Attorney General William Bar has reportedly formed a team to review actions of Justice Department and FBI officials leading up to the launch of the federal probe into President TrumpDonald John TrumpTop senators warn Turkey: Choose between Russia missile system or US fighter jet Former Michelle Obama aide: ‘Not sure’ if voters got ‘honesty and accountability’ in Biden’s video response How Republicans are battling judicial obstructionism today MORE‘s campaign and possible Russian collusion.
Bloomberg reported Tuesday evening that Barr has assembled a team to review certain counterintelligence decisions made by Justice Department and FBI officials including during the probe into Trump’s campaign during the election in the summer of 2016.
Barr had testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday that he was reviewing “conduct” from around that period.
“I am reviewing the conduct of the investigation and trying to get my arms around all the aspects of the counterintelligence investigation that was conducted during the summer of 2016,” he said.
News of the review comes following the conclusion of special counsel Robert MuellerRobert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE’s nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.
Mueller was appointed as special counsel in May 2017 to take over the Russia probe after Trump fired former FBI Director James ComeyJames Brien ComeyBlame the law, not the lawyers Note to Team Mueller: If you don’t indict, you can’t incite Overnight Defense: House votes to end US support for Yemen war | Vote expected to force Trump’s second veto of presidency | More Russian troops may head to Venezuela | First ‘Space Force’ hearing set for next week MORE.
Barr’s review is reportedly separate from the current investigation being conducted by the Justice Department inspector general’s office, Bloomberg reported.
The attorney general said during his testimony that he expects the internal inspector general review to be completed by May or June.
Republicans have long argued that anti-Trump bias at the FBI triggered the investigation and the “Steele Dossier,” controversial opposition research conducted on the Trump campaign.
Rep. Robert AderholtRobert Brown AderholtLive coverage: Barr faces House panel amid questions over Mueller report Overnight Health Care: Lawmakers get deal to advance long-stalled drug pricing bill | House votes to condemn Trump’s anti-ObamaCare push | Eight House Republicans join with Dems | Trump officials approve Medicaid expansion in Maine GOP lawmaker to propose raising tobacco age of sale to 21 MORE (R-Ala.) during Barr’s hearing questioned if the Justice Department would investigate “how it came to be that your agency used a salacious and unverified dossier as a predicate for FISA order on a U.S. citizen?”
Trump and his allies have claimed that the dossier was used to obtain a secret warrant to spy on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, Bloomberg noted.
Comey, however, rejected that assertion last year when he testified before Congress. He said the investigation was opened the officials learned that another Trump campaign aide, George Papaopoulous “had with an individual in London about stolen emails that the Russians had that would be harmful to Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillary Clinton: ‘White nationalists certainly think MAGA is a white nationalist slogan’ Republican Party has to embrace moderation or lose crucial voters Nunes sues newspaper chain, alleges ‘character assassination’ MORE.”
Mueller concluded his investigation last month and Barr summarized the contents in a March 24 letter, revealing that the special counsel did not “establish” that associates or members of the Trump campaign coordinated or conspired with the Russian government.
Barr’s summary noted that Mueller did not make judgement on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr wrote that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod RosensteinRod Jay RosensteinDOJ attorney: Agency is ‘well along’ in its redactions of Mueller report Appropriations chair to criticize Barr for cherry-picking from Mueller report Lawmakers get first crack at Barr post-Mueller MORE reviewed the evidence and determined it insufficient to accuse Trump of obstructing the investigation.
Bar told lawmakers during his Tuesday testimony that he will release a public version of Muller’s report “within a week.”