Why John Durham's investigation has failed so spectacularly
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Oct. 19, 2022, 12:00 PM UTC
By Steve Benen
After years of effort, special counsel John Durham and his team had one last chance to prove that their investigation had merit. As NBC News reported, it didn't go well.
A federal jury acquitted Russian analyst Igor Danchenko on Tuesday on four counts of lying to the FBI in what is expected to be the final case stemming from special counsel John Durham's three-year probe into the origins of the agency's investigation into allegations of ties between former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.
Prosecutors alleged Danchenko provided false information to the FBI in 2017, as part of its efforts to verify information from Christopher Steele's dossier on Trump's alleged Russia ties. The case was thin; jurors noticed; and Danchenko was acquitted.
And at that point, the entire Durham probe appeared to reach an ignominious end.
For those who might benefit from a refresher — you'd be forgiven for thinking, "John Durham's name sounds familiar, but I can't remember why I'm supposed to care about him" — let's revisit our earlier coverage and explain how we arrived at this point.
The original investigation into Trump's Russia scandal, led by then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller, led to a series of striking findings: The former president's political operation in 2016 sought, embraced, capitalized on, and lied about Russian assistance — and then took steps to obstruct the investigation into the foreign interference.
The Trump White House wasn't pleased with the conclusions, but the Justice Department's inspector general conducted a lengthy probe of the Mueller investigation, and not surprisingly, the IG's office found nothing improper.
This, of course, only outraged Trump further, so then-Attorney General Bill Barr tapped a federal prosecutor — U.S. Attorney John Durham — to conduct his own investigation into the investigation. That was over three years ago.
At this point, Durham's investigation into the Russia scandal investigation has lasted longer than Mueller's original probe of the Russia scandal.
After an extended period of apparent inactivity, the prosecutor last year indicted cybersecurity attorney Michael Sussmann for allegedly having lied to the FBI. The case proved to be baseless; Sussmann was acquitted; and one of the jurors publicly mocked Durham's team for having taken the case to trial.
Yesterday, Team Durham failed again to secure a conviction — and by all accounts, there won't be any additional charges filed against anyone. The tale of the tape is brutal:
- Two trials
- Zero convictions
- One provocative resignation
- And a largely meaningless guilty plea from an obscure figure
By any fair measure, this is the most embarrassing and inconsequential special counsel investigation in the modern history of American law enforcement.
But the humiliation is not limited to the prosecutor. Every once in a while, Trump still blurts out Durham's name, hoping the prosecutor might yet bolster some of the former president's conspiracy theories. As regular readers may recall, the Republican has even suggested at times that Durham's probe could serve as a possible vehicle for retaliating against his perceived enemies.
So much for that idea.
Over the summer, The New York Times' Charlie Savage wrote a report questioning why the Durham investigation existed. He added, "Mr. Barr's mandate to Mr. Durham appears to have been to investigate a series of conspiracy theories."
Those theories, however, lacked merit, which is why the Durham probe is ending with a whimper.
There is a degree of irony to the circumstances: For years, Team Trump insisted that the Russia scandal was pointless but the Durham investigation was real. It now appears these Republicans had it exactly backward: The Russia scandal was real, and the Durham investigation was pointless.
Steve Benen
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics."
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The FBI and CIA investigations into Trump's Russian connections were legally predicated and predate the 2016 election by years. Durham never charged any FBI or CIA officers with any crimes. These are just facts...
another national display of incompetence and impotence by trumpski's crack team of morons...
We're still awaiting Durham's indictments on the entire Obama administration!
Four seeds and you still can't tell the truth.
Its sad you have to keep posting new seeds because your lies get exposed.
Just because you're in an extreme state of deflection, projection, and denial, no need to put that on jbb.
I'm not the topic. What of Durham's losses?
No. But your disinformation is.
