Barr: there’s no witch hunt against Trump
DONALD TRUMP’S nominee for attorney general has contradicted the US president by saying Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian election meddling, is not involved in a “witch hunt”.
William Barr, who will oversee the Mueller probe if he is confirmed in the role, vowed to allow the investigation to be completed, during a grilling by US senators yesterday.
Mr Barr called Mr Mueller a friend and said they had known each other for 30 years after being colleagues at the Justice Department – playing down the likelihood of any clash.
The 68-year-old said it would be “unimaginable” that Mr Mueller would do something that demanded his sacking and promised to give the special counsel the resources he needed.
Mr Barr also vowed not to be biased in his handling of the Russia investigation, saying he would “not let personal, political or other improper interests” influence his thinking.
“I will not be bullied into doing anything I think is wrong by anybody … editorial boards or Congress or the President. I am going to do what I think is right,” Mr Barr told senators.
The appearance amounted to a determined attempt by Mr Barr to convince senators and the public that he would act fairly over the Russia probe, despite being appointed by Mr Trump.
The Russian election meddling investigation, which was handed to Mr Mueller after the firing of FBI director James Comey in May 2017, continues to blight the Trump presidency. As well as probing Kremlin hacking and social media interference, it is looking into whether Trump campaign figures conspired with the Russians to tilt the 2016 US election in their candidate’s favour.
Mr Trump became so infuriated by the decision of Jeff Sessions – his initial attorney general – to recuse himself from overseeing the probe that he frequently berated him in public. Mr Sessions resigned the day after the November 2018 midterm elections.
Mr Barr has already been attorney general once, serving under the late George H W Bush from 1991 to 1993.