Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 1 of 34 PageID# 1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Alexandria Division

DEVIN G. NUNES
Plaintiff,
v.

FUSION GPS a/k/a BEAN, LLC
GLENN SIMPSON
-andCAMPAIGN FOR ACCOUNTABILITY,
INC.
Defendants.

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

Case No.

1:19-cv-1148

TRIAL BY JURY
IS DEMANDED

COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, Devin G. Nunes (“Plaintiff”), by counsel, files the following Complaint
against defendants, Fusion GPS a/k/a Bean, LLC (“Fusion GPS”), Glenn Simpson
(“Simpson”) and Campaign for Accountability, Inc. (“CfA”), jointly and severally.
Plaintiff seeks (a) compensatory damages, statutory damages (threefold the actual
damages sustained), and punitive damages in the sum of $9,900,000.00, plus (b)
prejudgment interest on the principal sum awarded by the Jury at the rate of six percent per
year from January 25, 2018 pursuant to § 8.01-382 of the Virginia Code (1950), as amended
(the “Code”), (c) a reasonable attorney’s fee, (d) post-judgment interest, and (e) court costs
– arising out of the Defendants’ acts of racketeering activity in violation of Title 18 U.S.C.

1

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 2 of 34 PageID# 2

§ 1962(a-c), conspiracy to violate Title 18 U.S.C. § 1962(a-c), and common law
conspiracy.
I. INTRODUCTION
1.

This is a case about active, coordinated and ongoing corruption, fraud and

obstruction of justice by Fusion GPS, its founder, Glenn Simpson, and the CfA.
2.

The Defendants are persons associated in fact (a RICO enterprise) who

engage in interstate commerce by the use of one or more instrumentalities, including, but
not limited to, the Internet, computers, telephones, mails and facsimile. In 2018, the
Defendants received income derived, directly or indirectly, from a pattern of racketeering
activity and have used or invested such income, directly or indirectly, in the establishment
or operation of an enterprise engaged in, or the activities of which affect, interstate
commerce. Through a pattern of racketeering activity, involving acts of wire fraud in
violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and acts of obstruction of justice in violation of Title
18 U.S.C. §§ 1503(a), 1512(b), 1512(d) and 1513(e), the Defendants have maintained,
directly or indirectly, an interest in or control of an enterprise which is engaged in, or the
activities of which affect, interstate commerce. While associated with such enterprise, the
Defendants conducted or participated, directly or indirectly, in the conduct of such
enterprise’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. Between 2018 and the
present, the Defendants have engaged in activity that is prohibited by Title 18 U.S.C. §§
1962(a), 1962(b), and 1962(c).
3.

The Defendants’ ongoing and continuous racketeering activities are part of

a joint and systematic effort to intimidate, harass, threaten, influence, interfere with,
impede, and ultimately to derail Plaintiff’s congressional investigation into Russian

2

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 3 of 34 PageID# 3

intermeddling in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. In furtherance of their conspiracy,
the Defendants, acting in concert and with others, filed fraudulent and retaliatory “ethics”
complaints against Plaintiff that were solely designed to harass and intimidate Plaintiff, to
undermine his Russia investigation, and to protect Simpson, Fusion GPS and others from
criminal referrals.
4.

Plaintiff was injured in his business, property and reputation by Defendants’

racketeering activity and tortious misconduct. Plaintiff brings this action (a) to recover
money damages for injuries caused by the Defendants’ racketeering activity, (b) for
disgorgement of the ill-gotten gains and fruits of Defendants’ unlawful enterprise, (c) to
impose reasonable restrictions on Defendants’ future activities, including Defendants’ use
of fraudulent opposition research and fraudulent “ethics” complaints to intimidate
members of Congress and other law enforcement officers in the performance of their
official duties, (d) to enjoin the Defendants from committing wire fraud and from
obstructing justice, and (e) to order the dissolution or reorganization of Fusion GPS and
the CfA so as to prevent or restrain the Defendants from committing fraud, lying to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Congress and
Senate, obstructing justice, and violating Title 18 U.S.C. § 1962 in the future.
II. PARTIES
5.

Plaintiff is a citizen of California. He has served in the United States House

of Representatives since 2003. He currently represents California’s 22nd Congressional
District, which is located in the San Joaquin Valley and includes portions of Tulare and
Fresno Counties. He is the author of the book, Restoring the Republic, which was
published in September 2010. Plaintiff was born in Tulare, California. His family is of

3

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 4 of 34 PageID# 4

Portuguese descent, having emigrated from the Azores to California. From childhood, he
worked on a farm that his family operated in Tulare County for three generations. He
raised cattle as a teenager, used his savings to begin a harvesting business, and then bought
his own farmland with his brother. Plaintiff graduated from Tulare Union High School.
After associate’s work at College of the Sequoias, he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo, where he received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and a master’s
degree in agriculture. Plaintiff was first elected to public office as one of California’s
youngest community college trustees in state history at the age of 23. As a member of the
College of the Sequoias Board from 1996 to 2002, he was an advocate for distance learning
and the expansion of programs available to high school students. In 2001, he was appointed
by President George W. Bush to serve as California State Director for the United States
Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development section. He left this post to run for
California’s 21st Congressional District and now serves in the 22nd District as a result
of redistricting in 2010. Plaintiff serves as Ranking Member of the House Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence, having been appointed to the Committee in the 112th
Congress and serving as Committee Chairman during the 114th and 115th Congresses. He
was appointed to the Ways and Means Committee in the 109th Congress and now serves as
a Ranking Member of the Health Subcommittee and a member of the Trade Subcommittee,
having served as Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee in the 113th Congress. Plaintiff
previously served as a member of the House Budget Committee during the 111th Congress.
In the 108th Congress, his first term in the House of Representatives, he served on the
House Resources Committee, in which he was Chairman of the National Parks
Subcommittee, and on the Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committees. Congressman

4

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 5 of 34 PageID# 5

Nunes has traveled extensively to war zones to meet with soldiers and examine first-hand
their status. As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, he
participates in oversight of the U.S. national security apparatus, including the intelligencerelated activities of seventeen agencies, departments, and other elements of the United
States Government, most of which are located in Virginia within the Alexandria Division.
[https://nunes.house.gov/about/; https://www.devinnunes.com/bio].
6.

