President Donald Trump's lead lawyer in the special counsel's Russia investigation resigned Thursday, shaking up the legal team just as the president intensifies his attacks on a probe he calls nothing more than a witch hunt.

Associated Press Justice Department reporter Eric Tucker said the resignation might have something to do with clashes between John Dowd and Trump in the Mueller investigation.

"Trump came out and said I'm very eager to speak under oath to Mueller, but Dowd has been much more cautious and apprehensive," Tucker said, "So obviously you have a client attorney division there."

The departure of attorney John Dowd removes the primary negotiator and legal strategist who had been molding Trump's defense. It also comes just days after the Trump legal team added a new lawyer, former U.S. attorney Joseph diGenova, who has alleged on television that FBI officials were involved in a "brazen plot" to exonerate Hillary Clinton in the email investigation and to "frame" Trump for nonexistent crimes.

Dowd confirmed his decision in an email to The Associated Press, saying, "I love the President and wish him well." Dowd said he made the decision voluntarily and he denied reports that his departure had to do with Trump ignoring his legal advice. He said he formally resigned Thursday morning.

It already was a delicate time in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as Trump's attorneys, including Dowd, have been negotiating with Mueller over the scope and terms of an interview of the president. Trump has told reporters that he was eager to speak with Mueller, but Dowd has been far more apprehensive, and the lawyers have not publicly committed to making Trump available for questioning.

Asked Thursday whether he still wants to speak with Mueller's team, Trump told reporters, "Yes, I would like to."

Dowd's exit nearly a year into Mueller's investigation threatens to undo the cooperation between prosecutors and Trump's lawyers and may herald a stark shift in strategy as the probe reaches closer into the White House and the president's inner circle.

Over the weekend, Dowd issued a statement calling for an end to special counsel's investigation. The White House and later Dowd had to clarify the statement, saying the president's legal team wasn't calling for Mueller to be fired.

But Trump has upped his public attacks on Mueller.

In a series of tweets since last week, the president has said that the probe never should have started, that it was based on "fraudulent activities," that it was a "WITCH HUNT" and that it is being led by "13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 10 May 2011

1. STILL Attorney John Dowd leaves building with his client co-founder of Galleon hedge fund group Raj Rajaratnam

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 29 April 2011

2. STILL Dowd and Rajaratnam entering federal court

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So John Dowd is the lead defense lawyer on Donald Trump's legal team. And we learned today that he has resigned effective immediately from that team, so he's no longer going to be representing the president."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 23 May 2007

4. STILL Various Dowd with client White House liaison Monica Goodling

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So this is really significant because we are now 10 months into Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. There have been a lot of negotiations back and forth led by John Dowd as to whether or not the president will sit down for interview with Mueller and his team. And so now it's unclear what the next step is going to be, because basically the point person and lead negotiator and point of contact for Mueller's team is no longer calling the shots."

DONALD TRUMP TWITTER FEED/@realDonaldTrump

Internet - 18 March 2018

6. SCREENGRAB of Donald Trump homepage on Twitter

7. SCREENGRAB of tweet reading (English): "Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added...does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!"

DONALD TRUMP TWITTER FEED/@realDonaldTrump

Internet - 17 March 2018

8. SCREENGRAB of tweet reading (English): "The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!"

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"Last weekend we noticed a real notable shift in the way the president and his legal team has been talking about Special Counsel Robert Mueller. So in the past there's been lots of public overtures and gestures of cooperation. They've spoken warmly about the special counsel in his work. And this time, for the first time, this weekend for the first time we saw John Dowd basically call on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to shut down the investigation. He had initially said he was speaking for the president, he later said he was not. And the White House on Sunday had to clarify that there were no plans to try to terminate the investigation."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

10. Donald Trump walks into White House Treaty Room

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"So I think there's been a degree of consternation back and forth within the legal community over certain decisions and actions from Dowd and the legal team. There's been obviously a divide as to whether or not the president is gonna speak with Mueller. So you'll remember that in January, Trump came out and said I'm very eager to speak under oath to Mueller, but Dowd has been much more cautious and apprehensive, and his lawyers, Trump's lawyers have not publicly committed in any way to any sort of interview. They say those are ongoing negotiations. So obviously you have a client attorney division there."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

12. President Donald Trump walks out of Treaty Room as reporters shout questions

13. UPSOUND: Reporter:

"Mr. President, would you still like to testify to special counsel Robert Mueller, sir?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Yes, I would like to..."

