page. Trump could declassify the doc if he recaptures the White House.”
DEVELOPING: Garland and Wray persuaded Durham to bury in a Classified Appendix of his report even more egregious examples of FBI misconduct in the last 2 FISA applications to renew wiretaps to spy on Trump aide Page. Trump could declassify the doc if he recaptures the White House
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) June 4, 2023
Finally, Sperry offered an explanation as to why Durham and his team may not have been as aggressive as they could have been in pursuing their investigation into why the FBI launched a counterintelligence probe into Trump’s 2016 campaign for no legitimate reason.
“FEC records show virtually all of Durham’s prosecutors were Romney/McCain Republicans, which means they likely had little sympathy for Trump. Explains the lack of aggression going after FBI/DOJ officials who targeted Trump and the focus on Democratic activists instead,” Sperry tweeted.
DEVELOPING: FEC records show virtually all of Durham’s prosecutors were Romney/McCain Republicans, which means they likely had little sympathy for Trump. Explains the lack of aggression going after FBI/DOJ officials who targeted Trump and the focus on Democratic activists instead
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) June 2, 2023
The highly anticipated report by Durham on the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, commonly referred to as “Operation Crossfire Hurricane,” was finally released on May 15.
Durham’s investigation concluded that there was no substantial evidence of collusion during the initial stages of the investigation. Additionally, the report emphasized that there was no documented evidence in FBI records indicating any communication between Russian intelligence officials and Trump campaign personnel during the campaign.
The report further verified that the FBI had not obtained a FISA warrant to conduct surveillance on George Papadopoulos, an adviser to the Trump campaign. Additionally, it stated that there was no corroborating evidence to support the allegations made in the Steele dossier.
The report also noted that senior members of the Obama administration, including then-Vice President Joe Biden, were briefed on a purported scheme by Clinton to fabricate a false connection between Trump and Russia in 2016.
In response to the report’s release, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, has requested Durham’s testimony. The New York Post reported that Durham is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on June 21.
Congressional Republicans voiced their indignation and bewilderment regarding the refusal of several pivotal figures in the investigation, such as former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and former FBI counterintelligence chief Peter Strzok, to participate in interviews with Durham.