Created in 1977, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

(the “House Intelligence Committee”) oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies,
including components of the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, State,
Treasury and Energy. Consistent with its mission and jurisdiction, the House Intelligence
Committee has the authority and power, inter alia, to conduct investigations, issue
subpoenas for the production of memoranda, documents and records or other material, to
compel testimony from witnesses, and to make criminals referrals to the DOJ.
[https://republicans-intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hpsci_rules_of_procedure__115th_congress.pdf;

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/HMAN-115/pdf/HMAN-

115.pdf].
7.

On March 1, 2017, the House Intelligence Committee approved a bipartisan

“Scope of Investigation” to guide the Committee in its investigation into the Russian active
measures campaign that targeted the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Plaintiff confirmed
that the “Intelligence Committee has been investigating Russia for years and warning about
the Putin regime’s hostile international actions, its aggression in cyber space, and its
influential international propaganda campaigns. The committee is determined to continue
and expand its inquiries into these areas, including Russian activities related to the 2016

5

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 6 of 34 PageID# 6

U.S. elections. On a bipartisan basis, we will fully investigate all the evidence we collect
and follow that evidence wherever it leads.” In its investigation, the Committee publicly
vowed to conduct interviews, take witness testimony and to “seek access to and custody of
all relevant information, including law enforcement and counterintelligence information,
consistent with the Committee’s oversight jurisdiction and investigative responsibilities.”
[https://intelligence.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=217].
8.

Defendant, Fusion GPS, is a Delaware limited liability company

headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Fusion GPS represents that it “provides premium

research, strategic intelligence, and due diligence services to corporations, law firms, and
investors worldwide.” [http://www.fusiongps.com/]. In truth, Fusion GPS is a political war
room for hire that specializes in dirty tricks and smears. As a regular way of doing
business, it smears the opposition on behalf of its undisclosed clients. Upon information
and belief, many of Fusion GPS’ clients, agents and donors are located in Virginia. Fusion
GPS repeatedly uses the same means and methods: it creates fake “dossiers” and supplies
the fraudulent documents to “friendlies” in the media for dissemination online and via
social media. Another technique employed by Fusion GPS is “astro-turfing”. Astroturfing
is the attempt to create an impression of widespread grassroots support for a position, where
no such support actually exists. Fusion GPS uses multiple “cut-outs”, online identities and
fake pressure groups to mislead the public into believing that its positions on behalf of
clients are correct and/or commonly held. CfA is regularly used by astroturfers like Fusion
GPS. [https://fortune.com/2016/08/19/google-transparency-project-2/].
9.

Defendant, Simpson, is a principal of Fusion GPS. Simpson manages

Fusion GPS and is its “public” face. In 2016, Simpson conspired with Perkins Coie, LLP

6

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 7 of 34 PageID# 7

(“Perkins Coie”), Orbis Business Intelligence, Ltd. (“Orbis”) and Christopher Steele
(“Steele”) to manufacture a compendium of fake “intelligence” reports that Simpson and
Steele provided to the FBI and DOJ and then leaked to mainstream media outlets, for the
express purpose of instigating and promoting the false narrative that the Trump campaign
or persons associated with it colluded with Russians. [https://gop.com/meet-fusion-gps/].
At all times material to this case, Simpson and Fusion GPS shared a common goal with the
Democratic National Committee (“DNC”) and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign
of using the false and defamatory statements in the “Steele Dossier” to poison the minds
of voters against candidate Donald Trump (“Trump”) and to influence the outcome of 2016
Presidential Election.
10.
Kingdom.

Orbis is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United
Steele founded Orbis in 2009. [https://orbisbi.com/about-orbis/].

Orbis

describes itself as a leading corporate intelligence consultancy. [https://orbisbi.com/].
Steele graduated from Cambridge University in 1986 with a degree in social and political
science. He worked for British intelligence, MI6, until 2008.
11.

Perkins Coie is an international law firm [https://www.perkinscoie.com/en/]

with offices worldwide. Marc E. Elias (“Elias”) is the chair of Perkins Coie’s Political
Law Group. [https://www.perkinscoie.com/en/professionals/marc-e-elias.html]. Michael
Sussmann (“Sussmann”) is a partner at Perkins Coie.

Sussmann, a former Justice

Department official, represents that he is “a nationally-recognized privacy, cybersecurity
and national security lawyer. He is engaged on some of the most sophisticated, high-stakes
matters today, such as his representation of the Democratic National Committee and
Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in their responses to Russian hacking in the 2016

7

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 8 of 34 PageID# 8

presidential election.”

Sussman is often quoted in the Wall Street Journal.

[https://www.perkinscoie.com/en/professionals/michael-sussmann.html].
12.

Defendant, CfA, is a dark money, partisan, left-wing 501(c)(3) nonprofit

organization that uses the Freedom of Information Act, litigation, and “aggressive
communications” to target government officials, principally conservative Republicans.
[https://campaignforaccountability.org/about/]. 1 CfA claims (ironically) that it “works on
behalf of the public interest to expose corruption, negligence and unethical behavior
wherever it may occur.” As part of its business, CfA operates a website, a Twitter account
(@Accountable_Org), a Facebook account, a YouTube channel, and publishes articles via
Medium. In 2017, CfA received a total of $994,811 in contributions and grants. In 2018,
CfA received a total of $1,270,480 in contributions and grants. CfA does not disclose the
identities of its donors. Upon information and belief, CfA’s donors include the left-wing
funding/incubation non-profit, New Venture Fund. [https://www.influencewatch.org/nonprofit/new-venture-fund/; http://www.siliconbeat.com/2016/07/19/googles-secretive-anddeep-pocketed-foe-heavily-funded-by-gates-hewlett-foundations/].
13.

On August 1, 2019, the Daily Caller revealed that CfA engaged Fusion GPS

as an “independent contractor” in 2018 and paid Fusion GP nearly $140,000 for
unspecified “research”. [https://dailycaller.com/2019/08/01/liberal-watchdog-fusion-gps-

CfA was founded in 2015 by alumni of prominent left-wing opposition
research super PAC, American Bridge 21st Century, and Citizens for Responsibility and
Ethics in Washington (CREW), an “advocacy group” that uses “aggressive legal action,
in-depth research, and bold communications” to target Republican officeholders. [See
https://www.citizensforethics.org/who-we-are/]. Daniel E. Stevens (“Stevens”), CfA’s
executive director, lives in Springfield, Virginia.
1

8

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 9 of 34 PageID# 9

trump/ (“Liberal Watchdog Group That Targeted Google And Devin Nunes Paid
Fusion GPS $140K For Research”)].
III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
14.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has

subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Title 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (Federal
Question), § 1332 (Diversity) and § 1367 (Supplemental Jurisdiction). The parties are
citizens of different States and the amount in controversy exceeds the sum or value of
$75,000, exclusive of interest, costs and fees.
15.