15. Trump walks out of room

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"One other thing that I would note is that the Trump legal team has been looking to try to add to its ranks. So they have reached out to a very prominent Washington lawyer, a litigator by the name of Ted Olson who argued the Bush v. Gore case 2000 before the U.S. Supreme Court. And he's argued the California gay rights case, same sex marriage case. He turned them down. And so I would not be surprised if there is another attorney who they try to reach out to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 28 September 2017

17. STILL Various Former United States Solicitor General Ted Olson at the installation ceremony for FBI director Chris Wray

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 20 June 2013

18. STILL Olson with plaintiffs in the California Proposition 8 case

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"They did hire on Monday a former United States attorney named Joe diGenova who's going to be working on the Trump legal team. And one thing that diGenova is notable for is an interview with Fox News from January in which he basically said the FBI officials were part of a brazen plot to exonerate Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump for a fictional, nonexistent crime. So that gives you a flavor of where the defense legal strategy might be going."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, D.C. - 22 March 2018

20. Various Trump speaking in the House Treaty Room about imposing tariffs on Chinese imports

Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice, Attorney General William Barr declared. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

Trump cheered the Sunday outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four-page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start: Did his campaign work with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton? That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. The resolution also could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favor.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts — like firing his FBI director — that he was legally empowered to take.

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Washington, D.C. - 24 March 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"So perhaps the most significant finding out of the special counsel's report today is that special counsel  Mueller did not find any evidence of criminal conspiracy between anyone associated with the Trump campaign and Russia. That is there's no quote unquote collusion that is prosecutable in any way between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. And that is the question that has been hovering over this investigation from the start. So that's a big victory for the president. it's a really unequivocal victory. The other interesting finding of note is on the question of whether the President obstructed justice. And here it's a little bit more complicated. In this particular aspect than the investigation the special counsel did not reach a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the President obstructed justice. Instead, according to Attorney General Barr who summarized these findings,  Mueller presented evidence on both sides of the ledger for these different episodes involving Trump's behavior that were examined, and then did not reach a conclusion one way or the other. However Barr said that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had reached their own conclusion based on Mueller's evidence and determined that it was insufficient to establish obstruction of justice."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"So the letter today from the attorney general, it's a four page letter, it marks the conclusion, the real end conclusion of the special counsel's investigation. We  expect to hear more details of what the special counsel found in coming days and weeks."

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

3 . SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"The major investigation that concerns the president right now is taking place in New York City. That's an investigation into hush money payments that were made to two women, one a former Playboy model, the other a porn star, who both say they had sex with the president about a decade before he was elected. And both received money during the campaign effectively to not come forward with their allegations. Prosecutors in New York City, in southern district of New York, are investigating whether that's a campaign finance violation. The president's been implicated in wrongdoing by his former lawyer Michael Cohen. It's not yet clear what's going to happen with that investigation."

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"I think the main takeaway actually is going to be how unsatisfied Democrats are. This is a four page summary of what appears to be a very lengthy, very detailed report from the special counsel. And there is a suggestion in this letter that the special counsel did find evidence in at least some of the episodes he examined of potential obstruction of justice and simply did not reach a conclusion. So if you're a Democrat on Capitol Hill right now, you want access to all of the special counsel's work and you want the American public to see all of the evidence he gathered and his underlying report.  And so we can expect going forward, that is going to be the next big legal front is this fight between Congress and the Justice Department over how much of Muller's two years of work the public has to see. Especially because on the question of obstruction, it's clear that Mueller did indicate that there's a there there. He just didn't reach a conclusion one way or the other so that's given hope to Democrats that they want to see more."

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"The regulations actually do not stipulate that the report is made public. That's a judgment call. It's what the regulations actually mandate is that a confidential report is delivered by the special counsel to the attorney general, who oversees his work. So in this case that would be Mueller to Barr.  And then it is possible that a document could be made public. But you have to imagine, and we know this for sure in this case, that this is a document that concerns grand jury information, perhaps classified information. That's a complicated process to scrub that document of any potential issues, executive privilege issues. And that's going to take some time."

