Inspector general, Barr differ on Russia probe

WASHINGTON—The inspector general for the Department of Justice concluded the FBI had an “authorized purpose” in launching an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A report released Monday by Michael Horowitz said political bias did not influence agents who decided to look into campaign aides of then-candidate Donald Trump. It also said the warrant application to surveil Trump campaign aide Carter Page had 17 “significant inaccuracies or omissions.” Horowitz opened the investigation at the direction of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions out of concern the FBI had improperly spied on the Trump campaign.

Is this the end of the Russia investigations? Attorney General William Barr came to a different conclusion after seeing Horowitz’s report. He said it proved that the FBI investigation was intrusive and unjustified. Barr has launched a separate probe into the origins of the Russia investigation, led by U.S. Attorney John Durham, who has not yet completed his work.

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