Understand, I think you should post even more seeds repeating your false claims. Not only are they walking refutations of every claim that its conservatives who believe misinformation and in conspiraces, but its endlessly amusing that you don't even realize you are vindicating Trump. If your falsehoods were accurate, the Obama administration illegally spied on Trump for years without legal authorization, which anyone who has paid attention to the news knows occurred at the end of July 2016. So if your lies were actually true, and the government had been spying on trump for years before the election, Obama makes Nixon look like an angel.
Do you even understand you are damning Obama as a corrupt criminal when you try to attack Trump? Probably not, which makes it all the funnier.
so by all means, keep spreading lies that Obama illegally spied on Trump and covered it up. I'll keep laughing.
No, because the CIA and FBI investigations into Trump's Russian dealings were legally predicated and predate the 2016 campaign.
Trump got himself investigated by seeking out and establishing relationships with and meeting with clandestine agents of Vladimir Putin's Russian State Intelligence Services. BTW, Durham lost because this is all true...
Lol. It's been proven to you hundreds of times before it began in July of 2016. If what you claim is true, Obama covered it up and the government has been lying for years about its actions. Even the IG who reported on the investigation into Trump must be part of the coverup to make your conspiracy true.
For the 1,000 time, provide the proof that the IG lied when he claimed the investigation began in July 2016, and that the government was illegally spying on Trump beforehand. After all the humiliation you've suffered at being ridiculed for posting lie upon lie , why don't you clear your name by proving the investigation began in 2014?
Lots of people over the years have watched and re-watched 'Blazing Saddles' and have come away with "Proof? We don't need no stinking proof!"
Yeah, #45 has done absolutely nothing wrong! EVER!
No, the FBI and CIA investigations into Trump's Russian dealings began much earlier. The Russian interference in the 2016 election began in 2016. That does not mean Trump was not already being investigated by the FBI and CIA for his secret relationships with multiple clandestine Russian agents. Investigations of Trump were "ongoing"...
I never said that. EVER! At least when I accuse someone of something I provide some proof of what I am saying. Too many people will just drop accusations without providing any proof to back up what they are saying. Hard to trust someone when they continue to do that.
Trust who? What proof?
Yet again, you make things up. Yet again, you provide no proof or link to any of the exhaustive reports issued on the Trump investigation. This has all been documented extensively and given to you dozens of times. Yet, you persist in making things up.
Again, your spreading of misinformation only hurts you and your credibility. I know there are informed liberals on this site who know you are lying. It's interesting they haven't pulled you aside and asked you to stop claiming Obama spied on Trump illegally and covered it up. They know when the investigation began and yet they seem fine with you imitating Trump talking about the 2020 election being stolen. Proof yet again their problem with Trump isn't the lies, it's the R after his name.
jbb isn't the one making things up here.
Then why has Durham lost again and again?
Five stories on this today.
Such joy in the debasing of the justice system!
No, it was Trump and Durham who tried and failed, again, to debase our justice system. The FBI and CIA investigations into Trump's Russian dealings were legally predicated and predate the 2016 campaign by years. Trump got himself investigated by seeking out and meeting with and establishing relationships with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the years leading up to the 2016 elections. Beginning by at least 2014 and continuing right up to election day in 2016 Trump was in secret negotiations with Vlad Putin to build Trump Tower Moscow. The investigations into election interference were mere addions to ongoing investigations, as I have explained to you innumerable times. Durham was doomed to fail!
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Because it was pretty much a nothinberder from the beginning? Like all of these republican witch hunts?
The FBI and CIA investigations into Trump's Russian dealings were legally predicated and predate the 2016 election by years. Trump sought out and met with and established relationships with known agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the years leading up to the 2016 presidential elections. Beginning by at least 2014 and continuing right up to election day in 2016 Trump was in secret negotiations with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services to build Trump Tower Moscow. He even offered Putin a luxury penthouse apartment as a bribe. The CIA and FBI were just doing there jobs of monitoring Russian secret agents when Trump and Co injected themselves into ongoing investigations. That is what happens when Americans start hanging with Russian Spies!
I think this article sums the situation up pretty nicely.