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"It is important to take stock of this moment that this is a pretty significant victory in terms of this collusion, or no collusion finding I should say, between the president and Russia and the special counsel according to Barr was pretty unequivocal about that. And so the president, we can expect him to rightfully claim victory and based on what we know from the special counsel's findings, that perhaps seems justified on that front. However there is a reference that is interesting and that is multiple offers from people connected to Russia,  Russian associates two individuals associated with the Trump campaign, offering help. We suspect that's a reference to the Trump Tower meeting that took place in June 2016 between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin connected lawyer. He took that meeting with the expectation of receiving dirt on Hillary Clinton that could be used in weaponized during the campaign. We also know that a former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos had a meeting in London where he learned from a professor that Russia had dirt on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen e-mails. So we suspect that Mueller's making reference to that, the fact that there are these multiple overtures of help from people connected to Russia. But there's no evidence or no allegation even that either of those two sides worked together. And that's a significant conclusion."

Washington, D.C. - 11 November 2018

7. Still - Donald Trump Jr. (Partly covers Soundbite #6)

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

Washington, D.C. - 24 March 2019

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"As it relates to the question of collusion, we do have a definitive answer from the special counsel and ostensibly endorsed by the attorney general that there was no collusion. We've heard that from the president for the last two years. That is the central finding and take away from this four page summary that there was indeed no collusion, no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign on one hand and the criminal in the Kremlin on the other to get Trump elected."

++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, The Associated Press:

"It is possible that House Democrats could come up with a different conclusion on the on the collusion question. It's not clear how readily embraced by the American public. That would be because the special counsel is regarded as the ultimate arbiter of, with subpoena power, evidence, ability to criminally prosecute, so he's regarded as the final voice. So it's not clear whether the American public will accept if  Mueller says no collusion and House Democrats say otherwise."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus092782

An attorney linked to a former Trump campaign official admitted Tuesday he lied to federal investigators working for special counsel Robert Mueller.

Alex van der Zwaan, who worked at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom until he was fired last year, appeared at the federal courthouse in Washington where he formally pleaded guilty to a single charge of making false statements about his interactions with former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates.

Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker says Mueller is sending a clear message that he won't tolerate lying. This is the 4th person to be prosecuted for lying to investigators.

Van der Zwaan's plea comes on the heels of an extraordinary indictment from Mueller last week that charged 13 Russian individuals and three Russian companies in a hidden social media effort to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election by denigrating Democrat Hillary Clinton and boosting the chances of Trump.

But the charge against the attorney, who is also the son-in-law of a Russian billionaire, does not involve election meddling or relate to the Trump campaign's operations. Instead, it stems from the special counsel's investigation into Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chair, and Gates, who is a longtime business associate of Manafort.

Gates and Manafort were indicted last year and accused of conspiring to launder millions of dollars they earned from political consulting work in Ukraine. As part of that indictment, Manafort and Gates are accused of directing a covert Washington lobbying campaign on behalf of pro-Russian Ukrainian interests before they joined the Trump campaign. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Van der Zwaan, 33, of London admitted to lying to federal authorities while they questioned him about the production of a report that Manafort and Gates are accused of secretly funding by funneling money through an offshore account.

++SOUNDBITES PARTIALLY COVERED BY VIDEO++

Washington - 20 February 2018

1. Mid, van der Zwaan exiting the courthouse and getting into a car

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"Today we had  another guilty plea in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. This is a lawyer. His name is Alex van der Zwaan. He admitted to lying to federal investigators during an interview in November 2017. This is the 19th person that we've seen charged so far in Mueller's investigation. This is a person who lied to the FBI about his interactions with Rick Gates, who is a codefendant of Paul Manafort, who is the former campaign chairman of President Donald Trump."

3. Mid, car driving away

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"He went into the special counsel's office back in November 2017 to be interviewed about his interactions with Rick Gates in connection with the production of a report that related to foreign lobbying work, Ukrainian lobbying work, that Rick Gates and Paul Manafort were doing. And during the course of that conversation he was asked about the last interaction he had with Rick Gates. He lied in that interview according to Mueller's investigators."

