Barr was specifically asked about the fellow pilots who had dinner together the night before and filmed it. Barr said they’re not going to elaborate any further at this time about those acting in concert with him except to note they got operational details and took out some AQ higher-ups.
BARR + WRAY Press conference: https://www.c-span.org/video/?472243-1/attorney-general-barr-fbi-director-wray-hold-news-conference
PETE, I AM NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON WHAT THE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN SAY IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR CAMPAIGNS, BUT I WILL ADDRESS THE ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. AS YOU KNOW I HAVE COMMENTED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND EVEN DURING MY CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, THAT OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASING ATTEMPTS TO USE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS A POLITICAL WEAPON. THE LEGAL TACTIC HAS BEEN TO GIN UP ALLEGATIONS OF CRIMINALITY BY ONE’S POLITICAL OPPONENT BASED ON THE FLIMSIEST OF LEGAL THEORIES. THIS IS NOT A GOOD DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR POLITICAL LIFE AND IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AS LONG AS I AM ATTORNEY GENERAL THE SYSTEM WILL NOT BE USED FOR PARTISAN POLITICAL ENDS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER. WE LIVE IN A VERY DIVIDED COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AND I THINK IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE AN ELECTION WHERE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE A DECISION, A CHOICE, BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN BASED ON A ROBUST DEBATE OF POLICY ISSUES. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS PROCESS TO BE HIJACKED BY EFFORTS TO DRUM UP CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF EITHER CANDIDATE. I AM COMMITTED THAT THIS ELECTION WILL BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT THIS KIND OF INTERFERENCE. ANY EFFORT TO PURSUE AN INVESTIGATION OF EITHER CANDIDATE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY ME. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PRESIDENT, AND I HAVE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, IN THE 2016 ELECTION IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF HEAD IS ADMINISTRATION WERE UNPRECEDENTED AND ABHORRENT. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS OF THIS COUNTRY WERE INVOLVED IN ADVANCING A FALSE AND UTTERLY BASELESS RUSSIAN COLLUSION NARRATIVE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. THE PROPER INVESTIGATIVE AND PROSECUTED STANDARDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WERE ABUSED, IN MY VIEW, IN ORDER TO REACH A PARTICULAR RESULT. WE SAW TWO DIFFERENT STANDARDS OF JUSTICE EMERGE. ONE THE APPLIED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ASSOCIATES AND THE OTHER THE APPLIED TO EVERYBODY ELSE. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS EVER TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THE DURHAM INVESTIGATION IS TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT HAPPENED AND IT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY FEDERAL LAWS BROKEN AND IF THERE WERE, THOSE WHO BROKE THE LAWS WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT. THIS CANNOT BE, AND IT WILL NOT BE, A TIT FOR TAT EXERCISE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO LOWER THE STANDARDS JUST TO GET A RESULT. THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK AWAY FROM A DUAL SYSTEM OF JUSTICE IS TO MAKE SURE WE SCRUPULOUSLY APPLY A SINGLE AND PROPER STANDARDS OF JUSTICE FOR EVERYBODY. UNDER THE LONG-STANDING STANDARDS OF THE DEPARTMENT CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE APPROPRIATE ONLY WHEN WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE EACH ELEMENT OF A CRIME BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. THAT IS THE STANDARD WE ARE APPLYING. NOW, I HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF HOW MR. DURHAM’S INVESTIGATION IS GOING. AS I HAVE INDICATED SOME ASPECTS OF THE MATTER ARE BEING EXAMINED AS POTENTIAL CRIMES. BUT WE HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND WITH THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY REMINDED IN THE BRIDGEGATE CASE IF THE COURT SAID THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ABUSE OF POWER AND A FEDERAL CRIME — NOT EVERY ABUSE OF POWER NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS IS NECESSARILY A FEDERAL CRIME. AS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN WHATEVER THE LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAVE, I DO NOT EXPECT MR. DURHAM’S WORK WILL LEAD TO A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF EITHER MAN. OUR CONCERN OVER POTENTIAL CRIMINALITY IS FOCUSED ON OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. NEXT QUESTION.