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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 2 May 2019

Barr, Mueller trade barbs as Russia probe rift goes public

Associated Press and what they argued has
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pri- been a lack of investiga-
vate tensions between Jus- tion of them.
tice Department leaders Televisions across the West
and special counsel Robert Wing, including one just off
Mueller's team broke into the Oval Office used by
public view in extraordinary the president, were tuned
fashion Wednesday as At- to cable coverage of Barr's
torney General William Barr testimony. Trump told ad-
pushed back at the special visers he was pleased with
counsel's "snitty" complaints Barr's combative stance
over his handling of the with Democratic senators,
Trump-Russia investigation according to an adminis-
report. tration official and a Re-
Testifying for the first time publican close to the White
since releasing Mueller's House who were not au-
report, Barr faced sharp thorized to speak publicly
questioning from Senate about private discussions.
Democrats who accused Trump tweeted Wednes-
him of making misleading day that the probe was
comments and seeming at "The greatest con-job in
times to be President Don- Attorney General William Barr appears at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in the history of American
ald Trump's protector as Washington, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, on the Mueller Report. Politics!" He has told those
much as the country's top Associated Press around him that, after be-
law enforcement official. ing disappointed by former
The rift fueled allegations ler's obstruction analysis, Trump campaign and Rus- that Barr had inaccurately Attorney General Jeff Ses-
that Barr has spun Mueller's which neither accused the sia during the 2016 elec- characterized the investi- sions, he has found an at-
findings in Trump's favor president of a crime nor ex- tion. gation. torney general loyal to him.
and understated the grav- onerated him. If Mueller felt The revelation that Mueller, Barr also insisted that once In an interview Wednesday
ity of Trump's behavior. The that shouldn't make a de- who'd been publicly silent Mueller submitted his re- night on Fox Business Net-
dispute is certain to persist, cision on whether to bring for the entire investiga- port, his work was done work, Trump said he heard
as Democrats push to give charges, Barr added, "then tion, was agitated enough and the document be- Barr "performed incredibly
Mueller a chance to an- he shouldn't have investi- to send a letter to Barr came "my baby." well." Trump also blasted
swer Barr's testimony with gated. That was the time to — which could, and did, "It was my decision how some of the Democratic
his own later this month. pull up." become public — lent his and when to make it pub- senators who questioned
Barr separately informed Barr was also perturbed by words extra credibility with lic," Barr said. "Not Bob Barr, accusing them of
the House Judiciary Com- a private letter Mueller, a Democrats, who accused Mueller's." "ranting and raving like lu-
mittee that he would not longtime friend, sent him Barr of lying under oath last Wednesday's contentious natics, frankly."
appear for its scheduled last month complaining month when he denied Senate hearing gave Barr Though Mueller reached
hearing on Thursday be- that the attorney general that Mueller's team was un- his most extensive oppor- no conclusion on obstruc-
cause of the panel's insis- had not properly portrayed happy with how their work tunity to date to defend tion, he did report that his
tence that he be ques- the special counsel's find- had been characterized. recent Justice Department probe established no crimi-
tioned by committee law- ings in a four-page letter Barr downplayed the spe- actions, including a press nal conspiracy between
yers as well as lawmakers. summarizing the report's cial counsel's complaints, conference before the re- the Trump team and Russia.
That refusal sets the stage main conclusions. The at- saying they were mostly port's release and his deci- Barr asserted that Trump
for Barr to possibly be held torney general called the about process, not sub- sion to release a brief sum- was "falsely accused" dur-
in contempt of Congress. note "a bit snitty." stance, while raising a few mary letter two days after ing the investigation and
At Wednesday's Senate Ju- "I said 'Bob, what's with objections of his own in the getting the report. that the president there-
diciary Committee session, the letter? Just pick up the other direction. He said But the hearing, which in- fore lacked the criminal
Barr said he had been sur- phone and call me if there that Mueller did not, as re- cluded three Democratic intent required to commit
prised Mueller did not reach is an issue,'" Barr said. quested, identify grand jury presidential candidates, obstruction.
a conclusion on whether The airing of disagreements material in his report when also laid bare the partisan "I didn't exonerate. I said
Trump had tried to obstruct was all the more striking he submitted it, slowing the divide over the handling of that we did not believe
justice, and that he had felt since the Justice Depart- public release of the report Mueller's report. that there was sufficient
compelled to step in with ment leadership and Muel- as the Justice Department Some Republicans, in ad- evidence to establish an
his own judgment that the ler's team had appeared worked to black out sensi- dition to defending Trump, obstruction offense which
president had committed unified in approach for tive information. focused on the president's is the job of the Justice De-
no crime. most of the two-year in- "His concern was he want- 2016 Democratic oppo- partment, and the job of
"I'm not really sure of his rea- vestigation into potential ed more out," Barr said. He nent Hillary Clinton's email the Justice Department is
soning," Barr said of Muel- coordination between the said Mueller did not say and campaign practices now over," Barr said.q