Barr suggests FBI may have operated in 'bad faith' after inspector general finds no evidence of bias in Russia probe
Attorney General William Barr says he disagrees with the Department of Justice's inspector general about the Trump-Russia investigation, suggesting the FBI may have operated in "bad faith."
The DOJ's inspector general in a report Monday found no evidence that the FBI's investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign's ties to Russia was opened under "political bias or improper motivation," although it found "significant errors" were made.
Barr in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday said he disagrees with the inspector general on "whether there was sufficient predication to open a full-blown counterintelligence investigation specifically using the techniques that they did." He also suggested the FBI may have operated in bad faith, despite the report not finding evidence of bias or improper motivation.
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.
"I think there were gross abuses ... and inexplicable behavior that is intolerable in the FBI," Barr said. "I think that leaves open the possibility that there was bad faith."
Barr went on to say that the reason for opening the investigation was "very flimsy."
These comments come after FBI Director Christopher Wray told ABC News that "it's important that the inspector general found that in this particular instance the investigation was opened with appropriate predication and authorization." President Trump subsequently attacked Wray on Twitter, writing, "I don't know what report current director of the FBI Christopher Wray was reading, but it sure wasn't the one given to me."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The importance of discussing and dealing with debt
The Explainer Increasing numbers of people have 'problem debt' – but there are ways to tackle it
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
'Trump heavy on retribution, light on cash'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans 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