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'{{short description|American federal prosecutor}} {{Other people}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = John Durham | image = John H. Durham.jpg | office = [[Special Counsel]] for the <br/> [[United States Department of Justice]] | appointer = [[William Barr]] | term_start = October 19, 2020 | term_end = | predecessor = ''Position established'' | successor = | office1 = [[United States Attorney]] for the [[United States District Court for the District of Connecticut|District of Connecticut]] | president1 = [[Donald Trump]]<br/>[[Joe Biden]] | term_start1 = February 22, 2018 | term_end1 = February 28, 2021<br/>Acting: October 28, 2017 – February 22, 2018 | predecessor1 = [[Deirdre M. Daly]] | successor1 = Leonard C. Boyle (acting) | term_start2 = 1997 | term_end2 = 1998<br/>Acting | president2 = [[Bill Clinton]] | predecessor2 = [[Christopher F. Droney]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/office|title=About the Office|date=March 18, 2015|website=justice.gov}}</ref> | successor2 = [[Stephen C. Robinson]] | birth_name = John Henry Durham | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|03|16}} | birth_place = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = |awards = [[File:Attorney_General_Award_for_Exceptional_Service.png|50px]]<br/>Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service<br/>[[File:Attorney_General’s_Award_for_Distinguished_Service.png|50px]]<br/>Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-us-attorney-20171020-story.html|title=John Durham Named Interim U.S. Attorney; Presidential Nomination Expected|first=Edmund H.|last=Mahony |date=October 27, 2017 |website=[[Hartford Courant]] |access-date=October 24, 2019 }}</ref> | education = [[Colgate University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br/>[[University of Connecticut School of Law]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]]) }} '''John Henry Durham''' (born March 16, 1950)<ref name=lewis /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Durham%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20(final%20public).pdf|title=Committee Questionnaire}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ford |first=Lois Mitchell |date=1979 |title=Descendants of David Mitchell of Burnton, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, Scotland}}</ref> is an American lawyer who served as the [[United States Attorney]] for the [[United States District Court for the District of Connecticut|District of Connecticut]] from February 2018 to February 2021. In April 2019 he was assigned to investigate the origins of the FBI's investigation into [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]], and in October 2020 he was appointed [[Special counsel|Special Counsel]] for the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] on those matters, a position he still holds. He previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in various positions in the District of Connecticut for 35 years.<ref name="resign"/> He is known for leading an inquiry into allegations that [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agents and [[Boston Police Department|Boston Police]] had ties with the [[Irish Mob]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2181253/ |title=The Jump Off |first=Daniel |last=Politi |publisher=Slate |date=January 3, 2008}}</ref> as well as his role as special prosecutor in the [[2005 CIA interrogation tapes destruction]].<ref name=lewis /> In May 2019, [[United States Attorney General|U.S. Attorney General]] [[William Barr]] tasked Durham with overseeing a review of the origins of the [[Special Counsel investigation (2017–2019)|Russia investigation]] and to determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate".<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://apnews.com/75e5c4efd5c74e6e9aa1ba0237a0e651? |work=Associated Press |title = AP source: Barr launches new look at origins of Russia probe|date = May 14, 2019}}</ref> Barr disclosed in December 2020 that he had elevated Durham's status to [[Special prosecutor|special counsel]] in October, ensuring that his investigation could continue after the Trump Administration ended.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/barr-appoints-special-counsel-in-russia-probe-investigation/ |title=Barr appoints special counsel in Russia probe investigation |work=The Seattle Times |date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=September 9, 2021 |first=Eric |last=Tucker |first2=Michael |last2=Balsamo }}</ref> Durham continued in his role as special counsel even after his resignation as US attorney.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-connecticut-russia-william-barr-john-durham-54aa1bb2a6ae53116b4088f40b8ad654 |work=[[Associated Press]] |title=Durham remains special counsel overseeing Trump-Russia probe |first=Michael |last=Balsamo |date=February 27, 2021 |access-date=9 September 2021 }}</ref> == Early life and education == Durham was born in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]]. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from [[Colgate University]] in 1972 and a [[Juris Doctor]] from the [[University of Connecticut School of Law]] in 1975.<ref name="time">{{cite news|last=James|first=Randy|date=August 26, 2009|title=CIA Abuse Investigator John Durham|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1918738,00.html|access-date=July 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name=lewis>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Neil A. |author-link=Neil Lewis (journalist) |date=January 13, 2008 |title=Prosecutor Who Unraveled Corruption in Boston Turns to C.I.A. Tape Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/us/13durham.html?mcubz=0 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 10, 2017 }}</ref> After graduation, he was a [[AmeriCorps VISTA|VISTA volunteer]] for two years (1975–1977) on the [[Crow Indian Reservation]] in Montana.<ref name="bio" /> == Career == === Connecticut state government === After Durham's volunteer work, he became a state prosecutor in Connecticut. From 1977 to 1978, he served as a Deputy Assistant State's Attorney in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney. From 1978 to 1982, Durham served as an Assistant State's Attorney in the New Haven State's Attorney's Office.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |title=John H. Durham Sworn in as United States Attorney |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/john-h-durham-sworn-united-states-attorney |publisher=United States Department of Justice |access-date=June 17, 2019|date=February 22, 2018 }}</ref> === Federal government === Following those five years as a state prosecutor, Durham became a federal prosecutor, joining the [[United States Attorney|U.S. Attorney's Office]] for the District of Connecticut.<ref name=time /> From 1982 to 1989, he served as an attorney and then supervisor in the New Haven Field Office of the Boston Strike Force in the Justice Department's Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. From 1989 to 1994, he served as Chief of the Office's Criminal Division. From 1994 to 2008, he served as the Deputy U.S. Attorney, and served as the U.S. Attorney in an acting and interim capacity in 1997 and 1998.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite news |last1=McBride |first1=Jessica |title=John H. Durham: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/news/2019/05/john-h-durham/ |access-date=June 17, 2019 |publisher=Heavy.com |date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> In December 2000, Durham revealed secret [[FBI]] documents that convinced a judge to vacate the 1968 murder convictions of [[Enrico Tameleo]], Joseph Salvati, [[Patriarca crime family#Past members|Peter J. Limone]] and Louis Greco because they had been framed by the agency. In 2007, the documents helped Salvati, Limone, and the families of the two other men, who had died in prison, win a $101.7 million civil judgment against the government.<ref name=Murphy>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/07/us_prosecutors_tenacity_is_rewarded/ |title=US prosecutor's tenacity is rewarded |first=Shelley |last=Murphy |website=[[Boston.com]] |date=January 7, 2008}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Durham also led a series of high-profile prosecutions in [[Connecticut]] against the [[New England Mafia]] and corrupt politicians, including former [[Connecticut governor|governor]] [[John G. Rowland]].<ref name=Murphy/> From 2008 to 2012, Durham also served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia|Eastern District of Virginia]].<ref name=bio/> On November 1, 2017, he was nominated by [[President Donald Trump]] to serve as [[United States Attorney|U.S. Attorney]] for Connecticut.<ref name=courant>{{cite news |last=Mahony |first=Edmund H. |date=November 1, 2017 |title=President Trump Nominates John Durham To Be U.S. Attorney |url=http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-trump-nominates-durham-20171101-story.html |work=[[Hartford Courant]] |access-date=November 1, 2017}}</ref> On February 16, 2018, his nomination was confirmed by [[voice vote]] of the Senate. He was sworn in on February 22, 2018.<ref name=bio/> Barr secretly appointed Durham Special Counsel on October 19, 2020.<ref name="special">{{cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/01/us/politics/john-durham-special-counsel-russia-investigation.html |title=Barr Makes Durham a Special Counsel in a Bid to Entrench Scrutiny of the Russia Inquiry |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> Durham resigned as U.S. Attorney effective February 28, 2021.<ref name="resign">{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/u-s-attorney-for-connecticut-john-durham-resigns/2432294/ |title= U.S. Attorney For Connecticut John Durham Resigns |work=NBC Connecticut |date=February 26, 2021 |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> He was one of 56 remaining Trump-appointed U.S. Attorneys President Biden asked to resign in February 2021.