The Department of Justice’s effort to examine the origins and conduct of the Russia-collusion investigation and the apparent improprieties on the part of the DOJ and FBI seems to be in high gear. Attorney General William P. Barr has reportedly just assigned the United States Attorney in Connecticut John H. Durham, who has a history as serving as a special prosecutor investigating possible wrongdoing by national security officials. Concerns about the procedures followed in seeking special FISA warrants authorizing surveillance of American citizens are said to be high on his agenda.
In addition to the Dunham designation, the DOJ Inspector General, Michael E. Horowitz, continues his review of potential surveillance abuses by the FBI which is reportedly nearing completion. The U.S. attorney for Utah, John Huber, is also a year into an investigation of both surveillance abuses but also the handling of the DOJ/FBI probe into the Clinton Foundation. Evidence surfaced some time ago suggesting that contributions to the foundation were tied to securing meetings with then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Huber reportedly is now focusing his attention on the foundation.
In an unprecedented fashion, since the election of President Trump, there has been a lot of talk about improprieties at the highest levels of our government. So we are relieved by the results of the Mueller Report. While we understand the politics of the matter, we hope that the report will eventually come to put to rest – even among Democrats – the collusion and obstruction allegations, and President Trump can focus on the people’s business unencumbered.
So too, we hope that the investigations into the DOJ and FBI do not reveal any systemic corruption. Given the body of evidence already on the public record of improprieties by some in the treatment of anything Trump, serious wrongdoing will undoubtedly be documented. But institutional corruption in heretofore revered government agencies is another thing altogether and not something any of us should wish for, despite any political dimension.