Barr defends Durham probe, rips Comey FBI for ‘failure of leadership’

FoxNews ^ | October 28, 2019 | Jake Gibson & Ronn Blizter

[billorites]

Attorney General Bill Barr, in an interview with Fox News, defended the independence and integrity of the politically contentious probe being led by U.S. Attorney John Durham into the handling of the Russia investigation – while taking a swipe at James Comey’s past leadership of the FBI.

Fox News reported last week that the probe into the 2016 origins of the Russia meddling case has escalated from a review to a criminal investigation, a development that spurred Democratic claims that the department was becoming a tool for President Trump’s “political revenge.”

Barr, speaking Monday to Fox News on the sidelines of a law enforcement event in Chicago, rejected Democrats’ claims he is acting as Trump’s personal lawyer.

"That's completely wrong and there is no basis for it, and I act on behalf of the United States," Barr said.

The attorney general said that while he’s assisting in connecting Durham with countries that could have valuable information, Durham is running the show.

“He is in charge of the investigation, I’m not doing the investigation,” Barr said, while describing Durham, the U.S. attorney for Connecticut, as “thorough and fair” and saying he’s making progress.

Further, Barr took an implicit swipe at Comey as he maintained current FBI Director Christopher Wray is cooperating.

“I do want to say that one of the reasons Mr. Durham is able to make the kind of progress he’s making is because Director Wray and his team at the FBI have just been outstanding in support and responsiveness given to Mr. Durham,” Barr said. “As you know, I’ve said previously that I felt there was a failure of leadership at the bureau in 2016 and part of 2017, but since Director Wray and his team have taken over there’s been a world of change."

[Paladin2]

"...since Director Wray and his team have taken over there’s been a world of change."

I wish that assessment were more obvious to the public.

[G Larry]

Duplicate Post from 10:19 MST.

[billorites]

I always confuse Christopher Wray with Link Wray.

[traderrob6]

Just gives the naysaying hand wringers another shot at spewing their cynical vitriol.

[Cboldt]

-- I wish that assessment were more obvious to the public. --

I take Barr's words as a relative comparison. Compared with Team Comey ....

Wray isn't trying to take Trump out of office.

That's a sea change, for sire. It doesn't mean the FBI is being cleaned up any more than that. The Russian collusion hoax is going to me mostly but not totally exposed. Other ills? Some yes, some no.

[Bullish]

I doubt very much that Wray is much help, he's probably more of a hindrance.

[Paladin2]

I prefer to confuse him with Fay Wray by calling him The Fey Wray...

[Jonny7797]

Wray and a world of change....hmmm

[precisionshootist]

Failure of leadership my a$$. These FBI leadership under comey was CRIMINAL. I know a lot of people here respect Barr but myself I don’t think he has any intent on prosecuting anyone associated with this coup. James Comey should have been prosecuted a long time ago.