MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough: Durham probe is ‘asinine,’ should be shut down following Sussmann verdict
The ‘Morning Joe’ co-host claimed that there was ‘nothing there’ and claimed John Durham had been lying about his investigation.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reacted to Michael Sussmann’s not guilty verdict Tuesday by calling for John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe to be shut down.
Sussmann, Hillary Clinton’s former campaign lawyer, was acquitted of lying to the FBI during a 2016 meeting involving a tip about Donald Trump and a supposed link to the Russian government.
On Wednesday's "Morning Joe," Scarborough called the investigation by Durham and his Justice Department prosecutor’s "asinine" and claimed there has been "absolutely nothing there from the beginning." He described the interest into Durham’s probe as "more weirdos, more conspiracy theorists" and "more freaks."
"This investigation of the investigators is much ado about nothing," Scarborough said.
Michael Sussmann, a cybersecurity lawyer who represented the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ((AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) )
Scarborough said Attorney General Bill Barr’s decision to allow Durham to "make a fool of himself" cost taxpayers millions of dollars with "nothing to show" for it. He added that people have been "slandered" because of Barr and Durham.
"They need to shut this down," Scarborough said. "It is a joke. It started with Donald Trump lying about Barack Obama tapping his phones in Trump Tower, and it’s ended with this. It’s time to put it behind us."
MSNBC hosts aggressively touted the sprawling Russia investigation, which culminated in Robert Mueller concluding there was no proof of coordination between Trump's campaign and the Russian interference operation. In 2019, Scarborough hypothesized that Trump was either an "agent of Russia" or a "useful idiot."
MICHAEL SUSSMANN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF CHARGE BROUGHT BY SPECIAL PROSECUTOR JOHN DURHAM
Special Counsel John Durham departs the U.S. Federal Courthouse after opening arguments in the trial of Attorney Michael Sussmann in Washington, May 17, 2022. (REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson)
Scarborough is far from the only media pundit to hype up the investigation into Trump, while downplaying Durham's efforts.
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow suggested the intention behind efforts to probe the investigation was always to re-route the investigation away from Trump himself.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 23: Joe Scarborough attends the 2018 Matrix Awards at Sheraton Times Square on April 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images) (Rob Kim/Getty Images)
Former CNN dynamic duo Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo criticized Durham and the Trump administration in December 2019 for their efforts.
"Nothing happens and they just move on to the next conspiracy theory," Lemon said to Cuomo during a handover. "It is never going to end and guess what? People who want to believe that BS are going to believe it."
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Fox News’ Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.