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MelissaB

(16,420 posts) Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:17 PM Oct 2019

Scoop: Prosecutor appointed by Barr to investigate origins of Russia probe, hasn't req interviews w/

Scoop: Prosecutor John Durham, appointed 5 months to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, has not requested interviews with any of the FBI or DOJ officials who were involved in opening it. So what exactly are Durham and Barr looking at? I examine:

Link to tweet

Justice Department hasn’t interviewed key Russia probe witnesses

The DOJ’s investigation into the origins of the Russia probe seems to be focusing on the intelligence community’s links with foreign sources.

For months, President Donald Trump’s allies have been raising expectations for prosecutor John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, predicting that he will uncover a deep state plot to stage a “coup” against the president.

Durham “is looking at putting people in jail,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity in July. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said Durham is about to unleash “a pile of evidence” that will “debunk” everything House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff has proclaimed for “the last two years.”

For months, President Donald Trump’s allies have been raising expectations for prosecutor John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, predicting that he will uncover a deep state plot to stage a “coup” against the president.

Durham “is looking at putting people in jail,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity in July. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said Durham is about to unleash “a pile of evidence” that will “debunk” everything House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff has proclaimed for “the last two years.”

More: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/05/justice-department-russia-probe-028545

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Scoop: Prosecutor appointed by Barr to investigate origins of Russia probe, hasn't req interviews w/ (Original Post) MelissaB Oct 2019 OP

Not the truth. Iliyah Oct 2019 #1

Another snip MelissaB Oct 2019 #2

Oh, you expect them to actually DO an investigation? Wounded Bear Oct 2019 #3

+1 ffr Oct 2019 #4

The fix is in. spanone Oct 2019 #5

Some info about Durham Mike 03 Oct 2019 #6

Barr and Company are just placating Dotard Baked Potato Oct 2019 #7

"We'll get all our evidence by threatening foreign governments with tariffs!" struggle4progress Oct 2019 #8

Fabricating a smear not actually investigating. Thomas Hurt Oct 2019 #9

Undoubtedly Durham is looking for ... GeorgeGist Oct 2019 #10

Maybe they will interview ThoughtCriminal Oct 2019 #11

Turns out the only thing they didn't find was Trump's apology to Obama for all the slander. NCLefty Oct 2019 #12

Iliyah

(25,111 posts)

1. Not the truth.

Reply to MelissaB (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:19 PM

Oct 2019

MelissaB

(16,420 posts)

2. Another snip

Reply to MelissaB (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:19 PM

Oct 2019

Those not contacted include former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok; former FBI general counsel Jim Baker; former chief of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section David Laufman; and former head of DOJ’s National Security Division Mary McCord. Former CIA Director John Brennan, Trump-Russia dossier author Christopher Steele, and former Trump adviser Carter Page—who was the subject of a surveillance warrant that is now under investigation by the inspector general—haven’t been contacted for interviews, either.

Combined with reports that Barr has traveled with Durham internationally seeking evidence from the U.S.’s closest intelligence allies, Durham’s apparent lack of interest in the FBI at this point suggests that he and Barr are focusing on examining the intelligence community’s role in the Russia probe—and, in accordance with Trump’s desires, looking at whether the help provided by U.S. allies in the Russia probe, including the U.K., Italy, Australia and Ukraine, may itself have constituted foreign interference.

... snip

A tweet sent out by Republican Sen. John Cornyn on Friday suggested that the inquiry is also broader than has been reported. “Now, the Trump Justice Department is investigating foreign government influence, VP Biden conflicts of interest, and possible corruption,” he wrote, referring to Vice President Joe Biden. But a Cornyn aide said the senator meant to say "that the Durham investigation could end up also looking at the Bidens," not that it already was. The Justice Department declined to comment.

Wounded Bear

(58,670 posts)

3. Oh, you expect them to actually DO an investigation?

Reply to MelissaB (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:21 PM

Oct 2019

Nope, just need the imprimatur out there of "we're investigating" somebody we want to blame shit on. Hell, if they actually interviewed somebody, they might end up proving how vacuous the accusations are.

ffr

(22,670 posts)

4. +1

Reply to Wounded Bear (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:23 PM

Oct 2019

It's the perfect example of government waste and corruption on full display.

spanone

(135,844 posts)

5. The fix is in.

Reply to MelissaB (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:24 PM

Oct 2019

Mike 03

(16,616 posts)

6. Some info about Durham

Reply to MelissaB (Original post)

Sat Oct 5, 2019, 12:28 PM

Oct 2019

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Durham_(lawyer)

CIA interrogation tapes destruction
In 2008, Durham was appointed by then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey to investigate the destruction of CIA videotapes of detainee interrogations.[11][12][13] On November 8, 2010, Durham closed the investigation without recommending any criminal charges be filed.[14] Durham's final report remains secret but was the subject of an unsuccessful lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act filed by The New York Times reporter Charlie Savage.[15]

Torture investigation
In August 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder appointed Durham to lead the Justice Department's investigation of the legality of CIA's use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" in the torture of detainees.[16] Durham's mandate was to look at only those interrogations that had gone "beyond the officially sanctioned guidelines", with Attorney General Holder saying interrogators who had acted in "good faith" based on the guidance found in the torture memos issued by the Bush Justice Department were not to be prosecuted.[17] Later in 2009, University of Toledo law professor Benjamin G. Davis attended a conference where former officials of the Bush administration had told conference participants shocking stories, and accounts of illegality on the part of more senior Bush officials.[18] Davis wrote an appeal to former Bush officials to take their accounts of illegality directly to Durham. A criminal investigation into the deaths of two detainees, Gul Rahman in Afghanistan and Manadel al-Jamadi in Iraq, was opened in 2011. It was closed in 2012 with no charges filed.[19][20]

Special Counsel Investigation
In April 2019,[21] Attorney General William Barr announced that he had launched a review of the origins of the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections[22] and it was reported in May that he had assigned Durham to lead it several weeks earlier.[23] Durham was given the authority "to broadly examin[e] the government's collection of intelligence involving the Trump campaign's interactions with Russians," reviewing government documents and requesting voluntary witness statements.[23]