Each of the Defendants is subject to personal jurisdiction in Virginia

pursuant to Virginia’s long-arm statute, § 8.01-328.1(A)(1), (A)(3) and (A)(4) of the Code,
as well as the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution. The Defendants are
subject to both general and specific personal jurisdiction. They engage in continuous and
systematic business in Virginia. They have minimum contacts with Virginia such that the
exercise of personal jurisdiction over them comports with traditional notions of fair play
and substantial justice and is consistent with the Due Process Clause of the United States
Constitution.
16.

Venue is proper in the Alexandria Division of the United States District

Court for the Eastern District of Virginia pursuant to Title 18 U.S.C. § 1965(a) and Title
28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). The Defendants reside, are found, have agents, and transact affairs
in Virginia. The vast majority of Trump campaign foreign policy meetings between June
2016 and September 2016 occurred in Virginia in Arlington County and Fairfax County.
Many of the key witnesses to the Defendants’ corrupt business practices – including former

9

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 10 of 34 PageID# 10

FBI director, James Comey (“Comey”), Andrew McCabe (“McCabe”), Bruce Ohr, and
Fusion GPS contractor, Nellie Ohr – reside in Virginia.
IV. STATEMENT OF THE FACTS
17.

On April 12, 2015, Hillary Rodham Clinton declared her candidacy for

President of the United States. She officially received the nomination of the Democratic
Party on July 26, 2016 at the Democratic National Convention.
18.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, the Clinton campaign and the DNC

paid Perkins Coie a total of $12.4 million. Perkins Coie did not provide $12.4 million in
legal services to the Clinton campaign and the DNC during the 2016 presidential election
cycle. Perkins Coie, with the knowledge and authority of the Clinton campaign and the
DNC, acted as a conduit to funnel campaign funds ($1 Million Dollars) to Fusion GPS in
order to create a false narrative about opposition Republican presidential candidate Trump.
A.

The Fraudulent “Steele Dossier”
19.

In April 2016, Elias on behalf of Perkins Coie engaged Fusion GPS on

behalf of the Clinton campaign and the DNC to prepare a salacious “dossier” that could be
used to smear Trump. The Clinton campaign and the DNC, through Perkins Coie, funded
Fusion GPS's opposition research through the end of October 2016, days before the
Presidential

Election.

[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/us/politics/clinton-dnc-

russia-dossier.html (“Clinton Campaign and Democratic Party Helped Pay for Russia
Trump

Dossier”);

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-

10

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 11 of 34 PageID# 11

campaign-dnc-paid-for-research-that-led-to-russia-dossier/2017/10/24/226fabf0-b8e411e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html]. 2
20.

Perkins Coie chose Fusion GPS to smear opposition candidate Trump

because of Fusion GPS’ well-documented history of defamation, dirty tricks and its pattern
and practice of using fabricated “dossiers” and the media to intimidate and smear targets.
[E.g. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304203604577397031654422966
(“The President’s Hit List”); https://www.scribd.com/document/354721041/Testimonyof-Thor-Halvorssen-to-the-Senate-Committee-on-the-Judiciary-7-26-2017 (“Thank you
for the opportunity to provide testimony about Fusion GPS, its role in a multi-billion-dollar
corruption case benefitting the Venezuelan regime, and how they violate [FARA]”);
http://infodio.com/20170114/fusion/gps/derwick/associates/venezuela/corruption
(“Fusion GPS link to Derwick Associates: Venezuela's most corrupt criminal gang”);
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/bill-browders-testimony-to-thesenate-judiciary-committee/534864/ (“Veselnitskaya, through Baker Hostetler, hired

The revelation that the Clinton campaign and the DNC had paid Fusion GPS
emerged from an October 24, 2017 letter filed in court by Perkins Coie. In pertinent part,
the letter states:
2

“Fusion GPS approached Perkins Coie in early March of 2016 and …
expressed interest in an engagement with the Firm in connection with the 2016
presidential election to continue research regarding then-Presidential candidate
Donald Trump, research that Fusion GPS had conducted for one or more other
clients during the Republican primary contest … To assist in its representation of
the DNC and Hillary for America, Perkins Coie engaged Fusion GPS”.
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-campaign-dnc-paidfor-research-that-led-to-russia-dossier/2017/10/24/226fabf0-b8e4-11e7-a908a3470754bbb9_story.html;
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4116755/PerkinsCoie-FusionPrivelegeLetter-102417.pdf].
11

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 12 of 34 PageID# 12

Glenn Simpson of the firm Fusion GPS to conduct a smear campaign against me and Sergei
Magnitsky in advance of congressional hearings on the Global Magnitsky Act. He
contacted a number of major newspapers and other publications to spread false information
that Sergei Magnitsky was not murdered, was not a whistle-blower, and was instead a
criminal. They also spread false information that my presentations to lawmakers around
the world were untrue.”); https://thefederalist.com/2017/10/10/u-s-media-help-russiadestabilize-united-states/ (“Does U.S. Media Help Russia Destabilize The United
States?”)].
21.

Fusion GPS hired Orbis to create the “dossier” to smear Trump and help in

disseminating the scandalous accusations to the media.
22.

At the time Fusion GPS hired Orbis, Steele acted as a paid informant for the

23.

Steele created a compendium of “Company “Intelligence Report[s]” that he

FBI.

delivered to Simpson and Fusion GPS.
24.

The various “Company Intelligence Report[s]” that are part of the “dossier”

manufactured by Orbis and Steele for Fusion GPS are fabrications.
25.

Fusion GPS paid Orbis approximately $170,000 for the false and

disgraceful “Steele Dossier”.
B.

Fusion GPS, Simpson and Steele Leak The Fraudulent “Steele Dossier”
26.

The Republican National Committee (“RNC”) held its presidential

nominating convention in Cleveland, Ohio, from July 18-21, 2016.
27.

Trump won the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

12

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 13 of 34 PageID# 13

28.

On July 31, 2016, the FBI officially launched operation “Crossfire

Hurricane”. [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/us/politics/crossfire-hurricane-trumprussia-fbi-mueller-investigation.html].
29.

