Sussmann trial: Washington Post defends Clinton, claims she didn’t trigger Trump-Russia probe
Former Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook testified Friday that Hillary Clinton approved of leaking Trump-Russia allegations to media
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Washington Post was accused of bias on Monday after publishing a piece that claimed there is "no evidence" Hillary Clinton triggered the Russian probe despite her former campaign manager testifying that she approved distributing materials alleging a secret communications channel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank to the media, despite not being "totally confident" in the legitimacy of the data.
On Friday, ex-Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook testified that his former boss approved the move when grilled during the trial of ex-Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann, who has been charged with making a false statement to the FBI. Mook was called to the stand for testimony by Sussmann’s defense, and during cross-examination he was asked about the campaign’s understanding of the Alfa Bank allegations against Trump and whether they planned to release the data to the media.
Mook said the campaign was not totally confident in the legitimacy of the data but eventually admitted Clinton herself approved "the dissemination" of the information to the media.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"She agreed," Mook testified. "All I remember is that she agreed with the decision."
SPECIAL COUNSEL JOHN DURHAM'S PROSECUTION OF MICHAEL SUSSMANN: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Washington Post has added editor’s note to more than dozen stories since Igor Danchenko was indicted. ((Eric BARADAT / AFP))
MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS are among the mainstream news outlets that have completely ignored the bombshell testimony, but Washington Post nation correspondent Phillip Bump took a different strategy and provided cover for Clinton.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Post’s piece headlined, "Again: there’s no evidence Hillary Clinton triggered the Russian probe," began by criticizing a Wall Street Journal editorial board column that condemned the 2016 Democratic nominee for harming the country by pushing the narrative that Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia.
"The editorial is titled: ‘Hillary Clinton Did It,’" Bump wrote of the Journal’s piece. "A fiery, furious bit of rhetoric. Also rhetoric that is indefensible given the evidence. It is rhetoric aimed at scratching a long-frustrating itch rather than accurately informing readers."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bump declared Mook’s testimony was the "trigger" for the editorial to be written before defending the 2016 presidential runner-up at all costs.
Former Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook testified Friday that Hillary Clinton approved the leak of materials to the media alleging a backchannel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
"Mook told the jury that Clinton had approved the leak of an allegation tying Donald Trump’s private business to a Russian bank as the election neared. This, the Journal argues, is what Clinton ‘did,’" Bump wrote. "The criminal trial centers on whether the attorney, Michael Sussmann, was working for the Clinton campaign when he brought the rumored digital link between Alfa Bank and the Trump Organization to the FBI and, if so, whether he failed to disclose that relationship to the bureau. Special counsel John Durham — appointed by Trump Attorney General William P. Barr to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, which so annoyed the then-president — appears to be hoping to bolster the idea elevated by the Journal: that Clinton was a primary trigger for allegations about Trump and Russia."
Bump informed Washington Post readers that Trump’s alleged ties to the Alfa bank were quickly debunked, and that nothing suspicious or election related was involved.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bump went on to claim that "a community of fervent conspiracy theorists" thought Trump and Russia had some sort of strange relationship well before Clinton got involved.
"Why was there already so much chatter about Trump and Russia? Because so many things had emerged to draw attention to the unusual nature of the candidate’s approach to that country," Bump wrote before listing examples of Trump rumored ties to Russia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Washington Post was accused of bias on Monday after publishing a piece that claimed there is "no evidence" Hillary Clinton triggered the Russian probe despite her former campaign manager testifying that she approved distributing materials alleging a secret communications channel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank to the media. (Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Bump attempted to make the case that things including WikiLeaks publishing Democratic National Committee emails, George Will pondering why Trump wouldn’t release his taxes and ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort all helped the public believe there could have been more to the Trump-Russia story.
"Law enforcement also understood that Russia was continuing to try to influence the election, publishing a warning in early October about possible threats to state elections systems. By that point, a federal probe of possible campaign-Russia ties was already underway," Bump wrote.
Essentially, the Post’s national correspondent feels Clinton couldn’t have triggered the Russian probe, despite Mook’s damning testimony, because people were already curious about the collusion narrative.
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"The Clinton campaign was following the conversation to undercut its opponent, not leading it," Bump wrote. "Put another way: Hillary Clinton didn’t do it."
The House Judiciary Committee’s Republicans are among the critics of the liberal newspaper’s framing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Can’t make up the bias sometimes," the House Judiciary GOP tweeted.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.