Attorney Ty Clevenger has sent a pointed missive to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, alleging that the FBI is engaging in a blatant cover-up regarding crucial records related to the late DNC staffer Seth Rich and the now-discredited narrative surrounding Russian collusion.
In February 2024, Clevenger formally demanded that the FBI release documents regarding Seth Rich, which remain under wraps.
This refusal from the FBI appears to align with a long-standing pattern of evasion. For years, the agency denied even having possession of Seth Rich’s laptop—until Clevenger’s legal maneuvers forced the FBI to acknowledge its existence. Yet, the agency continues to withhold any metadata associated with Rich’s electronic devices.
Even more troubling, Clevenger has produced evidence indicating that the FBI unlawfully withheld pages from the CrowdStrike report linked to the alleged 2016 DNC hack—an incident that conveniently became a political weapon against President Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, Attorney Clevenger filed a motion in federal court seeking to hold the FBI in contempt for what he describes as a “deliberate and willful defiance” of a court order demanding the release of key information about the murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich.
The letter obtained by implicates former DOJ and intelligence officials in what Clevenger describes as a systemic cover-up aimed at protecting operatives from the Obama administration and their media collaborators.
Clevenger, representing plaintiff Brian Huddleston in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the FBI (Huddleston v. Federal Bureau of Investigation), asserts that the agency is withholding documents that could potentially unravel the official story surrounding Rich’s 2016 murder and the purported Russian hacking of DNC emails.
The attorney argues that the FBI’s refusal to disclose records, including those from Rich’s work laptop, not only violates FOIA but also seems to be an attempt to obscure evidence that might absolve Russia and implicate an inside job at the DNC.
In his correspondence to Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and other Trump officials, Clevenger highlights compelling evidence that suggests Rich may have been the source of the DNC emails published by Wikileaks, contrary to claims of Russian hacking put forth by the Mueller investigation and the intelligence community.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange hinted at Rich’s involvement in a 2016 interview, famously offering a $20,000 reward for information regarding his murder. Renowned journalist Seymour Hersh also asserted in a sworn deposition that a reliable source indicated Rich was the leaker.
Clevenger points to the FBI’s possession of Rich’s work laptop, a personal laptop image, a DVD, and a tape drive—items that the bureau initially denied having. Despite court orders to investigate these devices, the FBI has been uncooperative, refusing to confirm whether it has even analyzed the laptop’s contents.
Clevenger contends that this is a deliberate strategy to uphold the narrative that Russian intelligence, rather than Rich, was responsible for the DNC email leak. He ties this to the U.S. v. Netyksho case, where the FBI acknowledged a connection between Rich’s laptop and the prosecution of alleged Russian hackers.
But the FBI is not the only target of Clevenger’s ire. He, while also representing The Transparency Project in a separate FOIA case (The Transparency Project v. U.S. Department of Justice), accuses the CIA of potentially fabricating “Russian fingerprints” in DNC emails to frame Russia and undermine President Trump.
The CIA’s refusal to confirm or deny the existence of such records, citing national security, only deepens suspicions of a broader cover-up. Clevenger calls upon Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe to investigate and proactively release these records, in accordance with President Trump’s directive to declassify documents related to the Russia hoax.
Clevenger also raises questions about Aaron Rich, Seth’s brother, who is alleged to have confiscated Seth’s personal computer and phone shortly after the murder. Aaron’s subsequent lawsuits against those implying his involvement in the email leak, including Butowsky, are described as part of a coordinated “lawfare” campaign aimed at silencing critics.
Clevenger questions why Aaron has not authorized Wikileaks to disclose what it knows about Seth’s role, suggesting he may be hiding something.
In a separate letter to White House officials, including Counsel David Warrington, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Senior Counselor Stanley Woodward, Clevenger proposes sweeping reforms to address the federal government’s FOIA violations.
He recommends appointing a “chief transparency officer” to prosecute bureaucrats who obstruct public access to records and advocates for legislation that criminalizes FOIA violations, drawing inspiration from Texas law.
“Federal employees understand that there are no repercussions for violating FOIA,” Clevenger contends, arguing that this lack of accountability perpetuates a culture of cover-up within the bureaucracy.
Read the letters below:
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