It’s the question that has dominated politics for more than two years — what exactly happened with counterintelligence activities conducted during the 2016 election and the Russia probe.
Now, in his first interview since joining the Trump administration, Attorney General Bill Barr detailed how he plans to get to the bottom of the origins of the probe, his thoughts on James Comey, Robert Mueller and other issues related to the special counsel’s investigation.
Barr told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer in the interview Friday that one portion of the review — which he has tapped U.S. Attorney John Durham to lead — would cover the time period between Election Day and Inauguration Day, saying “some very strange developments” took place during that time.
Barr specifically was referring to the early January 2017 briefing intelligence officials gave then-president-elect Trump at Trump Tower, and “the leaking of information subsequent to that meeting.”
The Will of 100: Trump’s SAVE America Act sidelined after Senate unanimously agreed to August exit
Watch: Emotional Kurt Busch Reveals His Final Words with His Brother Kyle
USPS publishes rule to block mail-in ballots from states that don’t provide voter lists
Karmelo Anthony’s Legal Team Smears Austin Metcalf in Desperate Attempt to Overturn Conviction
Tupac Shakur murder trial’s first week sees heated testimony from reluctant witnesses with old gangland ties
WATCH: Father of three outraged over advice his family received amid trans teacher fight
Charles Manson’s granddaughter reveals moment she discovered dark family secret: ‘It was devastating’
Dem Senate hopeful racked up hundreds of missed votes during stops at multiple taxpayer serving jobs
New York Times Ordered to Pay College Basketball Player $9.25 Million for Defamation
College Costs Surge 10% Higher Than Last Year, New Report Shows
A Bayh-gone era for Indiana Democrats?
Scharf edge for the Trump administration
Skip the summer’s woke dinosaur movie, ‘The End of Oak Street’
Senator launches assault on illegal immigration gaps as GOP races midterm clock to lock in key wins
EXCLUSIVE: 5-time illegal entrant admits ‘mistake’ that finally got him busted by ICE
At that meeting, Trump was briefed by intelligence and law enforcement officials on Russian election meddling — and was also informed by former FBI Director James Comey about the now-infamous anti-Trump dossier which included salacious allegations against him. Details later leaked to the press.
Barr also said the country must know “exactly what happened” with counterintelligence activities conducted during the 2016 election — and he is determined to get to the bottom of the case.
In pointed terms, he fired back at Democrats who have castigated him over his handling of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report — calling Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s charge that he lied to Congress “laughable” and dismissing an attempt to hold him in contempt of Congress.
“That’s part of the usual … political circus that’s being played out. It doesn’t surprise me,” he said.
And the nation’s top law enforcement official provided new details about the recently announced probe into the origins of the Russia investigation, defending his decision to pursue it and stressing that many of the answers he’s gotten so far have been “inadequate.”
While the decision to look back at the origins of the investigation has prompted harsh criticism from Democrats who previously have accused him of acting as the president’s lawyer, Barr argued there’s much yet to learn.
The Will of 100: Trump’s SAVE America Act sidelined after Senate unanimously agreed to August exit
Watch: Emotional Kurt Busch Reveals His Final Words with His Brother Kyle
USPS publishes rule to block mail-in ballots from states that don’t provide voter lists
Karmelo Anthony’s Legal Team Smears Austin Metcalf in Desperate Attempt to Overturn Conviction
Tupac Shakur murder trial’s first week sees heated testimony from reluctant witnesses with old gangland ties
WATCH: Father of three outraged over advice his family received amid trans teacher fight
Charles Manson’s granddaughter reveals moment she discovered dark family secret: ‘It was devastating’
Dem Senate hopeful racked up hundreds of missed votes during stops at multiple taxpayer serving jobs
New York Times Ordered to Pay College Basketball Player $9.25 Million for Defamation
College Costs Surge 10% Higher Than Last Year, New Report Shows
A Bayh-gone era for Indiana Democrats?
Scharf edge for the Trump administration
Skip the summer’s woke dinosaur movie, ‘The End of Oak Street’
Senator launches assault on illegal immigration gaps as GOP races midterm clock to lock in key wins
EXCLUSIVE: 5-time illegal entrant admits ‘mistake’ that finally got him busted by ICE
“I think there’s a misconception out there that we know a lot about what happened,” he said.
“The fact of the matter is Bob Mueller did not look at the government’s activities. He was looking at whether or not the Trump campaign had conspired with the Russians. But he was not going back and looking at the counterintelligence program. And we have a number of investigations underway that touch upon it — the main one being the office of inspector general that’s looking at the FISA warrants.”
Story cited here.