<ref name="mb">{{Cite news |last=Balsamo |first=Michael |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-biden-cabinet-b48026fe9d00fe9b046ba8087bec1262 |title=Justice Dept. seeks resignations of Trump-era US attorneys |date=June 11, 2021 |work=[[Associated Press]] }}</ref> He remains Special Counsel.<ref name="mb"/> === Appointments as special investigator === ==== Whitey Bulger case ==== Amid allegations that FBI [[informant]]s [[James "Whitey" Bulger]] and [[Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi]] had corrupted their handlers, [[US Attorney General]] [[Janet Reno]] named Durham [[special prosecutor]] in 1999. He oversaw a task force of FBI agents brought in from other offices to investigate the [[Boston]] office's handling of informants.<ref name=Murphy/> In 2002, Durham helped secure the conviction of retired FBI agent [[John J. Connolly Jr.]], who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal [[racketeering]] charges for protecting Bulger and Flemmi from prosecution and warning Bulger to flee just before the gangster's 1995 indictment.<ref name=Murphy/> Durham's task force also gathered evidence against retired FBI agent [[H. Paul Rico]] who was indicted in [[Oklahoma]] on state charges that he helped Bulger and Flemmi kill a [[Tulsa]] businessman in 1981. Rico died in 2004 before the case went to trial.<ref name=Murphy/> ==== CIA interrogation tapes destruction ==== In 2008, Durham was appointed by Attorney General [[Michael Mukasey]] to investigate the [[2005 CIA interrogation tapes destruction|destruction of CIA videotapes]] of detainee interrogations.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/24/holder-to-appoint-special_n_267385.html | work=Huffington Post | first=Lila | last=Shapiro | title='Inhumane' CIA Terror Tactics Spur Criminal Probe | date=August 24, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-security-cia-idUSWAT00861320080102 |first=Randall |last=Mikkelsen |title=U.S. launches criminal probe into CIA tapes |work=[[Reuters]] |date=January 2, 2008 |access-date=August 30, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1152ap_cia_videotapes.html |title=Veteran prosecutor takes over CIA probe |first=Matt |last=Apuzzo |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=January 3, 2008}}</ref> On November 8, 2010, Durham closed the investigation without recommending any criminal charges be filed.<ref name=nyt9Dec2010 >{{cite news| title=No Criminal Charges Sought Over C.I.A. Tapes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/world/10tapes.html | first=Mark | last=Mazzetti | first2=Charlie |last2=Savage | date=November 9, 2010 | access-date=October 14, 2011 | newspaper=New York Times }}</ref> Durham's final report remains secret but was the subject of an unsuccessful lawsuit under the [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]] filed by ''[[The New York Times]]'' reporter [[Charlie Savage]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/us/politics/gina-haspel-cia-testimony-torture.html|title=Gina Haspel's Testimony About C.I.A. Torture Raises New Questions|last=Savage|first=Charlie|date=May 10, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 22, 2018|quote=Mr. Rodriguez and Ms. Haspel were later investigated by John Durham, an assistant United States attorney. Mr. Durham ultimately recommended filing no charges over the tape destruction, but his report laying out his findings and reasoning is secret. (The New York Times lost a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to make it public.)}}</ref> ==== Torture investigation ==== In August 2009, Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] appointed Durham to lead the Justice Department's investigation of the legality of CIA's use of so-called "[[enhanced interrogation techniques]]" in the torture of detainees.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/24/AR2009082401743.html?hpid=topnews | work=The Washington Post | title=Holder Hires Prosecutor to Look Into Alleged CIA Interrogation Abuses | first=Carrie | last=Johnson | date=August 25, 2009 | access-date=May 6, 2010 }}</ref> Durham's mandate was to look at only those interrogations that had gone "beyond the officially sanctioned guidelines", with Attorney General Holder saying interrogators who had acted in "good faith" based on the guidance found in the [[Torture Memos]] issued by the Bush Justice Department were not to be prosecuted.<ref>{{cite web|author=Adam Serwer|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/durham-torture-cia-obama-holder |title=Investigation of Bush-era Torture Concludes With No Charges |work=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |date=August 31, 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> Later in 2009, [[University of Toledo]] law professor Benjamin G. Davis attended a conference where former officials of the Bush administration had told conference participants shocking stories, and accounts of illegality on the part of more senior Bush officials.