Barr exploring possible spying on Trump campaign

Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday said he is reviewing the origins of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, stating he believed the U.S. government had spied on President Donald Trump’s campaign. “I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal,” Barr told senators at a budget hearing, adding he wanted to make sure proper procedures were followed. The attorney general said that though he did not have specific evidence of wrongdoing, “I do have questions about it.” Barr’s review of the investigation is separate from the Justice Department inspector general’s inquiry into the FBI Russia probe, expected to conclude in May or June. Some have argued political bias within the FBI motivated the investigation into the Trump campaign.

Barr also said Tuesday he expected to release the redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s nearly 400-page investigative report next week, a slight change from his comments on Monday that the release would be “within a week.”