Between July 31, 2016 and September 23, 2016, Fusion GPS and Simpson,

acting in concert with Steele, leaked the “Steele Dossier” to the FBI, DOJ, State
Department, and multiple “journalists” who were friendly to presidential candidate,
Clinton. By September 23, 2016, the “Steele Dossier” was in the hands of at least nine (9)
media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, the New Yorker,
McClatchy, and Yahoo News. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hero-or-hiredgun-how-a-british-former-spy-became-a-flash-point-in-the-russiainvestigation/2018/02/06/94ea5158-0795-11e8-8777-2a059f168dd2_story.html].
30.

Steele was “desperate” to see Donald Trump defeated in the 2016

Presidential election. [https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/425739-fisa-shocker-dojofficial-warned-steele-dossier-was-connected-to-clinton (Associate Deputy Attorney
General Bruce Ohr (“Bruce Ohr”) told congressional investigators that “Christopher Steele
was, as I said, desperate that Trump not be elected.”)]. Steele’s personal bias and lack of
veracity was well-known to Fusion GPS and Simpson.

Fusion GPS and Simpson

commissioned the “Steele Dossier” and leveraged Steele’s extreme political bias and
motive to lie. On October 11, 2016, Steele met with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Kathleen Kavalec (“Kavalec”). Steele admitted to Kavalec that his “research” was political
and that he was facing an Election Day deadline to make it public. Steele told Kavalec that
his “client” (Fusion GPS) was “keen to see this information come to light prior to
November 8,” the date of the 2016 presidential election. [https://thehill.com/opinion/white-

13

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 14 of 34 PageID# 14

house/442592-steeles-stunning-pre-fisa-confession-informant-needed-to-air-trump-dirt].
31.

On October 21, 2016, the FBI used part of the “Steele Dossier” – Company

Intelligence Report (CIR) 94 – to seek a warrant to spy on Carter W. Page (“Page”)
pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (“FISA”). The FISA
application, signed by Comey, falsely represented to the FISA Court that the information
in the application was “VERIFIED”:

32.

The “Steele Dossier” accusations of collusion between the Trump campaign

or persons associated with it and Russians have never been verified. They cannot be
verified because they are false. They were manufactured by Steele and Fusion GPS out of
whole cloth.

14

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 15 of 34 PageID# 15

33.

The FISA application discloses that Steele was approached by Fusion GPS

through Simpson 3 (referred to in the application as an “identified US person”), and that
Perkins Coie (referred to in the application as a “US-based law firm”) had hired Fusion
GPS “to conduct research regarding Candidate #1s [Trump] ties to Russia.” The FISA
application confirms that Steele and Fusion GPS “have a long-standing business
relationship”. The FISA application does not identify Steele’s “sub-source(s)”. 4
34.

On October 31, 2016, Mother Jones published an article entitled, “A

Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to
Cultivate Donald Trump”. [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spygave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump/]. 5

The source of the

Mother Jones article was Steele. Steele spoke with Mother Jones’ reporter, David Corn,

Simpson formerly was an investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
He has a long history of working with the FBI and reporting on corruption and influence
in and around Russia. Simpson orchestrated Fusion GPS’ media outreach program and
dissemination of the “Steele Dossier” to the Government agencies and the media.
[https://dailycaller.com/2019/03/04/glenn-simpson-jonathan-winer-dossier/;
https://dailycaller.com/2017/07/13/details-emerge-about-trump-dossier-firms-mediaoutreach-campaign/].
3

Simpson told Bruce Ohr that Steele’s main source wasn’t in Moscow but,
rather, was a “former Russian intelligence figure in Washington”. Bruce Ohr’s notes quote
Simpson as follows: “[m]uch of the collection about the Trump campaign ties to Russia
comes from a former Russian intelligence officer (? not entirely clear) who lives in the
US”.
[https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/417535-questions-grow-about-fbi-vetting-ofchristopher-steeles-russia-expertise].
4

On October 10, 2016, Simpson told Bruce Ohr that he (Simpson) asked
Steele to talk to Mother Jones. [https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/401185-the-handwrittennotes-exposing-what-fusion-gps-told-doj-about-trump (“‘Glen [sic] asked Chris to speak
to the Mother Jones reporter. It was Glen’s Hail Mary attempt [to influence the election],’”
Ohr wrote.”)].
5

15

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 16 of 34 PageID# 16

at Simpson’s behest. 6 Mother Jones reported that Steele “now works” for Fusion GPS,
which Mother Jones described as “a US firm that gathers information on Russia for
corporate clients”. Mother Jones revealed that Steele “was assigned the task of researching
Trump’s dealings in Russia and elsewhere, according to the former spy [Steele] and his
associates [Simpson] in this American firm.” Mother Jones quoted a “fiery letter” from
Democratic Senator Harry Reid (“Reid”) to Comey that disclosed the following:
“In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security
community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close
ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian
government … The public has a right to know this information.”
Reid was briefed on the “Steele Dossier” sometime prior to the end of August 2016.
35.

In November 2016, Steele met in Great Britain with David J. Kramer

(“Kramer”), director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership, a private
foundation associated with the late-U.S. Senator John McCain (“McCain”).
[https://www.mccaininstitute.org/staff/david-j-kramer/]. The purpose of the meeting was
to brief Kramer on behalf of Senator McCain, who at the time was an outspoken critic of

In October 2016, the FBI “suspended” its relationship with Steele because
of Steele’s flagrant breaches of FBI trust and protocol. According to the FISA application:
6

16

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 17 of 34 PageID# 17

the Trump candidacy. Steele and/or Simpson gave Kramer a copy of the first sixteen
reports in the “Steele Dossier” for redelivery to Senator McCain. Kramer, a former State
Department official and a Trump detractor, leaked (republished) the DNC-financed “Steele
Dossier” to, inter alia, BuzzFeed News.
36.

Kramer met with BuzzFeed’s Ken Bensinger (“Bensinger”) during the 2016

Christmastime holidays. Bensinger took cellphone photos of the entire “Steele Dossier”.
[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/14/david-kramer-spread-steeledossier-around-washingt/;

see

also

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-

world/national/article160622854.html (“At least a dozen national media organizations had
a copy of the Steele dossier before it became public but hadn’t published details because
much of the information had not been corroborated”)]. 7
37.

On January 10, 2017, CNN reported that “intelligence chiefs” had briefed

President-Elect Trump and President Obama on the accusations contained in the “Steele
Dossier”.

CNN

described

the

“Steele

Dossier”

as

“Classified”.

[https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-reportrussia/index.html].
38.

