Politics
Barr’s Prosecutor Hasn’t Grilled Key Russiagate Witnesses
John Durham, the federal prosecutor assigned by Attorney General William Barr assigned to review Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia probe, still hasn’t interviewed at least five key potential witnesses or targets, multiple sources familiar with the issue told The Daily Beast.
According to four sources familiar with the developing probe, Durham has yet to interview several former senior officials involved in the origins of the intelligence and law enforcement probes of Russian election interference and potential ties to the Trump campaign, nor Obama administration officials Trump insists without evidence orchestrated them. That’s the mandate of Durham’s year-old probe, which has expanded into a criminal inquiry that has alarmed many ex-intelligence officials as political retribution.
Still not interviewed by Durham are former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Nor have been former FBI agent Peter Strzok, former FBI attorney Lisa Page, both of whom were involved in the FBI’s “Crossfire Hurricane” inquiry and whose texts disparaging Trump have for years been presented by the president as proof he was framed. Nor has former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, who, despite not being an intelligence or law enforcement official, has been another Trumpist target.
Durham not interviewing Brennan is particularly noteworthy. In February, the New York Times reported that Durham appeared to be circling Brennan, who has called Trump “treasonous,” for allegedly cooking the 2016-era Russia intelligence. The CIA would not answer if it had provided Brennan’s records to Durham, as the Times reported Durham has requested, and deferred comment to the Justice Department.
A spokesperson for Durham declined comment for this story.
Everything about Durham’s probe is the subject of extensive speculation in national security circles—though rarely for the record—particularly the length of time it’s gone on without visible progress. (Nearly seven months ago, Durham’s investigators had reportedly interviewed two dozen current and former FBI officials.) Some consider it in line with Durham’s typical practice. His investigation of CIA torture lasted three years before fizzling out. Others wonder if Durham will announce the results of his inquiry, or even criminal charges, closer to November’s presidential election.
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