This^ ... but there's more to
Andrew McCarthy's NR article he didn't mention. The Clinton campaign (and Sussmann's atty) is building the firewall against Durham's ultimate MOAB ....Conspiracy to Defraud the US Gov. It wasn't illegal for the Clinton campaign to use the media to spread the Russia hoax ... but obstructing the lawful function of the FBI by deceit or trickery is a federal crime.
Proof that Clinton's campaign approved/authorized Sussmann back-dooring the hoax to the FBI is vital to Durham's anticipated conspiracy case. Without this proof, there is no criminal conspiracy and it was all just a dirty trick.
From Andrew McCarthy's NR article.
LinkQuote:
In putting Mook on the stand, the defense wanted an assertion from the highest official in the Clinton campaign that the campaign would not have approved Sussmann's bringing the information to the FBI. Mook delivered, and further elaborated that Hillary Clinton herself approved the leak to the media. This supports the defense theme that the Clinton campaign wanted the TrumpRussia collusion narrative to be a media-driven story, not an FBI investigation.
Quote:
Moreover, the truth of the matter is that the Clinton campaign absolutely wanted to entice the FBI into investigating the TrumpRussia back-channel claim. That's why you won't hear a single campaign official assert, under oath, that he or she directed Sussmann not to go to the FBI.
It was not a matter of whether the campaign "trusted" the FBI; the campaign was trying to use the FBI. If the bureau could be persuaded to investigate, then the story would be more damaging to Trump, and more media outlets would spotlight it on the eve of the election. It would be the October surprise the Clinton campaign was banking on. That's why, when Clinton posted her tweet, it referred to a statement by her then-adviser (and now Biden national-security adviser) Jake Sullivan, to wit: "We can only assume that federal authorities will now explore this direct connection between Trump and Russia."