Forgive my edit of your excerpt--done to save space and hold attention. The last point is the very thing I was wondering about; is it possible Clinesmith earned the leniency he received?
IANAL, but from everything I’ve read at the time of his sentencing, almost certainly not. When Clinesmith pleaded guilty, it was noted by the judge that he didn’t provide any information to the state for consideration at sentencing. IOW, he wasn’t a cooperating witness of any kind. Moreover, it was FAR less than an absolute allocution taking ownership of and assuming the consequences for his plainly criminal actions. He essentially denied any wrongdoing while pleading guilty.
Many conservative lawyers noted at the time that not only was it unusual that the judge allowed him to deny guilt while pleading guilty, but it happened without any comment from the prosecutors. If they had a ‘deal’ in place where he pleads guilty to a lessor charge in exchange for some consideration, there is no way they would have allowed him to deny guilt when he pleaded guilty because it could possibly complicate testimony he might offer against others. The implication is simply that they’re not expecting future testimony from him.
Why then did the Feds agree to a lessor plea of guilty and a laughably unserious sentence that leaves the door open to him retaining his law license (which he almost certainly will)? That is a question only Bill Barr can answer...and hasn’t yet.