Democratic Lawyer Charged in Probe of Trump-Russian Investigation Pleads Not Guilty
15:47 GMT 17.09.2021 (Updated: 16:16 GMT 17.09.2021)
© AP Photo / Evan VucciRepublican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walk to their seats after arriving for the second presidential debate at Washington University, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in St. Louis
© AP Photo / Evan Vucci
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Michael Sussmann, the lawyer who acted on behalf of the Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign to bring allegations of a secret communications channel between Donald Trump and a Russian bank to the FBI, pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to them about his association with the Clinton campaign during an interview.
Sussmann appeared before the DC District Court on Friday, where he entered a not guilty plea to one count of making false statements to the US government, which is punishable by up to five years in prison barring aggravating penalties.
"We are confident that if Mr. Sussmann is charged, he will prevail at trial and vindicate his good name", Sussmann's attorneys said.
Michael Sussman leaves U.S. District Court after pleading NOT GUILTY to the charge against him from the Durham probe. @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/8vihoQbU2v
— Jake Rosen (@JakeMRosen) September 17, 2021
The grand jury indictment suggests that Sussmann lied when he "stated to the General Counsel of the FBI that he was not acting on behalf of any client in conveying particular allegations concerning a Presidential candidate, when in truth, and in fact, as the defendant well knew, he was acting on behalf of specific clients, namely, Tech Executive-1 and the Clinton Campaign".
Sussmann is set to be granted conditional pretrial release, which allows him to avoid detention so long as he adheres to the rules of release. These include limiting travel, surrendering his passport, restricting his right to own firearms and communicating regularly with the court and pretrial services.