GOP slams Clinton campaign after Durham report reveals ‘spying operation’ on Trump

"The latest pleading from Special Counsel Robert Durham [sic] provides indisputable evidence that my campaign and presidency were spied on by operatives paid by the Hillary Clinton Campaign in an effort to develop a completely fabricated connection to Russia," a Saturday press statement to followers from former President Donald Trump reads.

"This is a scandal far greater in scope and magnitude than Watergate and those who were involved in and knew about this spying operation should be subject to criminal prosecution," the 45th president added.

"In a stronger period of time in our country, this crime would have been punishable by death. In addition, reparations should be paid to those in our country who have been damaged by this," the statement concludes.

On Feb. 11, Durham filed a motion focused on potential conflicts of interest regarding to the representation of former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann, according to Fox News. Sussmann has since been charged with making a false statement to a federal agent, and has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment says Sussmann told "then-FBI General Counsel James Baker in September 2016, less than two months before the 2016 presidential election, that he was not doing work 'for any client' when he requested and held a meeting in which he presented 'purported data and 'white papers' that allegedly demonstrated a covert communications channel' between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank, which has ties to the Kremlin," according to Fox News.

In a section titled "Factual Background" in Durham's recent filing, it reveals that Sussmann "had assembled and conveyed the allegations to the FBI on behalf of at least two specific clients, including a technology executive (Tech Executive 1) at a U.S.-based internet company (Internet Company 1) and the Clinton campaign."

Durham's filing said Sussmann's "billing records reflect" that he "repeatedly billed the Clinton Campaign for his work on the Russian Bank-1 allegations."

The filing also states that in July of 2016, the tech executive worked with Sussmann, a US investigative firm retained by Law Firm 1 "on behalf of the Clinton campaign, numerous cyber researchers and employees at multiple internet companies to 'assemble the purported data and white papers.'" Fox News states.

"In connection with these efforts, Tech Executive-1 exploited his access to non-public and/or proprietary Internet data," the filing states. "Tech Executive-1 also enlisted the assistance of researchers at a U.S.-based university who were receiving and analyzing large amounts of Internet data in connection with a pending federal government cybersecurity research contract."

"Tech Executive-1 tasked these researchers to mine Internet data to establish 'an inference' and 'narrative' tying then-candidate Trump to Russia," Durham states. "In doing so, Tech Executive-1 indicated that he was seeking to please certain 'VIPs,' referring to individuals at Law Firm-1 and the Clinton campaign."

In response to Durham's filing, Twitter users and conservative pundits blasted the Clinton campaign, with some saying that Trump was right all along.