On January 10, 2017, after publication of the CNN report, Bensinger, on

behalf of BuzzFeed News, published the “Steele Dossier”. The “full document” linked to
Bensinger’s story was the cell phone copy of the “Steele Dossier” that Bensinger obtained

McCain gave Comey a copy of the “Trump dossier” on January 6, 2017.
[https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article160622854.html].
Comey briefed President-elect Trump on the “dossier” that same day. Briefing the
President-elect was the “brainchild” of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
(“Clapper”), who also had the “dossier”. [https://thefederalist.com/2018/04/20/comeysmemos-indicate-dossier-briefing-of-trump-was-a-setup/].
7

17

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 18 of 34 PageID# 18

from Kramer. [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/these-reports-allegetrump-has-deep-ties-to-russia;

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/donald-

trump-russia-intelligence.html?module=inline]. 8
39.

On January 11, 2017, the New York Times revealed that Fusion GPS was

behind the “Steele Dossier”. [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/donaldtrump-russia-intelligence.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0].

The Wall Street

Journal revealed that Steele was the author. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/christophersteele-ex-british-intelligence-officer-said-to-have-prepared-dossier-on-trump1484162553].
C.

The Congressional Investigation
40.

Plaintiff was one of the leading and most vocal members of Congress to

advocate for a thorough investigation of the role Fusion GPS and the “Steele Dossier”
played in advancing the “Russia collusion” narrative. Fusion GPS and Simpson harbored
spite and ill-will towards Plaintiff and decided to smear Plaintiff as a result of his tenacious
efforts in 2017 to expose Fusion GPS’ nefarious activities.
41.

On August 24, 2017, in his capacity as Chairman of the House Intelligence

Committee, Plaintiff authorized subpoenas to both DOJ and FBI for all documents they
had relating to their relationship with Steele and/or the “Steele Dossier”.
[http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2017/images/09/06/chm.ltr.to.ag.sessions.re.subpoena.comp
liance--1.september.17.pdf]. All subpoenas authorized by Plaintiff were issued pursuant

8

On January 10, 2017, Ben Smith (“Smith”), editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed,
advised the staff of BuzzFeed News that there were “real solid reasons to distrust” the
veracity of the allegations contained in the “Trump dossier”. Smith tweeted the note he
sent to his staff. [https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedBen/status/818978955965464580/photo/1].
18

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 19 of 34 PageID# 19

to a constitutionally authorized investigation by a Committee of the U.S. House of
Representatives with jurisdiction over intelligence and intelligence-related activities—
activities designed to protect the United States and its citizens from potential cyber-attacks
now and in the future.
42.

In a September 1, 2017 letter to Attorney General, Jeff Sessions

(“Sessions”), Plaintiff stated as follows:

Plaintiff’s letter pointed out the lack of cooperation he had received in 2017 in obtaining
responses to Russia-investigation related requests:

43.

On October 4, 2017, Plaintiff, in his capacity as Chairman of the House

Intelligence Committee, authorized subpoenas for documents and to compel testimony
19

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 20 of 34 PageID# 20

from Simpson and Fusion GPS partners Peter Fritsch 9 and Thomas Catan.10
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/10/politics/fusion-gps-subpoenas-devin-nunes/index.html;
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/18/politics/fusion-gps-partners-plead-fifth-before-houseintel/index.html (noting that Fusion GPS’ attorney revealed that Fritsch and Catan invoked
their Fifth Amendment rights not to answer questions before the Committee)].
44.

Plaintiff also issued a subpoena to Fusion GPS’ bank, TD Bank, for the

company’s financial records. Fusion GPS sought a temporary restraining order and
preliminary injunction to block release of the bank records. Fusion GPS failed in its effort
to prevent disclosure of the bank records. Bean, LLC v. John Doe Bank, 291 F.Supp.3d 34
(D. D.C. 2018). The bank records produced by Fusion GPS revealed that the Clinton
campaign, the DNC and Perkins Coie paid for Fusion GPS’ anti-Trump research.
[https://thehill.com/homenews/house/354796-nunes-signs-off-on-new-subpoenas-inrussia-investigation; https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/byron-york-in-dossier-probefusion-gps-asks-court-to-stop-house-from-seeing-bank-records].

Fritsch is a co-founder of Fusion GPS and partner of Simpson’s. Fritsch
was responsible for running opposition research for Fusion GPS on Theranos.
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/journalism-for-rent-inside-thesecretive-firm-behind-the-trump-dossier/2017/12/11/8d5428d4-bd89-11e7-af84d3e2ee4b2af1_story.html (“Fusion GPS bills itself as a corporate research firm, but in
many ways it operates with the secrecy of a spy agency … Fusion worked to blunt
aggressive reporting on the medical-device company Theranos, which was later found to
have problems with its novel blood-testing technology. It was also hired to ward off
scrutiny of the nutritional supplement company Herbalife, which ultimately paid
$200 million to distributors to settle claims by regulators … Fusion’s work on the dossier
went beyond ordinary opposition research, the kind that might explore a candidate’s past
legislative history or embarrassing gaffes — known in the industry as “votes and quotes.”
Instead, it paid a former British spy to compile intelligence from unnamed Russian
sources.”)].
9

Catan is the third partner of Fusion GPS. Like Simpson and Fritsch, he used
to work for the Wall Street Journal. [https://www.wsj.com/news/author/thomas-catan].
10

20

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 21 of 34 PageID# 21

45.

On November 14, 2017, Simpson testified behind closed doors before the

House Intelligence Committee. He was accompanied by three (3) lawyers.
46.

On January 17, 2018, the House Intelligence Committee published an

unclassified, redacted transcript of Simpson’s testimony in executive session.
[https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG00/20180118/106796/HMTG-115-IG0020180118-SD002.pdf].
47.

It was immediately obvious to Representatives and reporters alike that

Simpson had lied in his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee. [See, e.g.,
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/01/simpson-tried-to-deceive-congress-onthe-fusion-gps-obama-doj-connection.php
CONGRESS

ON

THE

FUSION

(“SIMPSON

TRIED

GPS/OBAMA

DOJ

TO

DECEIVE

CONNECTION”);

https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/17/bruce-ohr-testimony-fusion-gps-glenn-simpson/
(“DOJ official Bruce Ohr testified that he met with Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson in
August 2016. That conflicts with what Simpson told a congressional committee in
November. He [Simpson] said he did not meet Ohr until after the 2016 election …
Department of Justice (DOJ) official Bruce Ohr told Congress in August that he met before
the 2016 election with Glenn Simpson, a direct contradiction to what the Fusion GPS
founder said in a congressional deposition in 2017”); https://www.tabletmag.com/jewishnews-and-politics/253004/fusion-gps-donald-trump (“Did Glenn Simpson Lie to
Congress?”);

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/31/glenn-simpson-

accused-lying-congress-sen-charles-g/ (“Why key architect of the anti-Trump dossier is
now accused of lying to Congress”)].

