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Former FBI analyst tells court he was trying ‘to protect Mueller’ by snooping on conservative activist’s email | Former FBI analyst tells court he was trying ‘to protect Mueller’ by snooping on conservative activist’s email |
(32 minutes later) | |
A former FBI analyst who snooped on a conservative activist’s emails said Friday that he was trying to protect former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III from a smear campaign. | A former FBI analyst who snooped on a conservative activist’s emails said Friday that he was trying to protect former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III from a smear campaign. |
“I did what I did to try to protect Director Mueller, who can protect himself,” Mark Tolson, 60, said in Alexandria federal court. “I’m terribly sorry.” | “I did what I did to try to protect Director Mueller, who can protect himself,” Mark Tolson, 60, said in Alexandria federal court. “I’m terribly sorry.” |
He was sentenced to seven days in jail for going without permission into the email account of Jack Burkman, a conspiracy theorist who claimed without evidence last year that Mueller committed sexual assault. | He was sentenced to seven days in jail for going without permission into the email account of Jack Burkman, a conspiracy theorist who claimed without evidence last year that Mueller committed sexual assault. |
“You can’t just rummage through other people’s accounts,” U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema said. | “You can’t just rummage through other people’s accounts,” U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema said. |
Tolson had Burkman’s password because his wife had been employed by the right-wing lobbyist, a neighbor in Arlington. The day before a Nov. 1 news conference at which Burkman promised to produce the alleged rape victim, Tolson and his wife got into the email account and began taking images. They offered Burkman’s password to a reporter, who declined to accept it, according to court documents. | |
Tolson then brought the information to his bosses at the FBI and admitted what he had done. He said that “because of the press coverage” of Burkman’s claims, “I felt I had to go to the media.” | Tolson then brought the information to his bosses at the FBI and admitted what he had done. He said that “because of the press coverage” of Burkman’s claims, “I felt I had to go to the media.” |
Defense attorney Ed MacMahon said that before this incident, Tolson was a “model employee,” who was “trying to discredit a news conference that was about to start, at which salacious allegations were going to be made about Mueller.” | |
Brinkema questioned Tolson’s urgency, saying that even in this “overheated environment” Burkman’s claims “would not be taken seriously.” | Brinkema questioned Tolson’s urgency, saying that even in this “overheated environment” Burkman’s claims “would not be taken seriously.” |
In fact, the news conference received little attention. No accuser appeared, and media coverage was largely focused on Burkman’s unzipped fly. | In fact, the news conference received little attention. No accuser appeared, and media coverage was largely focused on Burkman’s unzipped fly. |
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