5. STILL Various van der Zwaan arriving at courthouse

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"The plea today does not relate to the indictment from Friday about the meddling in the 2016 presidential election. And it doesn't directly connect in any way to President Trump or Candidate Trump."

7. STILL Various van der Zwaan arriving at courthouse

8.  SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press Justice Department Reporter:

"But I would say what's really interesting now is this is the fourth person who we have seen charged with lying to investigators. So clearly Mueller is saying if you lie to us, and if we catch you in a lie making a knowing and false and willfully false statement, not just a mistake but a willfully false statement, you could wind up being prosecuted."

++EDIT ENDS IN A SOUNDBITE++

Private tensions between Justice Department leaders and Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion Wednesday as Attorney General William Barr pushed back at the special counsel's "snitty" complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report.

Testifying for the first time since releasing Mueller's report, Barr said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether President Donald Trump had tried to obstruct justice, and that he had felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

Barr was also perturbed by a private letter Mueller sent him last month complaining that the attorney general had not properly portrayed the special counsel's finding.

Barr called the note "a bit snitty."

"I said 'Bob, what's with the letter? Just pick up the phone and call me if there is an issue,'" Barr said.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report followed Mueller's two-year investigation into Russian interference to help Trump in the 2016 campaign and the possibility that Trump's team conspired with the Russians.

During most of the investigation, the Justice Department and Mueller's team seemed to be unified in approach.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been anything but unified.

And their partisan divide was on full display during Wednesday's contentious Judiciary Committee hearing, which included three Democratic presidential candidates.

Some Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they argued has been a lack of investigation of them.

Democrats, for their part, moved to exploit the daylight between Barr and Mueller to attack the attorney general's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning the special counsel's report in the president's favor.

Barr sought to minimize the rift by suggesting the special counsel's concerns were largely about process, not substance.

Barr's appearance gave him his most extensive opportunity to explain the department's actions, including his news conference held before the Mueller report's release.

Barr has also been invited to appear Thursday before the Democratic-led House Judiciary panel, but the Justice Department has said he would not testify if the committee insisted on having its lawyers question him.

Neither side broke much new ground Wednesday on the specifics of Mueller's investigation, though Barr did articulate a robust defense of Trump as he made clear his firm conviction that there was no prosecutable case against the president for obstruction of justice.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Cory Booker, Democrat - New Jersey:

"We right now have a new normal in our country. We have a document that shows over 200 hundred attempts, connections between a presidential campaign and a foreign adversary sharing information that would be illegal if you did it with a super PAC. We know that. (Barr: What information was shared?)  The polling data was shared sir. It's in the report I can cite you the page. (Barr: With who?) And I guess my point here is is that your willingness to seem to brush over this and use words like the American people should be grateful. What's in this report? Nobody should be grateful."

3. Back view of hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Sen. Kamala Harris: Attorney General Barr has the president or anyone at the White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone?

Umm, I wouldn't I wouldn't.

Harris: Yes or no.

Could you repeat that question?"

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"I will repeat it. Has the president or anyone at the White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone? Yes or no please sir?"

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"The president or anybody else.

Harris: Seems you'd remember something like that and be able to tell us.

Yeah but I'm trying to grapple with the words suggest. I mean there have been discussions of of matters out there that they have not asked me to open investigation but  ...

Harris: Perhaps they've suggested?

I don't know, I wouldn't say suggest.

Harris: Hinted? Inferred?"

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"Is in reaching your conclusion did you personally review all of the underlying evidence?"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"No. We took and  ...

Harris: Did Mr. Rosenstein?

No we accepted the statements in the report as the factual record. We did not go underneath it to see whether or not they were accurate. We accepted it as accurate."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"As the Attorney General of the United States. You run the United States Department of Justice. If in any U.S. attorney's office around the country, the head of that office when being asked to make a critical decision about in this case the person who holds the highest office in the land and whether or not that person committed a crime, would you accept them recommending a charging decision to you if they had not reviewed the evidence?

Barr: Well that's a question for Bob Mueller. He's the U.S. attorney. He's the one who presents the report.

But it was you who made the charging decision, sir? You made the decision not to charge the president."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"In a pross (process) memo and then a declination memo.