21

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 22 of 34 PageID# 22

48.

In fact, Simpson lied to both the House of Representatives and the United

States Senate about his role and involvement in advancing the anti-Trump smear campaign
before and after the 2016 presidential election. The following testimony by Simpson to
the House Intelligence Committee was knowingly and willfully false:

Simpson also knowingly and willfully lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee. His
statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee on August 22, 2017 that he “had no client
after the [2016 presidential] election” was an “outright lie”. As Senator Grassley observed:
“For example, when the Committee staff interviewed Glenn Simpson in August of
2017, Majority staff asked him: ‘So you didn’t do any work on the Trump matter
after the election date, that was the end of your work?’ Mr. Simpson answered: ‘I
had no client after the election.’ As we now know, that was extremely misleading,
if not an outright lie.”
[https://thefederalist.com/2018/12/04/grassley-fusion-gps-founder-ceo-glenn-simpsonlied-senate-testimony/;

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/05/29/grassley-fusion-

gps-founder-gave-extremely-misleading-testimony-about-trump-work/].

22

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 23 of 34 PageID# 23

49.

Simpson knew that there was a substantial likelihood that he could be

indicted for making false statements to the FBI and DOJ, lying to Congress and the Senate,
and for obstructing justice. Simpson knew that it was a Federal crime to corruptly11
influence, obstruct, or impede, or endeavor to influence, obstruct or impede the House
Intelligence Committee in its Russia investigation.
50.

Fearing a criminal referral for his false statements to the FBI and DOJ, for

lying to Congress and the Senate, and for obstructing the House Intelligence Committee in
its Russia investigation, the Defendants directly and aggressively retaliated against
Plaintiff, employing the same or similar means and methods as Fusion GPS and Simpson
have employed multiple times in the past to smear the opposition. [See, e.g., Halvorssen v.
Simpson, Case 2:18-cv-02683-ENV-RLM (E.D.N.Y.) (Document 1) (Simpson creates a
phony “dossier” that he passes on to “friendly journalists” and/or associates who use the
negative information to smear the target)].
D.

The Three Retaliatory Ethics Complaints
51.

On January 25, 2018, as news of Simpson’s perjury was being widely

reported, CfA, acting in concert with Fusion GPS, faxed an “ethics” complaint against
Plaintiff to the Office of Congressional Ethics (“OCE”).
52.

The purpose of Defendants’ first “ethics” complaint was to threaten and

intimidate Plaintiff, impede his communications with “conservative” members of the press,
chill reporting of Fusion GPS and Simpson’s wrongdoing, interfere with Plaintiff’s

11

As used in Title 18 U.S.C. § 1505, the term “corruptly” means acting with
an improper purpose, personally or by influencing another, including making a false or
misleading statement, or withholding, concealing, altering, or destroying a document or
other information. 18 U.S.C. § 1515(b).
23

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 24 of 34 PageID# 24

congressional investigation into Fusion GPS and the “Steele Dossier”, and dissuade
Plaintiff from making criminal referrals to the DOJ.
53.

On March 1, 2018, CfA faxed a second “ethics” complaint against Plaintiff

to OCE. This time, CfA falsely accused Plaintiff and staff members acting at his direction
of having leaked to the press private text messages between Senator Mark Warner and
Adam Waldman, a lawyer connected to Steele, in which Senator Warner tried to arrange a
meeting with Steele.
54.

Defendants’ intended goal was to undermine confidence in Plaintiff, harass

and overwhelm him with litigation, and distract him from his duties as a member of the
House Intelligence Committee.
55.

On July 11, 2018, CFA faxed a third “ethics” complaint to OCE, this time

falsely stating that Plaintiff “violated federal law and House ethics rules by failing to
include information on his personal financial disclosure forms and accepting an
impermissible gift.” An accompanying press release published on CfA’s website contained
the following defamatory clickbait headline:

Ethics Complaint Against Rep. Devin Nunes for
Lying About His Investments in Several
California Companies
[https://campaignforaccountability.org/work/ethics-complaint-against-rep-devin-nunesfor-lying-about-his-investments-in-several-california-companies/].
56.

CfA’s third ethics complaint was the result of a joint effort that included

Michael Seeley (“Seeley”), a political activist and long-time member of Southern
California Americans for Democratic Action (“SCADA”), a left-wing, populist political

24

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 25 of 34 PageID# 25

organization committed to liberal politics, liberal policies, and a liberal future.
[https://www.adasocal.org/board_members_1]. Upon information and belief, Fusion GPS
and/or CfA directed Seeley to make a request under the California Public Records Act
(“PRA”) for emails received by Plaintiff’s wife, Elizabeth, an elementary school teacher.
Seeley’s request targeting Plaintiff’s wife ended up costing the Tulare County Office of
Education thousands of dollars in unnecessary cost and expense.

Seeley published

Elizabeth Nunes’ emails online and included the names and email addresses of numerous
school administrators and teachers, resulting in extensive harassment of these innocent,
hard-working citizens of Tulare County, including hateful accusations that they teach
bigotry and racism. [https://www.scribd.com/user/399236302/Michael-Seeley]. In fact,
the school was so concerned about security problems resulting from this situation that it
adopted enhanced security measures.
57.

In addition to CfA, Fusion GPS, upon information and belief, recruited

additional bad actors, including political operative Elizabeth “Liz” Mair (“Mair”), and
encouraged and enticed them to participate in the coordinated attacks upon Plaintiff. Mair
works for anonymous, dark money clients. In her own words, she “anonymously smear[s]”
her clients’ opposition “on the internet”. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-mair-76b03a2/
(“What do I do for these clients? Anonymously smear their opposition on the Internet.”)].
Mair controls the Swamp Accountability Project (“Swamp”), a dark money group run out
of Alexandria, Virginia. On the same day CfA filed its third complaint, Swamp filed an
“ethics” complaint against Plaintiff. [https://swampaccountabilityproject.com/letter/]. It
was no coincidence. It was, as Mair boasts, a planned and extremely well-organized smear

25

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 26 of 34 PageID# 26

campaign. The organized and coordinated attacks on Plaintiff bear all the hallmarks of a
Fusion GPS smear operation.
58.

