Attorney General William Barr has vowed to get to the bottom of the Russian collusion probe origins. Why was it started? He noted how he thought the investigation into these claims led to the Obama Department of Justice spying on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. He also agreed with the notion that it was a witch hunt. He also said that the explanations he received for justifying some aspects of this probe simply do not “hang together.” With the revelations about the FISA abuses at the FBI that ensnared Carter Page, a former Trump campaign official, to the prosecutorial misconduct hurled at former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn—there’s plenty of grounds for inquiry.
U.S. Attorney John Durham has been tasked with getting to the bottom of it. Will his report drop before or after the 2020 election? It’s a criminal investigation. And in July there were rumblings that the DOJ under Barr was moving on indictments (via Washington Examiner):
Activity within the Justice Department indicates U.S. Attorney John Durham is working to bring the first indictments as part of a criminal investigation into the Russia inquiry, according to investigative journalist John Solomon.
Solomon, a controversial reporter who similarly reported criminal investigative activity related to Durham's efforts months ago, told Fox Business host Lou Dobbs … that people are frustrated by the wait, asserting there already is "overwhelming evidence in the public record" that crimes were committed during the Russia investigation.
Solomon, who is now the editor in chief of Just the News, faced criticism last year when his reporting on Ukraine for the Hill got swept up into the impeachment investigation of President Trump and became subject to a review that found he "failed" to identify "important details about key Ukrainian sources." Still, even as the tilt of Solomon's reporting has come into question, he does still boast insider knowledge at the Justice Department that has been borne out.
"My sources tell me there’s a lot of activity. I'm seeing, personally, activity behind the scenes of the Justice Department," Solomon said … adding that Durham's team "is trying to bring those first indictments, and I would look for a time around Labor Day to see the first sort of action by the Justice Department."
Well, if there’s any news about Durham right now, it’s over the resignation of a top aide in the investigation, Nora Dannehy, over allegations that the report is being rushed to completion to fulfill a political objective (via Fox News):
A top aide to US Attorney John Durham, who is probing the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, has resigned from the Department of Justice, Fox News has confirmed
A Justice Department source confirmed Friday that the federal prosecutor, Norah Dannehy, has resigned. Dannehy has worked with Durham for years and is a close aide to him.
[…]
Durham is the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The Hartford Courant in Connecticut said Dannehy informed colleagues in the New Haven US Attorney’s Office of her resignation Thursday evening but did not elaborate on the reasons.
But the paper also cited sources in saying Dannehy resigned “at least partly out of concern that the investigative team is being pressed for political reasons to produce a report before its work is done.”
NOW #Durham The U.S. Attorney’s office in Connecticut has confirmed to @CBSNews that Nora Dannehy has resigned from the Department of Justice but provided no further comment. From Hartford Courant, “Federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy, a top aide to U.S. Attorney John H. Durham in..
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 11, 2020
his Russia investigation, has quietly resigned from the DOJ probe - at least partly out of concern that the investigative team is being pressed for political reasons to produce a report before its work is done, colleagues said. @ClareHymes22 https://t.co/9yiMWA7Lxh
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 11, 2020
The problem with the Durham probe is not that it’s too rushed but, arguably, that it’s taking way too long. It is not healthy for the American people to know that there was major wrongdoing and have not enough done to hold people accountable.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) September 11, 2020
Still, something might be up, maybe an early ‘October Surprise,’ but one that could give Democrats heartburn. Fox News Reporter Kevin Corke tweeted that his source at the DOJ told him to “set his alarm clock” regarding developments from this investigation. Corke said he’s not holding his breath, but we’ll keep you updated if anything drops.
Remember when I said, wake me when there are indictments and or arrests? Well, a solid DOJ source just told me to "set my alarm clock."
— Kevin Corke (@kevincorke) September 11, 2020
I said, I'll believe it when I see it.#DurhamReport
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