A federal jury on Tuesday found Michael Sussmann, a lawyer connected to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, not guilty of lying to the FBI, multiple outlets have reported.
The verdict comes as a "significant blow" to special counsel John Durham, who was appointed three years ago to investigate possible wrongdoing in the probe concerning former President Donald Trump and Russia, notes The New York Times. Durham claimed Sussmann had lied during a 2016 meeting "in which he passed a tip to the FBI about Donald Trump and Russia," CNN writes.
"I told the truth to the FBI, and the jury clearly recognized that with their unanimous verdict today," Sussmann said following his acquittal. "Despite being falsely accused, I am relieved that justice ultimately prevailed in my case."
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Durham, meanwhile, noted that though he is "disappointed in the outcome, we respect the jury's decision and thank them for their service."
"I also want to recognize and thank the investigators and the prosecution team for their dedicated efforts in seeking truth and justice in this case," he added.
And Trump is apparently none too pleased with the verdict himself, having ranted about the outcome on Truth Social, The Hill writes.
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