WASHINGTON — Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was “lawful and appropriate.”

That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday. The person couldn’t discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The person said Barr has appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry.

The inquiry will focus on whether the government’s methods to collect intelligence relating to the Trump campaign were lawful and appropriate.

Durham has previously investigated law enforcement corruption, the destruction of CIA videotapes and the Boston FBI office’s relationship with mobsters.

He will continue to serve as the chief federal prosecutor in Connecticut. </s> Attorney General William Barr has assigned the United States attorney in Connecticut to look into the origins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s probe into the Trump campaign, according to reports.

Barr has appointed John Durham for the assignment, according to the New York Times. Durham has a history of investigating potential wrongdoing among national security officials.

Barr sent shockwaves through Washington after he acknowledged earlier this year during a hearing that he would review the origins of the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign, and again when he referred to those activities as “spying.”

Specifically, he has said he wants to review whether the FBI had appropriate predicate for spying on the Trump campaign, for example, when it sought a surveillance warrant against former campaign adviser Carter Page.

Barr’s assignment of Durham may indicate that his review of the origins warrants further investigation and action.

Separately, the DOJ’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, is due to issue a report on his findings on whether the FBI acted improperly when investigating the Trump campaign and launching an investigation in July 2016.

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed the U.S. attorney in Utah, John Huber, to review aspects of the Russia investigation, but it is unclear what he has been investigating or has found.

Trump nominated Durham for his current position in 2017, and Durham has conducted special investigations under administrations of both parties, according to the Times. </s> Once again the New York Times is getting out ahead of the story to reveal Attorney General Bill Barr has instructed U.S. Attorney John Durham to review the origins of the 2016 DOJ and FBI surveillance of the Trump campaign. [Durham Background Here]

The appointment looks like a way to keep the sensitive inquiry within Barr’s control as opposed to appointing a special counsel. John H Durham, the U.S. attorney from Connecticut, has handled previous investigations into the intelligence community.

WASHINGTON — Attorney General William P. Barr has assigned the top federal prosecutor in Connecticut to examine the origins of the Russia investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter, a move that President Trump has long called for but that could anger law enforcement officials who insist that scrutiny of the Trump campaign was lawful. John H. Durham, the United States attorney in Connecticut, has a history of serving as a special prosecutor investigating potential wrongdoing among national security officials, including the F.B.I.’s ties to a crime boss in Boston and accusations of C.I.A. abuses of detainees.

His inquiry is the third known investigation focused on the opening of an F.B.I. counterintelligence investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign into possible ties between Russia’s election interference and Trump associates. The department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, is separately examining investigators’ use of wiretap applications and informants and whether any political bias against Mr. Trump influenced investigative decisions. And John W. Huber, the United States attorney in Utah, has been reviewing aspects of the Russia investigation. His findings have not been announced. […] Mr. Durham, who was nominated by Mr. Trump in 2017 and has been a Justice Department lawyer since 1982, has conducted special investigations under administrations of both parties. Attorney General Janet Reno asked Mr. Durham in 1999 to investigate the F.B.I.’s handling of a notorious informant: the organized crime leader James (Whitey) Bulger. In 2008, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey assigned Mr. Durham to investigate the C.I.A.’s destruction of videotapes in 2005 showing the torture of terrorism suspects. A year later, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. expanded Mr. Durham’s mandate to also examine whether the agency broke any laws in its abuses of detainees in its custody. (read more)

Again, cautious optimism this appointment is a step in the right direction.

We would be remiss if we didn’t note the prior DOJ head-fake when U.S. Attorney John Laush was assigned to review and deliver documents to congress. That effort resulted in absolutely nothing; the documents were never produced; the redactions were never removed; and the corrupt institutional schemes were unfazed by Laush’s assignment.

It would seem like most of the investigative material Mr. Durham might need is already present in the accumulated files from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Keep an eye open to see if John H Durham is given a staff, investigative resources and/or a budget therein. If this is a genuinely motivated effort there should be visible activity.

This better-damn-well-not be another years-long investigation, specifically structured and coordinated to extend the tick-tock timeline of investigative inquiry into another 2020 election year, while the deep state institutional protectors say: “Trust Durham“.

UPDATE: Prior letter from Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows to U.S. Attorney John H Durham in January of 2019, about the October 18, 2018, testimony from former FBI legal counsel James Baker where Baker’s lawyers identified Durham as a prosecutor investigating the claims of Baker leaking to media. </s> (CNN) The top federal prosecutor in Connecticut is assisting Attorney General Bill Barr in his review of the genesis of the 2016 Russia investigation, according to a source familiar with the review.