The purpose of the Fusion GPS/CfA “ethics” complaints was to create

negative publicity for Plaintiff, to harass, intimidate and distract Plaintiff, to cast a pall
upon the Congressional investigation into the role that Fusion GPS, Simpson and the
“Steele Dossier” played in advancing the “Russia collusion” narrative, and to dissuade
Plaintiff from pursuing criminal charges against Simpson and Fusion GPS. Just as they
had done with Halvorssen and many others, Fusion GPS, acting in concert with CfA and
Mair, coordinated the attacks on Plaintiff with McClatchy, a newspaper with a known axe
to grind against Plaintiff. Each of the “ethics” complaints filed against Plaintiff was leaked
to McClatchy and immediately reported by McClatchy in the Fresno Bee. [E.g.,
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/politicalnotebook/article214693435.html].
59.

On September 6, 2018, the Federalist reported that CfA refused to comment

when asked if they had collaborated with Seeley in submitting the FRA request for
Elizabeth Nunes’ emails. [https://thefederalist.com/2018/09/06/resistance-torches-devinnunes-family-dared-expose-intel-agencies-collusion-democrats/

(“Devin

Nunes

is

precisely why we know anything about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National
Committee's dishonest and bizarre activities. No wonder he’s a huge Democrat target”).
60.

Although CfA defended Fusion GPS in its initial “ethics” complaint,

Plaintiff did not know and could not have discovered the depth of the concerted effort
between Fusion GPS and CfA to injure and intimidate Plaintiff and interfere with his
congressional investigation.

26

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 27 of 34 PageID# 27

61.

On March 22, 2019, Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his

confidential report entitled “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the
2016 Presidential Election” (the “Mueller Report”). The Special Counsel and his staff of
19 lawyers, assisted by a team of approximately 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts,
forensic accountants, and other professional staff, issued more than 2,800 subpoenas,
executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication
records, issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers, made 13 requests to
foreign governments for evidence, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses.
62.

The Mueller Report proves that the “Steele Dossier” was false and

misleading in all material respects.
63.

On August 1, 2019, Plaintiff learned that CfA paid Fusion GPS almost

$140,000 in 2018 to conduct “research”.
64.
Plaintiff.

CfA collaborated with Fusion GPS to weaponize the ethics process against
The “ethics” complaints, reported by media sympathizer McClatchy as if

legitimate, were, in fact, deceitful political attacks designed to intimidate Plaintiff and
obstruct his congressional investigation.
65.

Fusion GPS’ dirty tricks continue to the present day. In 2017, after Trump

won the presidential election, the Democracy Integrity Project (“TDIP”) paid Fusion GPS
and firms tied to it and Steele more than $3.8 million to continue opposition “research” on
Trump and alleged “collusion” with “Russia”. TDIP paid $3.3 million to Fusion GPS,
another $250,000 to “Walsingham Partners Ltd.”, a London-based firm owned by Steele
and his partner, Christopher Burrows, nearly $130,000 to “Edward Austin Ltd.”, a Londonbased intelligence consultancy operated by Edward Baumgartner, a Fusion GPS contractor,

27

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 28 of 34 PageID# 28

and another $148,000 to the law firm Zuckerman Spaeder, which has represented Fusion
GPS in a variety of dossier-related legal matters. Perkins Coie paid $1 million to Fusion
GPS in 2016 to investigate Trump. The payments made by TDIP are more than three times
what the DNC and the Clinton campaign paid Fusion GPS and Steele during the 2016
presidential campaign to investigate Donald Trump’s possible ties to Russia.
[https://dailycaller.com/2019/04/01/fusion-gps-steele-soros-millions/].
COUNT I - RICO
66.

Plaintiff restates paragraphs 1 through 65 of this Complaint and

incorporates them herein by reference.
67.

Fusion GPS, Simpson and CfA corruptly and by threatening letters or

communications influenced, obstructed and impeded, or endeavored to influence, obstruct
or impede, the due administration of justice in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1503(a).
68.

Fusion GPS, Simpson and CfA knowingly used intimidation, threatened,

and attempted to corruptly persuade Plaintiff, and engaged in misleading conduct toward
Plaintiff with the intent to influence, prevent or delay the testimony of Plaintiff, other
members of the House Intelligence Committee, and other third-parties in an official
proceeding in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(1). Fusion GPS, Simpson and CfA
also knowingly used intimidation, or attempted to do so, and engaged in misleading
conduct toward Plaintiff with the intent to cause or induce Plaintiff to withhold one or more
criminal referrals to the DOJ in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(2).
69.

Fusion GPS, Simpson and CfA intentionally harassed Plaintiff and thereby

hindered, delayed, prevented or dissuaded Plaintiff and other members of the House
Intelligence Committee, or attempted to do so, from (a) reporting to a law enforcement

28

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 29 of 34 PageID# 29

officer of the United States, including the FBI and/or DOJ, the commission or possible
commission of a Federal offense, (b) seeking the arrest of Simpson, other officers and
employees of Fusion GPS, and/or Steele, and (c) causing a criminal prosecution to be
sought or instituted, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1512(d)(2-4).
70.

Fusion GPS, Simpson and CfA knowingly, with the intent to retaliate, took

action harmful to Plaintiff, including interference with Plaintiff’s lawful employment and
livelihood as a U.S. Congressman, for providing to a law enforcement officer truthful
information relating to the commission or possible commission of a Federal offense by
Fusion GPS, Simpson and/or other officers and employees of Fusion GPS in violation of
Title 18 U.S.C. § 1513(e).
71.

Fusion GPS and Simpson, together with Orbis and Steele, corruptly created

and supplied a fraudulent document – the “Steele Dossier” – and made false statements to
the FBI, DOJ, State Department, and to Congress for the express purpose of influencing
the outcome of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and, thereafter, to topple a sitting
President. In his capacity as a United States Congressman, Plaintiff investigated the
allegations of “collusion” between the Trump campaign and persons associated with it and
Russia. Plaintiff investigated the role of Fusion GPS, Simpson and the “Steele Dossier” in
advancing the “Russia collusion” narrative. Plaintiff discovered that Fusion GPS and
Simpson committed multiple federal crimes, including violations of Title 18 U.S.C. §§
1001 and 1505. Through a pattern of racketeering activity that, inter alia, involved acts of
wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and obstruction of justice in violation of Title
18 U.S.C. §§ 1503, 1512 and 1513, the Defendants engaged in concerted action the purpose
of which was to harass, intimidate, influence, obstruct and impede Plaintiff’s investigation,

29

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 30 of 34 PageID# 30

to dissuade Plaintiff from making a criminal referral, and to injure Plaintiff’s reputation.
The Defendants functioned as a continuing unit. As an “astroturfer”, Fusion GPS and
Simpson chose CfA, Mair and McClatchy as fronts or “cut-outs” for the smear campaign.
The Defendants controlled the specific means and methods employed by the enterprise, the
nature and timing of the smear campaign launched in January 2018, and they pursued a
common goal of intimidation and harassment.
72.

