The Justice Department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into its own Russia probe The New York Times reports.
The New York news source reports that after former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III closed the official investigation months ago, a new criminal inquiry will proceed to find out how the investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election and Trump's alleged collusion with Russia "all began."
Attorney General Bill Barr has closely reviewed how the department handled the Russia investigation. But shifting the administrative review to a criminal inquiry would allow the prosecutor presiding over the inquiry, John H. Durham, to subpoena for witness testimony and documents, people familiar with the matter told The Times.
It would also enable Durham, a U.S. attorney appointed by Barr to lead the inquiry, to put together a grand jury and to file charges.
When
defined as an administrative review, Durham could only voluntarily
interview witnesses and investigate government documents, according to
the Times.
The Times reported it was unclear what specific crime Durham would look into or when the investigation changed from an administrative review.
The Times reported it was unclear what specific crime Durham would look into or when the investigation changed from an administrative review.
Opponents to President Trump
may perceive the beginning of a criminal inquiry as a method for the
president to go after his rivals. The president has indicated he
believes the department should take steps against his political
opponents, and has supported the department looking into the origins of
the Russia investigation.
The threshold needed by
the federal government to open a criminal inquiry is "reasonable
indication" that a crime has taken place but with "objective, factual
basis for initiating the investigation," according to department rules.
Durham
and his team have talked to more than 24 former and current FBI and
intelligence officials to determine if bias against the now-president
drove the intelligence community's investigations into the campaign's
potential ties to Russia, the Times reported.
The prosecutor has indicated he is interested in speaking to former CIA officials but has not spoken to then-CIA Director John Brennan or former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Trump has repeatedly blasted both men for allegedly attempting to keep him from becoming president.
Some CIA officials have reportedly hired criminal lawyers in preparation for their questioning, according to the Times.
With
Durham, a veteran prosecutor, investigating the case, Barr may have an
easier time avoiding allegations that he is promoting the president
instead of being impartial as attorney general, the Times noted. Barr
has been intimately involved in the inquiry since its inception in May,
meeting with officials in Italy to investigate a conspiracy about the
Russia investigation that the Italian government set up a Trump campaign
adviser.
Reports have also indicated that the
attorney general asked the president to talk to foreign leaders about
getting their cooperation in the Justice Department's inquiry, including
the prime minister of Australia, where the tip that started the
investigation originated.
Democrats have accused Barr and Trump of utilizing the investigation for political purposes.
The
president has said the intelligence officials who launched the
investigation into his campaign's potential ties to Russia's
interference efforts committed treason.
The
results of Mueller's Russia investigation released in
April revealed that the special prosecutor had "insufficient evidence"
to conclude Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the
2016 election.
The Justice Department declined to comment to The New York Times. The Hill also reached out to the department for comment.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/467396-justice-dept-to-launch-criminal-investigation-into-its-own-russia