Attorney Who Altered Email During Russia Probe May Be Able To Practice Law Again – JP

The former FBI attorney who altered an email during the Russia probe – making it appear as though former Trump campaign aide Carter Page hadn’t been a CIA asset when, in fact, he was – may be able to practice law again in year.

Kevin Clinesmith, the attorney, pleaded guilty in August 2020 on a charge of felony false statement, receiving one year of probation and 400 hours of community service for his role in continuing the investigation into whether then-President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to steal the election.

As JP previously reported, Clinesmith altered an email from an FBI agent that stated former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page had been a source for the CIA, Politico reported. Clinesmith altered the email to say Page was “not a source” for the CIA, which helped the FBI continue its surveillance of Page.

Clinesmith’s attorney’s argued that he genuinely believed that what he was altering the email to say was true, and he simply wanted to save himself the additional work of reaching out to the CIA for an email. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg – an Obama nominee – sided with Clinesmith’s defense.

“My view of the evidence is that Mr. Clinesmith likely believed that what he said about Mr. Page was true,” Boasberg said, according to Politico. “By altering the email, he was saving himself some work and taking an inappropriate shortcut.”

Had Clinesmith followed through, however, Page would have been confirmed as a former CIA asset and nearly all of the FBI’s reasoning for spying on him would have been negated. – READ MORE

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