In a sprawling new profile in New York Magazine, Attorney General Bill Barr weighed in on his relationship with President Trump, on the role politics plays in prosecutions, and the criticism of how he’s handling an investigation into the 2016 Trump-Russia probe.
“That’s all bullshit,” Barr told New York Magazine, when asked about the skepticism raised by his trips abroad to seek cooperation from foreign countries in the investigation, which is ostensibly being led by U.S. Attorney John Durham.
“This is a case where we’re asking for assistance and information, some of which is sensitive or classified information,” he said.
He also denied that Trump was getting involved in what cases the Justice Department pursued or not pursued, claiming that he had set ground rules with the President at the outset of his tenure.
“Right from the very beginning,” Barr told New York Magazine, “the president made clear to me, and we discussed, that he will not get into the business of talking about, or asking me, either to pursue, or not to pursue, cases. He leaves that up to my judgment.”
Read the full profile, which also discusses his history with special counsel Robert Mueller, here.