<ref name="TheJurist2009-09-25">{{cite news|url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2009/09/torture-tales-calling-john-durham.php|title=Torture Tales: Calling John Durham|author=Benjamin G. Davis|date=September 25, 2009|access-date=September 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924192603/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2009/09/torture-tales-calling-john-durham.php|archive-date=September 24, 2009|url-status=dead|publisher=[[The Jurist]]}}</ref> Davis wrote an appeal to former Bush officials to take their accounts of illegality directly to Durham. A criminal investigation into the deaths of two detainees, [[Gul Rahman]] in Afghanistan and [[Death of Manadel al-Jamadi|Manadel al-Jamadi]] in Iraq, was opened in 2011. It was closed in 2012 with no charges filed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/31/us/holder-rules-out-prosecutions-in-cia-interrogations.html|title=Holder Rules Out Prosecutions in C.I.A. Interrogations|last=Shane|first=Scott|date=August 30, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 18, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/statement-attorney-general-eric-holder-closure-investigation-interrogation-certain-detainees|title=Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on Closure of Investigation into the Interrogation of Certain Detainees|date=August 30, 2012|website=justice.gov|language=en|access-date=May 18, 2019}}</ref> === Appointment as special counsel === In April 2019,<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Kevin|date=May 14, 2019|title=Attorney General taps top Connecticut federal prosecutor for review of Trump-Russia inquiry|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/13/attorney-general-barr-john-durham-us-attorney-connecticut-review-trump-russia-investigation-origin/1195462001/|url-status=live|access-date=May 17, 2019|website=USA TODAY}}</ref> Attorney General [[William Barr]] announced that he had launched a review of the origins of the FBI's investigation into [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]]<ref name="origins">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/us/politics/russia-investigation-justice-department-review.html|title=Barr Assigns U.S. Attorney in Connecticut to Review Origins of Russia Inquiry|last1=Goldman|first1=Adam|date=May 13, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=May 14, 2019|last2=Savage|first2=Charlie|last3=Schmidt|first3=Michael S.}}</ref> and it was reported in May that he had assigned Durham to lead it several weeks earlier.<ref name="review"/> Durham was given the authority "to broadly examin[e] the government's collection of intelligence involving the Trump campaign's interactions with Russians," reviewing government documents and requesting voluntary witness statements.<ref name="review">{{cite news|last1=Savage|first1=Charlie|last2=Goldman|first2=Adam|last3=Fandos|first3=Nicholas|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/us/politics/russia-investigation-review.html|title=Scrutiny of Russia Investigation Is Said to Be a Review, Not a Criminal Inquiry|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 14, 2019|access-date=May 17, 2019}}</ref> In December 2020, Barr revealed to Congress that he had secretly appointed Durham special counsel on October 19.<ref name="special"/> He stayed on in this capacity after he resigned as U.S. Attorney.<ref name="mb"/> The U.S. Justice Department's first official expenditure report for the special investigation showed that it had spent $1.5 million from Oct 19, 2020, to March 31, 2021; Durham was not required to report expenditures made before being designated special counsel.<ref>{{cite news |last=Strohm |first=Chris |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-28/special-counsel-spends-1-5-million-in-probe-of-russia-inquiry |title=Special Counsel Spends $1.5 Million in Probe of Russia Inquiry |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=May 28, 2021 |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> ==== Investigation into origins of FBI investigation "Crossfire Hurricane"==== {{main|Russia investigation origins counter-narrative#Durham inquiry}} On October 24, 2019, it was reported that what had been a review of the Russia investigation was now a criminal probe into the matter. The Justice Department could now utilize subpoena power for both witness testimony and documents. Durham also had at his disposal the power to convene a grand jury and file criminal charges, if needed.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Jerry |last=Dunleavy |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/john-durham-opens-criminal-inquiry-in-dojs-investigation-of-the-investigators|title=John Durham opens criminal inquiry in DOJ's investigation of the investigators|date=2019-10-25|website=Washington Examiner|language=en|access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/us/politics/john-durham-criminal-investigation.html|title=Justice Dept. Is Said to Open Criminal Inquiry Into Its Own Russia Investigation|last=Benner|first=Katie|date=2019-10-24|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-10-25|last2=Goldman|first2=Adam|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported on November 22 that the Justice Department inspector general had made a criminal referral to Durham regarding Kevin Clinesmith, an FBI attorney who had altered an email during the process of acquiring a wiretap warrant renewal on [[Carter Page]], and that referral appeared to be at least part of the reason Durham's investigation was elevated to criminal status.