Hillary Clinton Campaign Manager Admits Under Oath That Hillary Agreed To Push Bogus Alfa Bank Story To Media
New York Times reporter Adam Goldman is giving a play-by-play inside the trial of Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussman. He is reporting that Clinton campaign manager Robbie Mook said Hillary was consulted and agreed with the decision to push the bogus Trump Alfa bank story to the media.
He reported: “Prosecutor Andrew DeFilippis asks Baker if he had learned that if somebody who drafted those white papers had been billing the campaign would that have mattered? Baker says absolutely.
“Baker would have been concerned about whether FBI was getting played and made sure the FBI slowed down. “I would have changed my assessment and reliability of the information.”
“Baker says that Sussmann never told him that GPS Fusion drafted one of the white papers. “I would have had serious conversations with senior leadership about what if anything to do with the material,” Baker said.
“If I learned that Michael was pushing to have the article published it would raised serious concerns about what was happening and whether the fbi was being played it would have raised a whole series of questions Baker says once he heard that Alfa Bank info has washed out, he flushed it from his mind.
“Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook is the next witness.
“Sussman Lawyer Michael Bosworth calls Robby Mook to the stand.
Mook says he doesnt recall interacting with Sussman during the campaign. He was not familiar with GPS Fusion during the campaign.
“Mook says it is not uncommon for campaigns to do opposition research. says it would probably be “malpractice” if they didnt
“Mook says the international piece of oppo research was assigned to Perkins Coie.
“Mook says he was briefed on Alfa Bank info but couldnt remember when.
Mook says that HRC agreed with the decision
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) May 20, 2022
“Mook said the campaign didnt totally understand the alfa bank data and “werent totally confident of it.”
“Mook said they needed to look at the data further
“Mook didnt know Sussmann was in touch with the NYT about the data. He was not aware that Sussmann went to the FBI on behalf of the campaign. he did not direct or authorize Sussmann to go to the FBI.
“Mook says he would have expected to know if Sussmann went to the FBI. Mook said going to the FBI doesnt seem like an effective way to get info the public.
Mook says “we did not trust them.” He said 2 or 3 of the most damaging days to the campaign were done by Comey and not Trump.
“We didn’t want to have anything to do with the organization.”
Mook doesnt recall of thinking of the Alfa Bank data was an “October surprise.” He didnt see it as a “silver bullet.”
DeFilippis on cross now.
Mook says he didnt know that GPS Fusion had been retained.
Mook tells DeFilippis that Marc Elias first briefed him about the Alfa Bank info.
Mook says he recalls being told the data had come from people with expertise. Mook never met the experts.
Mook says the campaign starting discussing whether to push the info to the media.
Mook says the campaign decided to give to a reporter the info so the reporter could run it down.
Mook says he discussed the decision with HRC.
Mook says that HRC agreed with the decision.
DeFilippis asks Mook who provided the data to the media. Mook doesn’t know but likely a campaign staffer.
Mook reviews and reads Hillary’s Tweet to the jury. It is now evidence in the trial.
Mook doesnt know if HRC drafted the Tweet.
Mook says they gave to the reporter so he could write for the “American people.
DeFilippis asks Mook if anything changed in terms of his confidence after the Alfa Bank story was published. Mook says yes in the sense that a reporter reviewed the material. DeFilippis takes a shot at the media and says the media often gets stories wrong.
DeFilippis is circling back to the concept of an “October Surprise.” DeFilippis seems to be insinuating that Alfa Bank story was an October Surprise. He then brings up the Oct. 31 HRC Tweet that was just entered into evidence.
Mook reviews and reads this Tweet to the jury. It is now evidence in the trial. https://t.co/QTTusBKedU
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) May 20, 2022