Trump on DOJ review of Russia probe: 'It's not payback'

Source: Politico | May 24, 2019 | Caitlin Oprysko

President Donald Trump on Friday defended his Justice Department’s investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, denying that he was pursuing payback on those who investigated him for almost three years.

Trump on Thursday issued a directive to the country’s intelligence agencies to cooperate with the investigation, which he has pledged will turn up evidence of a politically motivated “witch hunt.” He also gave Attorney General William Barr sweeping authority to declassify documents in the probe as he sees fit.

Asked about Barr’s inquiry Friday, Trump dismissed allegations that he was seeking to get revenge on the investigators he has accused of treason.

“This is about finding out what happened,” he said, referring to the Russia investigation once again as “an attempted takedown” of his presidency.

“We’re going to find out what happened and why it happened,” he continued. “Let me just tell you: It’s not payback; I don’t care about payback. I think it’s very important for our country to find out what happened.”

Barr has repeatedly backed the president on the issue, appointing a U.S. attorney to look into the matter in addition to investigations already being pursued by one other federal prosecutor and the department’s internal watchdog.

While several former and current DOJ officials have defended the legality of the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia and whether Trump obstructed that probe, Barr fueled Trump’s claims that he had been improperly investigated in a series of interviews this month.

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