House Democrats Call For DOJ Investigation Into Attorney General William Barr's Controversial Comments

Four House committee chairs have asked Michael Horowitz, the inspector general of the Department of Justice, to investigate Attorney General William Barr for his comments about the FBI's Trump-Russia investigation which U.S. Attorney John Durham is conducting.

House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and House Administration Chair Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., sent a six-page letter to the inspector general expressing their concerns about Barr's comments. They argue that Barr violated policies prohibiting public comments on an ongoing investigation.

"We are concerned by indications that Attorney General Barr might depart from long-standing DOJ principles to take public action related to U.S. Attorney Durham’s investigation that could impact the presidential election," the letter reads.

The Democrats are asking Horowitz to review Barr's remarks about Durham's investigation.

The top Democrats want Horowitz to review:

• Whether Barr's public commentary complies with the DOJ policy and the 2018 inspector general report.
• Whether the DOJ has implemented Horowitz's earlier recommendations on politically sensitive investigations.
• If a Durham report issued before the election would comply with department policies.
• Whether Durham has the legal authority to be conducting his probe, including a formal scope memo.
• Whether Durham is permitted to issue a public report about anyone who hasn't been charged with a crime.

Barr has rejected the notion that any findings issued by Durham ahead of the election would inappropriately influence the campaign, Politico noted.

Barr also indicated that the Durham probe does not investigate Democratic nominee Joe Biden or former President Barack Obama. However, Barr at times spoke about potentially explosive findings in Durham's investigation but has denied that there's political pressure to move it quickly.

Last week, a top Durham aide and long-serving federal prosecutor, Nora Dannehy, resigned from the Justice Department amid a push from Trump to publish the results of the probe before the election, Politico reported.