Trump Attorney General Nominee William Barr Pledges 'Transparency' On Mueller Probe

"I believe it is vitally important that the Special Counsel be allowed to complete his investigation," Barr said in prepared remarks made available to reporters.
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WASHINGTON ― William Barr, the once and likely future attorney general, is expected to tell senators Tuesday that he believes the American people deserve “as much transparency” as possible about the special counsel investigation, and that Robert Mueller “will be allowed to complete his work.”

“I believe it is vitally important that the Special Counsel be allowed to complete his investigation,” Barr is expected to say, according to prepared remarks made available to reporters Monday.

Barr ― who President Donald Trump nominated as attorney general following the forced resignation of Jeff Sessions ― said he’ll serve with independence, and that he hasn’t given Trump any “assurances, promises, or commitments” about how he’d run the Justice Department.

Barr, who served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993, noted in his remarks that he is “friends” with Mueller and that he has the “utmost respect for Bob and his distinguished record of public service.” He is expected to say Tuesday that allowing Mueller to complete his investigation “is in the best interest of everyone ― the President, Congress, and, most importantly, the American people.”

“The country needs a credible resolution of these issues,” Barr said in his prepared remarks. “If confirmed, I will not permit partisan politics, personal interests, or any other improper consideration to interfere with this or any other investigation.”

Barr called it “very important that the public and Congress be informed of the results of the Special Counsel’s work,” and said his goal would be to “provide as much transparency as I can consistent with the law.”

The nominee also briefly addressed an unsolicited memo that he’d written about the Mueller investigation looking at potential obstruction of justice charges against Trump for his firing of former FBI Director James Comey.

Barr said the 20-page memo was “narrow in scope,” and “did not address ― or in any way question ― the Special Counsel’s core investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.” He said the memo did not address “other potential obstruction-of-justice theories or argue, as some have erroneously suggested, that a President can never obstruct justice.”

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