In May, Attorney General Bill Barr tasked John Durham with conducting an administrative review of the origins of the FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation. In October, it was reported that this administrative review had turned into a criminal investigation. In response, ten Democratic Senators wrote a letter to the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility asking for an an investigation into Barr’s conduct pertaining to the Durham investigation and Ukraine. Here are the issues they wanted investigated:
- Whether Attorney General Barr’s actions in initiating and conducting a now criminal probe into the origins of the Russia investigation, including closely overseeing it and personally participating in it, were appropriate and consistent with ethical rules and Department of Justice policies and practices.
- Whether anyone in the White House or an associate of the President has communicated with Attorney General Barr about his decision to initiate the investigation or the way in which he is conducting the investigation, and whether such communications are appropriate and consistent with ethical rules and Department of Justice policies and practices.
- Whether Attorney General Barr’s inquiry includes criminally investigating Justice Department employees; whether such investigations have been properly reported to the Office of the Inspector General, as required under 28 C.F.R. § 45.11; and whether these criminal investigations have proper legal and factual predicates.
- Whether the fact that Attorney General Barr is named as a potential participant in the President’s efforts to press Ukraine to investigate his political opponents warrants the Attorney General’s recusal for any matters involving investigations into the origins of the Russia investigation, including efforts to engage Ukraine in these investigations.
My question is, has the Office of Professional Responsibility announced the opening of an investigation of Barr’s conduct in this regard?
