Senate Democrats ripped Attorney General William BarrWilliam Pelham BarrDemocrats rip Barr over IG statement: ‘Mouthpiece’ for Trump Comey in op-ed after IG report: ‘Barr needs to stop acting like a Trump spokesperson’ Graham: FBI investigation in 2016 turned into a ‘criminal conspiracy’ MORE on Monday after he broke with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) top watchdog on whether or not there was enough information to open up an investigation into the Trump campaign in 2016.
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, as part of his report released on Monday, said he believed there was enough evidence to warrant opening up the probe, while Barr, in a statement, said the FBI had an “insufficient” basis to justify the steps taken.
“Barr’s decision to question the report in the media says a lot about Attorney General Barr,” said Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon WhitehouseDemocrats rip Barr over IG statement: ‘Mouthpiece’ for Trump Trump brings pardoned soldiers on stage at Florida fundraiser: report Overnight Energy: Pelosi vows bold action to counter ‘existential’ climate threat | Trump jokes new light bulbs don’t make him look as good | ‘Forever chemicals’ measure pulled from defense bill MORE (D-R.I.). “The Inspector General is an important defender against political influence over law enforcement—a regrettable tendency under Attorney General Barr.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTikTok chief cancels Capitol Hill meetings, inflaming tensions Overnight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Deal on surprise medical bills faces obstacles | House GOP unveils rival drug pricing measure ahead of Pelosi vote | Justices to hear case over billions in ObamaCare payments Overnight Health Care — Presented by Johnson & Johnson — Democrats call on Supreme Court to block Louisiana abortion law | Michigan governor seeks to pause Medicaid work requirements | New front in fight over Medicaid block grants MORE (D-N.Y.), asked about prosecutor John DurhamJohn DurhamDemocrats rip Barr over IG statement: ‘Mouthpiece’ for Trump Horowitz report is damning for the FBI and unsettling for the rest of us Barr: Horowitz report shows FBI launched Trump campaign investigation on ‘thinnest of suspicions’ MORE‘s separate investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, took a passing swipe at Barr as he weighed in. Durham’s office also issued a statement Monday disagreeing with some of the conclusions of Horowitz’s report “as to predication and how the FBI case was opened,” though he did not elaborate further.
“When Attorney General Barr picked Durham, I was skeptical because Attorney General Barr has proven to be a mouthpiece for President TrumpDonald John TrumpLawmakers release defense bill with parental leave-for-Space-Force deal House Democrats expected to unveil articles of impeachment Tuesday Houston police chief excoriates McConnell, Cornyn and Cruz on gun violence MORE and his wrongdoing, not an enforce rule of law attorney general,” Schumer said.
Schumer added that “if Durham was so nonpolitical, he never would have issued that statement.”
But Democrats largely trained their fire throughout Monday on Barr, who was confirmed to his job in a 54-45 vote largely along party lines.
Sen. Mazie HironoMazie Keiko HironoDemocrats rip Barr over IG statement: ‘Mouthpiece’ for Trump Supreme Court poised to hear first major gun case in a decade Overnight Defense — Presented by Boeing — Senate eyes sending stopgap spending bill back to House | Sondland delivers bombshell impeachment testimony | Pentagon deputy says he didn’t try to block official’s testimony MORE (D-Hawaii)—who like Whitehouse is a member of the Judiciary Committee where Horowitz will testify on Wednesday—said Barr’s “first instinct is to protect” Trump.
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“Barr deliberately deceived the public about the Mueller report, and he’s deceiving the public again by ignoring the IG’s finding that opening the Trump/Russia investigation was justified,” she tweeted.
AG Barr shows once again his first instinct is to protect @realDonaldTrump, not our country. Barr deliberately deceived the public about the Mueller report, and he’s deceiving the public again by ignoring the IG’s finding that opening the Trump/Russia investigation was justified.
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 9, 2019
Sen. Chris Van HollenChristopher (Chris) Van HollenDemocrats rip Barr over IG statement: ‘Mouthpiece’ for Trump The Hill’s Morning Report – Dem dilemma on articles of impeachment Graham, Van Hollen warn Pompeo that ‘patience’ on Turkey sanctions ‘has long expired’ MORE (D-Md.) added that “Barr should stop covering up for Trump and stick with facts.”
This report debunks Trump’s spurious claims that he was the target of a political conspiracy and witch hunt. He will, of course, try to spin some errors by the FBI to claim otherwise. Meanwhile, Barr should stop covering up for Trump and stick with facts. https://t.co/Zwnr0ns5ov
— Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) December 9, 2019
Horowitz released the findings of his nearly two year investigation on Monday, including finding that the FBI’s decision to open up the investigation was not driven by political bias. He’s scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
He also concluded the bureau had “an authorized purpose” to launch an investigation to “obtain information about, or to protect against, a national security threat or federal crime, even though the investigation also had the potential to impact constitutionally protected activity.”
But Barr, contradicting the IG, said Horowitz’s report showed that the FBI opened an “intrusive” investigation “on the thinnest of suspicions,” and that there was an “insufficient” basis to justify steps taken in the FBI’s investigation.
“It is also clear that, from its inception, the evidence produced by the investigation was consistently exculpatory. Nevertheless, the investigation and surveillance was pushed forward for the duration of the campaign and deep into President Trump’s administration,” Barr said.