Hindustan Times (Patiala)

US AG Barr sets up team to probe origins of Russia meddling probe

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com n

Attorney general William Barr has assigned a top federal prosecutor to investigat­e the origins of FBI’s probe into Russia meddling in US elections and its focus on members of President Donald Trump’s presidenti­al campaign.

US attorney for Connecticu­t John H Durham had been at work on this for a few weeks now before The New York Times first identified him as the official assigned by Barr to conduct the review, which the AG had talked about.

Durham is a veteran of such special assignment­s entrusted to him by both Republican and Democratic administra­tions of the past. He investigat­ed FBI’s links with Boston mafia, and the torture of CIA detainees and the destructio­n of video recordings of them.

President Donald Trump and his allies had been pressing the department of justice to “investigat­e the investigat­ors” since Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report found no evidence that any American conspired with the Russia meddling and that there was insufficie­nt evidence to determine the president had committed the offence of obstructio­n of justice.

Asked if he had ordered Barr to appoint Durham, the president said to reporters Tuesday, “I didn’t ask him to do that ... I didn’t know it ... I think it’s a great thing that he did it.”

Trump has alleged he was spied upon, a charge that was repeated by attorney general Barr at a congressio­nal appearance, and that it was all a part of a coup against him.

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