Harris: You said it was your baby, what did you mean by that?

It was my baby to to let to decide whether or not to disclose it to the public

Harris: And whose decision was it? Who had the power to make the decision about whether or not the evidence was sufficient to make a determination of whether there had been an obstruction of justice?

Prosecution memos go up to the supervisor, in this case it was the the attorney general and the deputy attorney general who who decide on the final decision."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat - Minnesota:

"Mr. Attorney General, on April 27th President Trump stated 'Mueller, I assume for 35 million dollars he checked my taxes and he checked my financials.' Is that accurate? Did the special counsel review the president's taxes and the Trump Organization's financial statements?"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I don't know.

Klobuchar: Can you find out if I ask later in a written question?

I, yes or you could ask Bob Mueller when he comes here.

Klobuchar: OK I'll do that too."

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat - Connecticut:

"In fact in response to your question 'why not just pick up the phone,' this letter was an extraordinary act. A career prosecutor rebuking the attorney general of the United States, memorializing in writing. Right? I know of no other instance of that happening. Do you?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I don't consider Bob at this stage a career prosecutor. He's had a career as a prosecutor.

Blumenthal: Well, he's a very eminent prosecutor.

He was the head of the FBI for 12 years.

Blumenthal: He's a career a law enforcement professional, right? Yeah I know of no other instance of ...

But he was also political appointee and he was a political appointee with me at the Department of Justice. I don't know the letters a bit snitty and I think it was probably written by one of his staff people."

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat - Connecticut:

"Did you make a memorandum of your conversation? Did you make a memorandum"

Barr: I didn't.

Did anyone, either you or anyone on your staff memorialize your conversation with Robert Mueller?"

16. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yes.

Blumenthal: Who did that?

Barr: There were notes taken of the call.

Blumenthal: May we have those notes?

Barr: No

Blumethal: Why not?"

Barr: Why should you have them."

16. Pan, Barr leaving hearing

Private tensions between Justice Department leaders and Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion Wednesday as Attorney General William Barr pushed back at the special counsel's "snitty" complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report.

Testifying for the first time since releasing Mueller's report, Barr said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether President Donald Trump had tried to obstruct justice, and that he had felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

Barr was also perturbed by a private letter Mueller sent him last month complaining that the attorney general had not properly portrayed the special counsel's finding.

Barr called the note "a bit snitty."

"I said 'Bob, what's with the letter? Just pick up the phone and call me if there is an issue,'" Barr said.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report followed Mueller's two-year investigation into Russian interference to help Trump in the 2016 campaign and the possibility that Trump's team conspired with the Russians.

During most of the investigation, the Justice Department and Mueller's team seemed to be unified in approach.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been anything but unified.

And their partisan divide was on full display during Wednesday's contentious Judiciary Committee hearing, which included three Democratic presidential candidates.

Some Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they argued has been a lack of investigation of them.

Democrats, for their part, moved to exploit the daylight between Barr and Mueller to attack the attorney general's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning the special counsel's report in the president's favor.

Barr sought to minimize the rift by suggesting the special counsel's concerns were largely about process, not substance.

Barr's appearance gave him his most extensive opportunity to explain the department's actions, including his news conference held before the Mueller report's release.

Barr has also been invited to appear Thursday before the Democratic-led House Judiciary panel, but the Justice Department has said he would not testify if the committee insisted on having its lawyers question him.

Neither side broke much new ground Wednesday on the specifics of Mueller's investigation, though Barr did articulate a robust defense of Trump as he made clear his firm conviction that there was no prosecutable case against the president for obstruction of justice.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Cory Booker, Democrat - New Jersey:

"We right now have a new normal in our country. We have a document that shows over 200 hundred attempts, connections between a presidential campaign and a foreign adversary sharing information that would be illegal if you did it with a super PAC. We know that. (Barr: What information was shared?) The polling data was shared sir. It's in the report I can cite you the page. (Barr: With who?) And I guess my point here is is that your willingness to seem to brush over this and use words like the American people should be grateful. What's in this report? Nobody should be grateful."

3. Back view of hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Sen. Kamala Harris: Attorney General Barr has the president or anyone at the White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone?

