Thread by @KingMakerFT

There’s an April 2020 article in the Washington Examiner that’s worth another read in light of recent filings by Durham regarding he direction his case against Sussmann is going. The article picks up testimony given in the UK by Christopher Steele about how he first learned

of Alfa Bank -Trump Org connection. Hint: It didn’t come from Danchenko or any of Steele’s source network. Rather, Steele learned of it at the July 29, 2016, meeting at Perkins Coie, attended by Sussmann, Elias, Steele, Simpson, Fritsch (from Fusion GPS),and perhaps Joffe. Steele

testified that Sussmann was the source, and that after the meeting, Simpson tasked Steele with doing research on Alfa Bank’s ties to Putin and to write up the Trump-Alfa story as part of the dossier. Which Steele did, although he testified that Sussmann carried the narrative to

the press. Steele pitched it to Kavelac at the State Dept. here’s the article: washingtonexaminer.com/news/christoph…

So how does this fit in with Durham? Well, Durham told us that Elias has been before the grand jury, and based on what happened and who was present at the July 29 meeting, Elias is central to tying the scheme and all its participants together. Elias was there at the origin. So he

becomes perhaps the central witness in not only the false statement charge against Sussmann , but also in any subsequent conspiracy case.

H/t to @ReginaMourad and @SergeiMillian for reminding us today of this article and it’s importance to describing the operational part of the scheme.

What will Elias say about that meeting? That’s the $64,000 question. Undoubtedly he will say they were planning opposition research, which is not illegal. But what about the part that a frame-up hoax would be presented to the FBI and Dept of State? That’s a crime. And it’s what

happened- largely because a federal investigation into the made up oppo research added gravitas to the narrative. It’s possible Elias will testify that he didn’t know it was made up, and/or he didn’t realize false evidence would be presented to the FBI. But his ability to put

all the major players in the same room at the same time is critical for establishing a conspiracy.