Attorney General Barr says he 'disagreed with' Mueller over what constituted obstruction of justice
Special Counsel Robert Mueller wasn't always on the same page as the Justice Department.
On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr gave a press conference ahead of releasing a redacted version of Mueller's report on Russian election interference. Mueller's team, Barr revealed Thursday, specifically probed "10 episodes" in determining whether President Trump obstructed justice, all of which are mentioned in the report. But Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein "disagreed with some of the special counsel’s legal theories and felt that some of the episodes did not amount to obstruction as a matter of law," Barr said, implying that Mueller did think some of Trump's actions constituted obstruction.
As Barr indicated in his early Mueller report findings, Mueller left the question of whether Trump obstructed justice for the attorney general to determine. Barr said Mueller did not exonerate Trump, but he did decline to charge Trump with obstruction — something Trump spun as a massive victory. The full redacted report will be available to Congress at 11 a.m. and to the public shortly after.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published