Umm, I wouldn't I wouldn't.

Harris: Yes or no.

Could you repeat that question?"

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"I will repeat it. Has the president or anyone at the White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone? Yes or no please sir?"

6. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"The president or anybody else.

Harris: Seems you'd remember something like that and be able to tell us.

Yeah but I'm trying to grapple with the words suggest. I mean there have been discussions of of matters out there that they have not asked me to open investigation but ...

Harris: Perhaps they've suggested?

I don't know, I wouldn't say suggest.

Harris: Hinted? Inferred?"

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"Is in reaching your conclusion did you personally review all of the underlying evidence?"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"No. We took and ...

Harris: Did Mr. Rosenstein?

No we accepted the statements in the report as the factual record. We did not go underneath it to see whether or not they were accurate. We accepted it as accurate."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat - California:

"As the Attorney General of the United States. You run the United States Department of Justice. If in any U.S. attorney's office around the country, the head of that office when being asked to make a critical decision about in this case the person who holds the highest office in the land and whether or not that person committed a crime, would you accept them recommending a charging decision to you if they had not reviewed the evidence?

Barr: Well that's a question for Bob Mueller. He's the U.S. attorney. He's the one who presents the report.

But it was you who made the charging decision, sir? You made the decision not to charge the president."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"In a pross (process) memo and then a declination memo.

Harris: You said it was your baby, what did you mean by that?

It was my baby to to let to decide whether or not to disclose it to the public

Harris: And whose decision was it? Who had the power to make the decision about whether or not the evidence was sufficient to make a determination of whether there had been an obstruction of justice?

Prosecution memos go up to the supervisor, in this case it was the the attorney general and the deputy attorney general who who decide on the final decision."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democrat - Minnesota:

"Mr. Attorney General, on April 27th President Trump stated 'Mueller, I assume for 35 million dollars he checked my taxes and he checked my financials.' Is that accurate? Did the special counsel review the president's taxes and the Trump Organization's financial statements?"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I don't know.

Klobuchar: Can you find out if I ask later in a written question?

I, yes or you could ask Bob Mueller when he comes here.

Klobuchar: OK I'll do that too."

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat - Connecticut:

"In fact in response to your question 'why not just pick up the phone,' this letter was an extraordinary act. A career prosecutor rebuking the attorney general of the United States, memorializing in writing. Right? I know of no other instance of that happening. Do you?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I don't consider Bob at this stage a career prosecutor. He's had a career as a prosecutor.

Blumenthal: Well, he's a very eminent prosecutor.

He was the head of the FBI for 12 years.

Blumenthal: He's a career a law enforcement professional, right? Yeah I know of no other instance of ...

But he was also political appointee and he was a political appointee with me at the Department of Justice. I don't know the letters a bit snitty and I think it was probably written by one of his staff people."

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat - Connecticut:

"Did you make a memorandum of your conversation? Did you make a memorandum"

Barr: I didn't.

Did anyone, either you or anyone on your staff memorialize your conversation with Robert Mueller?"

16. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yes.

Blumenthal: Who did that?

Barr: There were notes taken of the call.

Blumenthal: May we have those notes?

Barr: No

Blumethal: Why not?"

Barr: Why should you have them."

16. Pan, Barr leaving hearing

Thirteen Russians and three Russian entities were charged Friday with an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

The indictment, brought by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, alleges that Russians used bogus social media postings and advertisements fraudulently purchased in the name of Americans to sway political opinion during the race between Republican Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

The charges are the most direct allegation to date of illegal Russian meddling in the election.

The goal, the indictment says, was to "sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 presidential election."

Charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The charges arise from Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the election and whether there was improper coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Before Friday, four people, including Trump's former national security adviser and former campaign chairman, had been charged in Mueller's investigation.

The White House had no immediate response to the indictment.

Washington DC - 16 February 2018

1. Wide, Rosenstein walking into news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"A grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the special counsel's office. The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system including the 2016 presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called information warfare against the United States with the stated goal of spreading distrust toward the candidates and the political system in general. According to the allegations in the indictment 12 of the individual defendants worked at various times for a company called Internet Research Agency LLC, a Russian company based in St. Petersburg. The other individual defendant Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin funded the conspiracy through companies known as Concord Management and Consulting LLC, Concord catering and many affiliates and subsidiaries.