US attorney John Durham has been tapped to help Barr, but is not acting as a special counsel like Robert Mueller, the source said, and will be looking at whether intelligence collection activities by the US government prior to election day were lawful. Durham has been working on this for "weeks," the source added.

Durham is a Trump appointee who has investigated numerous public corruption cases under Republican and Democratic administrations. He was appointed by then-Attorney General Janet Reno to investigate corruption surrounding the use of FBI informants in Boston in the late 1990s, and later called on to investigate the CIA's destruction of videotapes of detainee interrogations in 2008.

And while Barr has said publicly that he's not launching a full blown investigation into the FBI's handling of the matter, Durham's role -- first reported by The New York Times -- does provide one of the clearest signals to date of the seriousness of an inquiry President Donald Trump had called for repeatedly.

Barr's concerns about surveillance of the Trump campaign were first revealed during testimony before the House Appropriations Committee last month when he suggested, controversially, that Trump's campaign was spied on , but he has declined to elaborate on the precise contours of the review or the basis of concern.

Read More </s> Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate," a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.

Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Durham's appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn't mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel's investigation.

Barr provided no details about what "spying" may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI's use of an informant while the bureau was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.

Trump and his supporters have seized on both to accuse the Justice Department and the FBI of unlawfully spying on his campaign.

The inquiry, which will focus on whether the government's methods to collect intelligence relating to the Trump campaign were lawful and appropriate, is separate from an investigation by the Justice Department's inspector general. The agency's watchdog is also examining the Russia probe's origins and Barr has said he expects the watchdog report to be done in May or June.

Congressional Republicans have also indicated they intend to examine how the investigation that shadowed Trump's presidency for nearly two years began and whether there are any legal concerns.

The recently concluded investigation from special counsel Robert Mueller did not find a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and the Kremlin to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Durham has previously investigated law enforcement corruption, the destruction of CIA videotapes and the Boston FBI office's relationship with mobsters.

In addition to conducting the inquiry, he will continue to serve as the chief federal prosecutor in Connecticut. </s> Attorney General William P. Barr has tapped John H. Durham, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, to investigate the origins of the special counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Barr tapped Durham in recent weeks to work on the review, which is designed at ensuring the U.S. government’s “intelligence collection activities” related to the Trump campaign were “lawful and appropriate,” a person familiar with the decision said.

Barr had confirmed the review publicly, though the person leading it was not previously known.

Durham was confirmed as the U.S. attorney in Connecticut in February 2018, though he had previously earned a reputation as a dogged career prosecutor tapped by previous attorneys general for similarly high-profile roles.

In 1999, Attorney General Janet Reno appointed Durham to investigate law enforcement corruption in Boston, and more recently, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. called on him to investigate the treatment of CIA detainees and the destruction of videotapes.

In its 448-page report, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s team wrote that while its investigation established that the Trump campaign “expected it would benefit electorally from” information stolen in Russia-backed efforts, it “did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”

Mueller also found 10 “episodes” of potential obstruction of justice by President Trump but ultimately concluded that it was not his decision to determine whether Trump broke the law.

In the weeks since the release of the report, the president and his allies have sought to launch a new political rallying cry: “Investigate the investigators.”

Trump’s campaign is publicly calling for criminal investigations into former FBI officials and is making “spygate” fundraising pitches, seeking to turn the tables and transform the Russia investigation into a political asset instead of a liability.

Trump and other Republicans have argued that the FBI “spied” on Trump’s campaign by surveilling former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page under a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Page’s communications were surveilled in late 2016 and early 2017, after he left the Trump campaign. Barr has said government “spying” occurred on the Trump campaign, though he has insisted he did not mean the word to carry a pejorative meaning.

Critics contend that the allegations are an effort by Trump to divert public attention away from his own actions. </s> Attorney General William Barr has appointed a US attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate," a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.

Barr appointed John Durham, the US attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Durham's appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn't mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel's investigation.

Barr provided no details about what "spying" may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI's use of an informant while the bureau was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.

Trump and his supporters have seized on both to accuse the Justice Department and the FBI of unlawfully spying on his campaign. </s> Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was “lawful and appropriate,” a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.

Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to conduct the inquiry, the person said. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

READ MORE: Democrats set contempt vote for William Barr over Mueller report

Durham’s appointment comes about a month after Barr told members of Congress he believed “spying did occur” on the Trump campaign in 2016. He later said he didn’t mean anything pejorative and was gathering a team to look into the origins of the special counsel’s investigation.

Barr provided no details about what “spying” may have taken place but appeared to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a former Trump associate, Carter Page, and the FBI’s use of an informant while the bureau was investigating former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.

WATCH ABOVE: William Barr says there was ‘spying’ on Trump campaign

Trump and his supporters have seized on both to accuse the Justice Department and the FBI of unlawfully spying on his campaign.