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/us/politics/russia-investigation-inspector-general-report.html|title=Russia Inquiry Review Is Said to Criticize F.B.I. but Rebuff Claims of Biased Acts|first1=Adam|last1=Goldman|first2=Charlie|last2=Savage|date=November 22, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> On August 14, 2020, Clinesmith pleaded guilty to a felony violation of altering an email used to maintain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants. He changed an email to falsely add a claim that Page was "not a source" for the CIA, to a statement by the CIA liaison that Carter Page had a prior operational relationship with the CIA from 2008 to 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kalmbacher |first=Colin |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/heres-what-we-know-about-fbi-attorney-2-kevin-clinesmith-the-first-person-charged-in-durham-probe/ |title=Here’s What We Know About ‘FBI Attorney 2’ Kevin Clinesmith, the First Person Charged in Durham Probe |work=[[Law & Crime]] |date=August 14, 2020 |access-date=August 30, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/politics/fbi-russia-clinesmith/index.html |access-date=9 September 2021 |date=August 14, 2020 |title=Former FBI lawyer set to plead guilty to altering email during Russia investigation |first=Katelyn |last=Polantz |first2=David |last2=Shortell |website=CNN}}</ref> The day Justice Department inspector general [[Michael E. Horowitz|Michael Horowitz]] released his report on the 2016 FBI [[Crossfire Hurricane (FBI investigation)|Crossfire Hurricane]] investigation, which found the investigation was properly predicated and debunked a number of conspiracy theories regarding its origins,<ref>{{cite news |author1=David Shortell, Evan Perez, Marshall Cohen and Katelyn Polantz |title=Inspector general: Start of FBI Russia probe was justified and unbiased but investigation had significant errors |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/09/politics/ig-horowitz-report-russia-trump/index.html |access-date=December 8, 2020 |work=CNN |publisher=CNN |date=December 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122173604/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/09/politics/ig-horowitz-report-russia-trump/index.html |archive-date=November 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Berman |first1=Dan |title=Takeaways from the inspector general's report into the FBI's Russia investigation |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/09/politics/takeaways-doj-ig-report/index.html |access-date=December 8, 2020 |work=CNN |publisher=CNN |date=December 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025625/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/09/politics/takeaways-doj-ig-report/index.html |archive-date=November 12, 2020}}</ref> Durham issued a statement saying, "we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/09/us/politics/fbi-ig-report-russia-investigation.html|title=Report on F.B.I. Russia Inquiry Finds Serious Errors but Debunks Anti-Trump Plot|first1=Charlie|last1=Savage|first2=Adam|last2=Goldman|first3=Katie|last3=Benner|date=December 9, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/statement-us-attorney-john-h-durham |access-date=August 30, 2021 |title=Statement of U.S. Attorney John H. Durham|date=December 9, 2019|website=justice.gov}}</ref> Many observers inside and outside the Justice Department, including the inspector general, expressed surprise that Durham would issue such a statement, as federal investigators typically do not publicly comment on their ongoing investigations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/john-durham-has-a-stellar-reputation-for-investigating-corruption-some-fear-his-work-for-barr-could-tarnish-it/2019/12/15/c68aa568-1d10-11ea-8d58-5ac3600967a1_story.html |date=December 16, 2019 |first2=Devlin |last2=Barrett |title=John Durham has a stellar reputation for investigating corruption. Some fear his work for Barr could tarnish it.|first1=Matt|last1=Zapotosky|website=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Williamson |first1=Elizabeth |title=Durham Surprises Even Allies With Statement on F.B.I.’s Trump Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/us/politics/john-durham-fbi-russia.html |access-date=20 November 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=23 December 2019}}</ref> Barr also released a statement challenging the findings of the report.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/statement-attorney-general-william-p-barr-inspector-generals-report-review-four-fisa |access-date=August 30, 2021 |title=Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on the Inspector General's Report of the Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane Investigation|date=December 9, 2019|website=justice.gov}}</ref> Horowitz later testified to the Senate that prior to release of the report he had asked Durham for any information he had that might change the report's findings, but "none of the discussions changed our findings."