The real investigations will commence after the midterms....stay tuned.
I hope Hillary is shaking in her polyester pant suit right now! After New Years Day I'll start marking down the days until they indict her, Obama, Clapper, Comey... who else? Holder, Biden, Pelosi, Garland? Should we start having courts pull their passports? We don't want them getting away, we're soooo close to REAL INVESTIGATIONS finally!!!
well done
Sure, but Hillary Clinton retired from public service in January of 2013. Good luck proving she was to blame for FBI and CIA investigations into Trump's collusion with Russia between 2014 and 2016!
Durham's investigation had years and a gazillion dollars, but he accomplished absolutely nothing...
I was referring to Hunter and his dumb daddy..
Nooooo.... It wasn't REAL!
Joe and Jill Biden's taxes for the last 20 years have been made public so you would have him if you can prove Joe profited illegally...
Let us know when you have any proof he did.
It's not his taxes you should be worried about.
You got the inside skinny? Dish! What should we be worried about? What's this awesome takedown info no one can find, but you know about?
What then? Some Q-MAGA conspiracy theory?
There has been some interesting information exposed in the trial about the leadership of the FBI and the DOJ. Now that it's public record it will be interesting to see what is made of it if/when Republicans take control of either the House or the Senate.
Ya! It's all a deep state conspiracy, right?
Yeah, sure you will /S! just like you were going to prove that Hillary caused the CIA and FBI to investigate Trump in 2015 and 2016. Yet, by January Mrs Clinton will have been retired from public service for ten years, since Jan of 2013!
Another emotional reply rather than a thought-out reply to what I actually posted? If all you can do is this I would rather you just put me on ignore as your response is not useful.
I'm not in Congress, I was never in a position to prove anything about Hillary. And I didn't say anything about Hillary in my post that you had to respond to. Maybe you should go back to posting meme's.
What the what?
What is that alleged interesting information 'exposed' about the FBI and the DOJ? What trial was that?
Maybe you should discuss the facts and the topic instead of threatening vengeance for Trump's enemies, who have been vindicated!
You act as if the jury's verdict means nothing.
So you're the one who determines what's 'useful' around here?
Do try to keep up
Actually less helpful than your usual meme. I have been discussing the topic, maybe you should re-read my postings to try to understand what I have been saying. And please show me where I threatened vengeance.. should be fucking interesting to see how you twist the line
into me threatening anybody.
So all you have is insults now?
I can't keep up with that.
So you got nothin'!
What was that supposed to prove?
That Durham has nothing? As usual?
LOL!
When it comes as a reply to me, then yes I get to determine if it's helpful. Just like you get to determine if a reply made to you is helpful to you. But if all you have is emotional sniping then I do wish you would just put me on ignore.
"Durham’s open criticism of the FBI produced an unusual spectacle at the trial, as he and his team attacked the competence of FBI agents and analysts who were the prosecution’s key witnesses. The back-and-forth led to disclosures about senior investigators’ refusal to pursue inquiries that more junior FBI personnel thought were warranted, as well as ongoing efforts to discipline FBI personnel over issues related to the Trump-Russia investigation."
So Durham uses these trials to bring up shit not relevant and not true?
Wow!
You do back losers don't you?
Emotional sniping?
LOL
Still with the insults.
What a shocker!
Oh I don't have to insult you, you do enough of that for the both of us.
All I said was that the trial brought into the open the actions of senior leadership at the FBI and DOJ and it will be interesting to see what a Republican majority House or Senate makes of it. If you think this shit is over you're only fooling yourself.
If you think that's an insult then you have lead a very sheltered life and have missed out on a great many life experiences.
Still with the insults.
And you're saying I'm the one insulting.
I guess you have to have the last word also.
Merrick Garland should appoint a special prosecutor to investigate John Durham and his lousy tactics...
That's a dumb idea.
Durham initiated malicious prosecutions knowing the CIA and FBI investigations of Trump's Russian dealings were legally predicated and predated the 2016 election...
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