ADVERTISEMENT

Clinton Tech Aide Asks Court to Withhold Details of FBI Immunity Deal

Judge demands aide explain why he plans to take the Fifth during deposition

Hillary Clinton / AP
June 7, 2016

The State Department aide who helped set up Hillary Clinton’s private email server asked a federal court to withhold details about his immunity deal with the FBI on Tuesday afternoon.

A federal judge had ordered Bryan Pagliano, Clinton’s personal IT aide, to turn over information about an immunity deal he reached with the FBI in connection to the investigation of Clinton’s private email server.

Pagliano filed a motion to seal the document on Tuesday afternoon, which could keep details of the agreement shielded from the public if approved by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan.

Pagliano filed the motion in response to an ongoing lawsuit against the State Department by the watchdog group Judicial Watch.

Judge Sullivan recently ruled that Judicial Watch’s attorneys could depose Pagliano in the case, but the former IT aide indicated he would exercise his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during the questioning. Pagliano’s attorneys are also fighting to prevent the deposition from being videotaped.

Sullivan asked Pagliano’s attorneys last week to submit a legal memo explaining the basis for his Fifth Amendment plea, "including requisite details pertaining to the scope of Mr. Pagliano's reported immunity agreement with the Government."

The Clinton aide’s lawyers turned over the information and motion to seal hours before the Tuesday evening deadline. The motion must still be approved by Judge Sullivan.

Judicial Watch is scheduled to submit a response to the memo by Friday. The watchdog group did not immediately comment on Pagliano’s request to seal the details of his immunity deal.