3. Cutaway reporters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"Two of the defendants allegedly traveled to the United States in 2014 to collect intelligence for their American influence operations. In order to hide the Russian origins of their activities, the defendants allegedly purchased space on computer servers located here in the United States in order to set up a virtual private network. The defendants allegedly use that infrastructure to establish hundreds of accounts on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, making it appear that those accounts were controlled by persons located in the United States."

5. Wide, Rosenstein speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"The indictment includes eight criminal counts. Count one alleges a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States by all of the defendants. The defendants allegedly conspired to defraud America by impairing the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the United States Department of Justice and the Department of State. Those organizations of the U.S. government are responsible for administering federal requirements for disclosure of foreign involvement in certain domestic activities. Count two charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud by Internet Research Agency and two of the individual defendants. Counts three through eight charge aggravated identity theft by Internet Research Agency and four individuals. Now there is no allegation in this indictment that any American was a knowing participant in this illegal activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charge conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election. I want to caution you that everyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. At trial prosecutors must introduce credible evidence that is sufficient to prove each defendant guilty beyond any reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury. Special Counsel's investigation is ongoing. There will be no comments from the special counsel at this time. "

7. Cutaway

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General

"This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the Internet. The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed. The Department of Justice will continue to work cooperatively with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies and with the Congress to defend our nation against similar current and future efforts."

9. Mid, Rosenstein walking out

Thirteen Russians and three Russian entities were charged Friday with an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

The indictment, brought by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, alleges that Russians used bogus social media postings and advertisements fraudulently purchased in the name of Americans to sway political opinion during the race between Republican Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

The charges are the most direct allegation to date of illegal Russian meddling in the election.

The goal, the indictment says, was to "sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 presidential election."

Charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The charges arise from Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the election and whether there was improper coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Before Friday, four people, including Trump's former national security adviser and former campaign chairman, had been charged in Mueller's investigation.

The White House had no immediate response to the indictment.

Washington - 16 February 2018

1. Wide, Rosenstein walking into news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"A grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the special counsel's office. The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system including the 2016 presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called information warfare against the United States with the stated goal of spreading distrust toward the candidates and the political system in general. According to the allegations in the indictment 12 of the individual defendants worked at various times for a company called Internet Research Agency LLC, a Russian company based in St. Petersburg. The other individual defendant Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin funded the conspiracy through companies known as Concord Management and Consulting LLC. Concord catering and many affiliates and subsidiaries.

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"Now there is no allegation in this indictment that any American was a knowing participant in this illegal activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charge conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election. I want to caution you that everyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. At trial prosecutors must introduce credible evidence that is sufficient to prove each defendant guilty beyond any reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury. Special Counsel's investigation is ongoing. There will be no comments from the special counsel at this time. "

4. Cutaway

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General

"This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the Internet. The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed. The Department of Justice will continue to work cooperatively with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies and with the Congress to defend our nation against similar current and future efforts."

Thirteen Russians and three Russian entities were charged Friday with an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

The indictment, brought by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, alleges that Russians used bogus social media postings and advertisements fraudulently purchased in the name of Americans to sway political opinion during the race between Republican Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

The charges are the most direct allegation to date of illegal Russian meddling in the election.

The goal, the indictment says, was to "sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 presidential election."

Charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The charges arise from Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the election and whether there was improper coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Before Friday, four people, including Trump's former national security adviser and former campaign chairman, had been charged in Mueller's investigation.

The White House had no immediate response to the indictment.

Washington - 16 February 2018

1. Wide, Rosenstein walking into news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"A grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the special counsel's office. The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system including the 2016 presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called information warfare against the United States with the stated goal of spreading distrust toward the candidates and the political system in general. According to the allegations in the indictment 12 of the individual defendants worked at various times for a company called Internet Research Agency LLC, a Russian company based in St. Petersburg. The other individual defendant Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin funded the conspiracy through companies known as Concord Management and Consulting LLC, Concord catering and many affiliates and subsidiaries.

