Former President Trump filed a sweeping federal lawsuit Thursday, arguing that Hillary Clinton and dozens of others plotted against him in the 2016 presidential race, nurturing false accusations. The filing says Clinton—the Democratic presidential nominee that year—conspired with her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, various campaign aides, former FBI Director James Comey, and others to portray Trump as colluding with Russia, Politico reports. "Under the guise of 'opposition research,' 'data analytics,' and other political stratagems, the Defendants nefariously sought to sway the public's trust," the suit says, per CNN. "They worked together with a single, self-serving purpose: to vilify Donald J. Trump."
The 108-page filing combines details from various investigations, including those of special counsels Robert Mueller and John Durham. The result reads like a summary of grievances Trump has long expressed, per Politico, about investigations into connections between Russia and the 2016 Republican nominee's campaign. The racketeering suit says Clinton and the DNC invented such ties, which led to an "unfounded federal investigation." Clinton's allies also hacked Trump Tower, Trump's apartment, and the White House, the suit says, to manipulate data to make it appear Trump had a back channel to Russia.
The conspiracy against Trump continued after he took office, the suit says. Mueller said three years ago that he'd found Trump's campaign was "receptive" to help from Russia during the campaign, per CNBC; Trump has dismissed Mueller's investigation as a witch hunt. The lawsuit appears to seek damages of more than $72 million, though a related court filing puts the amount at $21 million. The suit was filed in Fort Pierce, Fla. (More Donald Trump 2016 stories.)
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