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/horowitz-barr-trump-russia-probe-082448 |first=Josh |last=Gerstein |first2=Natasha |last2=Bertrand |title=Horowitz pushes back at Barr over basis for Trump-Russia probe|website=[[Politico]] |date=December 11, 2019 |access-date=August 30, 2021 }}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' reported that Durham could not provide evidence of any setup by American intelligence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/barrs-handpicked-prosecutor-tells-inspector-general-he-cant-back-right-wing-theory-that-russia-case-was-us-intelligence-setup/2019/12/04/17e084dc-16a9-11ea-9110-3b34ce1d92b1_story.html |date=December 4, 2019 |title=Barr's handpicked prosecutor tells inspector general he can't back right-wing theory that Russia case was U.S. intelligence setup |first1=Matt |last1=Zapotosky |website=The Washington Post}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported in December 2019 that Durham was examining the role of former CIA director [[John O. Brennan|John Brennan]] in assessing Russian interference in 2016, requesting emails, call logs and other documents. Brennan had been a vocal critic of Trump and a target of the president's accusations of improper activities toward him. ''The Times'' reported Durham was specifically examining Brennan's views of the [[Steele dossier]] and what he said about it to the FBI and other intelligence agencies. Brennan and former director of national intelligence [[James Clapper]] had testified to Congress that the CIA and other intelligence agencies did not rely on the dossier in preparing the January 2017 [[Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections|intelligence community assessment of Russian interference]], and allies of Brennan said he disagreed with the FBI view that the dossier should be given significant weight, as the CIA characterized it as "internet rumor."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/19/us/politics/durham-john-brennan-cia.html|title=Durham Is Scrutinizing Ex-C.I.A. Director's Role in Russian Interference Findings|first1=Katie|last1=Benner|first2=Julian E.|last2=Barnes|date=December 19, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> The ''Times'' reported in February 2020 that Durham was examining whether intelligence community officials, and specifically Brennan, had concealed or manipulated evidence of Russian interference to achieve a desired result. FBI and NSA officials told Durham that his pursuit of this line of inquiry was due to his misunderstanding of how the intelligence community functions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |last3=Barnes |first3=Julian E. |title=Justice Dept. Is Investigating C.I.A. Resistance to Sharing Russia Secrets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/us/politics/durham-cia-russia.html |access-date=February 29, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=February 13, 2020}}</ref> Durham interviewed Brennan for eight hours on August 21, 2020, after which a Brennan advisor said Durham told Brennan he was not a subject or target of a criminal investigation, but rather a witness to events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-news-74a309ec17f81e4b85ccc817a6341dc1 |title=Ex-CIA chief Brennan interviewed in Russia probe review |first=Eric |last=Tucker |date=August 22, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=August 30, 2021 }}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported in September 2020 that Durham had also sought documents and interviews regarding how the FBI handled an investigation into the [[Clinton Foundation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/politics/durham-clinton-foundation-investigation.html|title=In Politically Charged Inquiry, Durham Sought Details About Scrutiny of Clintons|first1=Adam|last1=Goldman|first2=William K.|last2=Rashbaum|first3=Nicole|last3=Hong|date=September 24, 2020|work=The New York Times }}</ref> On November 2, 2020, the day before the presidential election, ''New York'' magazine reported that: {{quote| According to two sources familiar with the probe, there has been no evidence found, after 18 months of investigation, to support Barr’s claims that Trump was targeted by politically biased Obama officials to prevent his election. (The probe remains ongoing.) In fact, the sources said, the Durham investigation has so far uncovered no evidence of any wrongdoing by Biden or Barack Obama, or that they were even involved with the Russia investigation.