Barr launches new look at origins of Russia probe
WASHINGTON: Attorney general William Barr has appointed a US attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was “lawful and appropriate”, a person familiar with the matter told AP.
Barr appointed John Durham, the US attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said on Monday. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Durham’s appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed “spying did occur” on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn’t mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel’s probe.
Barr gave no details about what “spying” may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI’S use of an informant while the bureau was probing former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.