Barr reshapes Russia’s investigation so it can enter the Biden era

Attorney General William Barr appointed United States Attorney General John Durham of Connecticut to be a special attorney in his ongoing investigation into the FBI investigation in Russia, a move that will allow the investigation to continue in the administration of the President-elect Joe Biden.

Barr said in an interview published by the Associated Press on Tuesday that he made the appointment of Durham – who is already leading the FBI-Russia investigation – to provide him “and his team with some assurance that they would be able to complete their work regardless of the election result. “

Durham was originally appointed by Barr to investigate whether the FBI and intelligence officers committed any crimes or other offenses when they investigated whether someone associated with President Donald Trump’s election campaign conspired with Russia to interfere in the 2016 elections. Barr embraced the statement of Trump that he was the victim of improper spying.

The Justice Department released Barr’s previously undisclosed order on Tuesday naming Durham as special attorney in October.

The order gives Durham broad authority to investigate whether any person or entity has broken the law through intelligence or law enforcement activities aimed at Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent administration. The scope of the order potentially means that Durham could investigate whether Biden did something illegal while he was vice president, as Trump claimed.

‘Restore credibility’

Barr said earlier that he did not expect the Durham investigation to lead to a criminal investigation of Biden or former President Barack Obama.

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Durham investigation would help “restore the credibility of the Department of Justice and the FBI.” But the Democrats called it an abuse of power.

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