Sussmann will reportedly be tried by a judge with whom he is “professional acquaintances” with.
Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but this is a massive conflict of interest.
Judges have been known to be lenient because the defendant said something nice, or maybe they just ate lunch. It is a common convention for lawyers to attempt to get their clients in front of a judge after lunchtime.
NEW: Judge Christopher Cooper is presiding over the Durham case against Michael Sussmann. Cooper said he was “professional acquaintances” with Sussmann at DOJ in 1990s, and Cooper’s wife represents Lisa Page. No sign that Durham team will push for recusal.
NEW: Judge Christopher Cooper is presiding over the Durham case against Michael Sussmann. Cooper said he was "professional acquaintances" with Sussmann at DOJ in 1990s, and Cooper's wife represents Lisa Page. No sign that Durham team will push for recusal.t.co/6vfu35IcML
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) September 22, 2021