Senate

Graham: Barr has ‘every confidence in the world’ in Horowitz

by Jordain Carney - 12/03/19 11:23 AM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) downplayed a potential split within the Justice Department over a forthcoming report on surveillance in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Graham was asked during an interview Monday night on Fox News about a Washington Post report that Attorney General William Barr is preparing to break with Inspector General Michael Horowitz on a key finding of a forthcoming report.

“I can tell you without any hesitation that Attorney General Barr has every confidence in the world in Mr. Horowitz. He believes he’s done a good job, a professional job, and he appreciates the work and the effort he’s put in,” Graham said.

Graham, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, added that people should “be wary” of the Post reporting on the forthcoming Horowitz report, arguing the media had been “trying overtime” to spin the report’s findings. He did not take issue with a specific piece of the Post’s reporting.

People familiar with the matter told the paper that Barr said he does not agree with the report’s finding that the FBI had enough intelligence to initiate an investigation into the Trump campaign in July 2016.

Horowitz’s office has been investigating the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) and the FBI’s “compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person.”

Graham added Monday night that he also has “every confidence” that Horowitz will “be fair to everybody.” Horowitz is expected to testify before Graham’s panel next week on the findings of his report.

The investigation has been lauded by Republicans, who have long alleged the FBI abused its surveillance powers in applying for a warrant to spy on Trump campaign aide Carter Page, saying officials did not sufficiently disclose the Democratic link to the so-called Steele Dossier.

Graham reiterated on Monday that he believes the Obama administration “pulled a fast one” on the FISC.

“I think that’s what you’re going to find,” Graham added.

Tags Lindsey Graham William Barr