A former State Department staffer who set up the private email server used by Hillary Clinton plans to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during an upcoming deposition, his lawyers say.
In a court filing late on Wednesday, the lawyers said Bryan Pagliano also wants to prevent any video recordings from being made during Monday’s deposition, which is part of a civil lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch
“Mr. Pagliano requested Judicial Watch’s assurance that the deposition would be recorded solely by stenographic means, given Mr. Pagliano’s stated intention to assert the Fifth Amendment,” the lawyers said.
The filing argued that recordings pose a threat to deponents who are invoking their rights under the Fifth Amendment. “The video of a person repeatedly invoking the Fifth Amendment in response to a series of questions is indeed striking, which is why it makes such a good soundbite,” it said.
Pagliano is a former State Department staffer who initially worked on Clinton’s failed presidential campaign in 2008 before setting up her private server, which was used for both work and private emails while she worked as secretary of state.
According to news reports, Pagliano has been granted immunity in exchange for cooperation in the FBI’s ongoing investigation into Clinton’s handling of sensitive information. Pagliano also invoked his Fifth Amendment rights last year when he was called to testify before Congress.
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