READ MORE: Trump pledges not to use stolen information in 2020 re-election campaign

The inquiry, which will focus on whether the government’s methods to collect intelligence relating to the Trump campaign were lawful and appropriate, is separate from an investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general. The agency’s watchdog is also examining the Russia probe’s origins and Barr has said he expects the watchdog report to be done in May or June.

Congressional Republicans have also indicated they intend to examine how the investigation that shadowed Trump’s presidency for nearly two years began and whether there are any legal concerns.

WATCH: House Judiciary Committee votes in favour of holding William Barr in contempt

The recently concluded investigation from special counsel Robert Mueller did not find a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and the Kremlin to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Durham is a career prosecutor who was nominated for his post as U.S. attorney in Connecticut by Trump. He has previously investigated law enforcement corruption, the destruction of CIA videotapes and the Boston FBI office’s relationship with mobsters.

READ MORE: Robert Mueller’s letter of complaint was ‘a bit snitty’, U.S. AG William Barr says

In nominating him, the White House said Durham and other nominees for U.S. attorney jobs share Trump’s vision for “making America safe again.”

Durham was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2018. At the time, Connecticut’s two Democratic senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, called Durham a “fierce, fair prosecutor” who knows how to try tough cases.

WATCH: Trump could end up blocking release of Mueller report

In addition to conducting the inquiry, Durham will continue to serve as the chief federal prosecutor in Connecticut. </s> Attorney General William P. Barr has tapped the U.S. Attorney in Connecticut to examine the origins of the Russian election-interference probe, according to reports late Monday.

John H. Durham, the top federal prosecutor in Connecticut, has been asked get the bottom of the Justice Department’s investigation into members of the Trump presidential campaign.

Mr. Durham’s probe will focus on whether the Justice Department lawfully collected intelligence on Trump campaign associates, according to both the New York Times and Associated Press, each citing sources familiar with the matter.

It is not clear what investigative powers Mr. Durham will have or whether Mr. Barr will authorize a team or budget. Special counsel Robert Mueller had a squad of roughly 20 people to conduct his investigation.



Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec did not immediately return a request for comment. Thomas Carson, a spokesman for Mr. Durham, declined to comment.

President Trump has long demanded the Justice Department look into whether the FBI spied on his campaign at the behest of the Obama administration. His calls have increased since Mr. Mueller concluded there was no evidence that the president or members of his campaign colluded with Russia.

Mr. Durham’s probe is the third known investigation into FBI and Justice Department decisions surrounding the 2016 election. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is evaluating the Justice Department’s wiretaps on former campaign associate Carter Page. And John Huber, the U.S. attorney in Utah, is also reviewing a surveillance warrant obtained by the FBI to spy on Mr. Page.

Mr. Horowitz’s findings are expected to be released this month or next while the progress of Mr. Huber’s probe has remained shrouded in mystery.

In addition, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, has also pledged an aggressive committee investigation into the FBI and Justice Department’s actions in 2016. He said the probe will target how the department was “so in the tank for [Hillary] Clinton and hated Trump’s guts.”

The Durham probe is not a surprise as Mr. Barr signaled earlier this month that he had “people in the department” helping him examine intelligence actions related to the Trump campaign.

Mr. Barr’s disclosure came during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. He said it “was a little early” to update Congress on his findings, but he envisioned “some kind of reporting at the end of this.”

He has also been steadfast in his claim that the FBI spied on Trump campaign associates, but wasn’t sure whether it was legal or justified.

“I think spying did occur,” he said. “The question is whether it was adequately predicated. And I’m not suggesting it wasn’t adequately predicated. But I need to explore that.”

Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray broke from Mr. Barr’s use of the word “spying” to describe the bureau’s activities related to the Trump campaign.

“Well, it’s not the term I would use,” he said during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee. “Lots of people have different colloquial phrases. I believe the the FBI is engaged in investigative activity and part of investigative activity includes surveillance.”

Mr. Durham, who was sworn in as U.S. attorney on February 22, has worked at the Justice Department since 1982 and has plenty of experience conducting high-level special investigations.

Attorney General Janet Reno in 1999 asked him to investigate whether two FBI informants, James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen Fleming, had corrupted their handlers at the bureau.

In 2008, then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed Mr. Durham to investigate the destruction of CIA videotapes showing the torture of terrorism suspects during interrogations. The probe closed in November 2010 without any criminal charges being filed.

The next year, President Barack Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder assigned him to head a Justice Department investigation into the CIA’s interrogation techniques.
Trump's U.S. Attorney General William Barr appoints Republican U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham to investigate the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane and Special Counsel investigations, and any criminality that may have occurred.