<ref name="Waas_11/2/2020">{{cite web | last=Waas | first=Murray | title=How Trump and Barr's October Surprise Went Bust | website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] | date=November 2, 2020 | url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/11/durham-investigation-how-trumps-october-surprise-went-bust.html | access-date=November 4, 2020}}</ref>}} =====Indictment of attorney===== On September 16, 2021, Durham indicted Michael Sussman, a partner for the law firm [[Perkins Coie]], alleging he falsely told FBI general counsel [[James A. Baker (government attorney)|James Baker]] during a September 2016 meeting that he was not representing a client for their discussion, alleging he was actually representing "a U.S. Technology Industry Executive, a U.S. Internet Company and the Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign." Sussman focuses on privacy and cybersecurity law and had approached Baker to discuss what then appeared to be suspicious communications between computer servers at the Russian [[Alfa Bank]] and the [[Trump Organization]]. Sussman's attorneys denied he was representing the Clinton campaign. Perkins Coie represented the 2016 Clinton presidential campaign and one its partners, [[Marc Elias]], commissioned [[Fusion GPS]] to conduct [[opposition research]] on Trump, which led to the controversial [[Steele dossier]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/special-counsel-appointed-trump-doj-may-indict-democratic-lawyer-sussmann-n1279353|title=Special counsel named by Trump DOJ charges Democratic lawyer with false statement|website=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/politics/durham-michael-sussmann-trump-russia.html|title=Durham Is Said to Seek Indictment of Lawyer at Firm With Democratic Ties|first1=Charlie|last1=Savage|first2=Adam|last2=Goldman|first3=Michael S.|last3=Schmidt|first4=William K.|last4=Rashbaum|date=September 15, 2021|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In a deposition to Congress in 2018, Mr. Baker said he did not remember Mr. Sussmann “specifically saying that he was acting on behalf of a particular client,” but also said Mr. Sussmann had told him “he had cyberexperts that had obtained some information that they thought should get into the hands of the F.B.I.” In addition the only other evidence upon which the actual charges in the indictment are based are a set of allegedly contemporaneous notes taken around the time Mr. Baker and Attorney Sussman had their conversation. The notes themselves EXPLICITLY note that Attorney Sussman represented the DNC and Clinton organization. == Awards and accolades == In November 2011, Durham was included on ''The New Republic's'' list of Washington's most powerful, least famous people.<ref>{{cite news |authors=The Editors |title=Washington's Most Powerful, Least Famous People |url=http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/96131/washingtons-most-powerful-least-famous-people |work=The New Republic |date=November 3, 2011 |access-date=October 25, 2011}}</ref> In 2004, Durham was decorated with the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service and, in 2012, with the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service.<ref>{{cite web |title=Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-holder-recognizes-department-employees-and-others-their-service-annual-0 |website=justice.gov |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Justice]] |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gura |first1=David |title=So, Who Is John Durham? |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2009/08/so_who_is_john_durham.html |access-date=September 16, 2021 |work=[[NPR]] |date=August 24, 2009}}</ref> ==Personal life== According to CNN, Durham is "press-shy" and is known for his tendency to avoid the media.<ref name="cnn"/> United States Attorney [[Deirdre Daly]] once described him as "tireless, fair and aggressive" while [[United States Senator]] [[Chris Murphy]] characterized him as "tough-nosed ... apolitical and serious".<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Marshall |title=US attorney’s ‘apolitical’ reputation on the line as he helps Barr review the Russia probe |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/14/politics/john-durham-barr-russia-probe/index.html |access-date=September 16, 2021 |work=[[CNN]] |date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> == See also == *''[[Mueller Report]]'' *[[Timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]] *[[Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (2019)]] *[[Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (2020–2021)]] *[[Trump–Ukraine scandal]] == References == {{reflist|30em}} == External links == *[https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/meet-us-attorney Biography at U.S. Department of Justice] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Durham, John Henry}} [[Category:1950 births]] [[Category:Colgate University alumni]] [[Category:Lawyers from Boston]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Trump administration personnel]] [[Category:United States Attorneys for the District of Connecticut]] [[Category:Connecticut Republicans]] [[Category:Massachusetts Republicans]] [[Category:United States Department of Justice lawyers]] [[Category:University of Connecticut School of Law alumni]]'