Plaintiff has been injured in his business, property and reputation by reason

of Defendants’ multiple violations of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1962, described above. Defendants
proximately caused Plaintiff’s loss. Their collusion to smear Plaintiff and to obstruct his
congressional investigation of Fusion GPS and the “Steele Dossier” and their actions in
levelling the fraudulent “ethics” complaints led directly to Plaintiff’s injuries. Defendants
have engaged in at least two acts of racketeering activity (wire fraud and obstruction of
justice), one of which occurred after the effective date of Part 1, Chapter 96 of Title 18 of
the United States Code and the last of which occurred within ten years after the commission
of a prior act of racketeering activity. Defendants operated or managed an enterprise
through a pattern of racketeering activity. Defendants continue to engage in related
racketeering activity, the direct purpose of which is to intimidate and harm Plaintiff and to
interfere with his congressional investigation, which continues.

The nature of the

Defendants’ racketeering activity (including its multiple schemes or artifices), its
continuity (over many years in the case of Fusion GPS and Simpson), its relatedness (same
modus operandi as has been used against multiple other targets, same media sympathizer,
McClatchy, same or similar purposes, results, and methods of commission), and its breadth
(the sheer number of victims), is such that there is a threat that it will continue indefinitely

30

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 31 of 34 PageID# 31

and be repeated in the future. Defendants’ past misconduct, including aggressive smear
campaigns undertaken against Halvorssen, Browder, Trump and Plaintiff, by its nature
projects into the future with the threat of repetition. Indeed, Fusion GPS was paid
$3,300,000 in 2017 to continue the campaign against President Trump.
73.

As a direct and proximate cause of the Defendants’ violations of Title 18

U.S.C. § 1962(a-c), Plaintiff suffered injury and loss.
74.

In accordance with 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c), Plaintiff seeks threefold the

damages he has sustained, the costs of this suit, and reasonable attorney’s fees incurred.
COUNT II – RICO CONSPIRACY
75.

Plaintiff restates paragraphs 1 through 74 of this Complaint and

incorporates them herein by reference.
76.

Beginning in or about January 2018 and continuing through the present,

Fusion GPS and Simpson combined, associated, agreed or acted in concert with CfA and
others, including Mair, for the express purposes of injuring Plaintiff through a pattern of
racketeering activity and acts of racketeering in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1962.
77.

Defendants acted intentionally, purposefully, without lawful justification,

and with the express knowledge that they were injuring Plaintiff’s business and reputation.
78.

As a direct and proximate cause of the Defendants’ violations of Title 18

U.S.C. § 1962(d), Plaintiff suffered injury and loss.
79.

In accordance with 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c), Plaintiff seeks threefold the

damages he has sustained, the costs of this suit, and reasonable attorney’s fees incurred.

31

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 32 of 34 PageID# 32

COUNT III – COMMON LAW CONSPIRACY
80.

Plaintiff restates paragraphs 1 through 79 of this Complaint and

incorporates them herein by reference.
81.

The Defendants’ actions, detailed above, constitute a conspiracy at common

82.

As a direct result of the Defendants’ willful misconduct, Plaintiff suffered

law.

damage and incurred loss, including, but not limited to, injury to his business and
reputation, court costs, and other damages.

CONCLUSION
Fusion GPS, Simpson and Steele fraudulently developed the “Steele Dossier” and
disseminated it to U.S. Government officials and the press as if the salacious accusations
were true. Plaintiff investigated this wrongdoing, causing Fusion GPS and Simpson to
retaliate against him and to take action that was intended to harass, intimidate and influence
Plaintiff in the performance of his congressional investigation. That retaliation and
obstruction of justice consisted of a coordinated effort by the Defendants to manufacture
“ethics” complaints against Plaintiff and to utilize the press (McClatchy) as a weapon to
pressure Plaintiff to back off his investigation of Fusion GPS and Simpson. Defendants’
corrupt acts of racketeering are part of their regular way of doing business. That way of
doing business must end here and now.

32

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 33 of 34 PageID# 33

Plaintiff alleges the foregoing based upon personal knowledge, public statements
of others, and records in his possession. Plaintiff believes that substantial additional
evidentiary support, which is in the exclusive possession of the Defendants and their agents
and other third-parties, will exist for the allegations and claims set forth above after a
reasonable opportunity for discovery.
Plaintiff reserves his right to amend this Complaint upon discovery of additional
instances of the Defendants’ wrongdoing.

CONCLUSION AND REQUEST FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests the Court to enter Judgment against
the Defendants, jointly and severally, as follows:
A.

Compensatory damages in the amount of $3,300,000 or such greater amount

as is determined by the Jury;
B.

Threefold damages in the sum of $9,900,000.00;

C.

Punitive damages in the amount of $350,000 or the maximum amount

allowed by law;
D.

Disgorgement of all income and profit obtained by the enterprise from or as

a result of the alleged racketeering activity;
E.

Injunctive relief in accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 1964;

F.

Dissolution and/or reorganization of Fusion GPS and CfA to prevent these

Defendants from engaging in wrongdoing in the future;
G.

Prejudgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law;

33

 Case 1:19-cv-01148 Document 1 Filed 09/04/19 Page 34 of 34 PageID# 34

H.

Postjudgment interest on the principal sum of the Judgment entered against

Google from the date of Judgment until paid;
I.

Attorney’s Fees, Expert Witness Fees and Costs;

J.

Such other relief as is just and proper.

TRIAL BY JURY IS DEMANDED

DATED:

September 4, 2019

DEVIN G. NUNES

By:

/s/ Steven S. Biss
Steven S. Biss (VSB # 32972)
300 West Main Street, Suite 102
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Telephone:
(804) 501-8272
Facsimile:
(202) 318-4098
Email:
stevenbiss@earthlink.net
Counsel for the Plaintiff

34