3. Cutaway reporters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"Two of the defendants allegedly traveled to the United States in 2014 to collect intelligence for their American influence operations. In order to hide the Russian origins of their activities, the defendants allegedly purchased space on computer servers located here in the United States in order to set up a virtual private network. The defendants allegedly use that infrastructure to establish hundreds of accounts on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, making it appear that those accounts were controlled by persons located in the United States."

5. Wide, Rosenstein speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General:

"The indictment includes eight criminal counts. Count one alleges a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States by all of the defendants. The defendants allegedly conspired to defraud America by impairing the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the United States Department of Justice and the Department of State. Those organizations of the U.S. government are responsible for administering federal requirements for disclosure of foreign involvement in certain domestic activities. Count two charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud by Internet Research Agency and two of the individual defendants. Counts three through eight charge aggravated identity theft by Internet Research Agency and four individuals. Now there is no allegation in this indictment that any American was a knowing participant in this illegal activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charge conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election. I want to caution you that everyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. At trial prosecutors must introduce credible evidence that is sufficient to prove each defendant guilty beyond any reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury. Special Counsel's investigation is ongoing. There will be no comments from the special counsel at this time. "

7. Cutaway

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General

"This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the Internet. The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed. The Department of Justice will continue to work cooperatively with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies and with the Congress to defend our nation against similar current and future efforts."

9. Mid, Rosenstein walking out

US President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it".

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll talk about the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas".

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

The White House is also pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on White House South Lawn

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"So the stock market and our country from an economic standpoint is doing the best probably it's ever done. We're hitting new highs again. We've hit new highs I guess close to or over a hundred times since I'm president from the time of the election. Unemployment numbers are the best they've ever been, by far. We have almost 160 million people working today in the United States. That's more than we've ever had working in our country before. We're doing well on trade. We're doing well with China."

++BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Mueller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Mueller, I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

4. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it."

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll give remarks on the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas."

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

And the White House is pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Muller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Muller I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

2. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is going to jail.

On Friday, Manafort was ordered into custody after a federal judge revoked his house arrest, citing newly filed obstruction of justice charges. The move by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson made Manafort the first Trump campaign official to be jailed as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

"So this is a first Trump campaign aide to actually be put in jail as part of the special counsel's investigation, said Chad Day, a reporter with The Associated Press.

"Now, of course, this case doesn't deal directly with Russian election interference but still, this is the first time that we've seen someone who was close with Donald Trump during the campaign, as Paul Manafort was, and who actually led the campaign during several key months, and be sent to jail, Day said.  

Already under intense pressure to cooperate with prosecutors in hopes of securing leniency, Manafort now loses the relative freedom he enjoyed while he prepared for two criminal trials in which he faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.

In issuing her ruling, Jackson said she had "struggled" with the decision but she couldn't "turn a blind eye" to his conduct.

"Manafort's attorneys had argued that these were innocuous contacts, and that he actually didn't know that the people he had contacted were witnesses," Day said.

"The prosecution had countered that that's actually not a defense to witness tampering, and that it was, as they said, inconceivable that he didn't know that these people would be people that the prosecution would want to talk with," he said.

A federal grand jury indicted Manafort and a longtime associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, last week on charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Manafort, 69, and Kilimnik are accused of attempting to tamper with witnesses in the case by trying to get them to lie about the nature of their Ukrainian political work. Prosecutors say Manafort and Kilimnik tried to get the two witnesses to say that lobbying work carried out by clandestinely paid former politicians only occurred in Europe and not the U.S., a contention the two witnesses said they knew to be false.

The distinction matters because unregistered foreign lobbying in the U.S. is a crime, while lobbying solely in Europe would be outside the special counsel's jurisdiction.

Manafort also pleaded not guilty to the latest indictment on Friday. Kilimnik, who prosecutors say is living in Russia, did not appear in court. Mueller's team has said that Kilimnik has ties to Russian intelligence agencies, a claim he has previously denied.

Manafort will remain in jail while he awaits trial in both Washington and Virginia over the next few months. He faces several felony charges - including tax evasion, bank fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent - related to his Ukrainian political work, money he funneled through offshore accounts and loans he took out on property in the U.S.

Washington, DC - 15 June 2016

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So this is a first Trump campaign aide to actually be put in jail as part of the special counsel's investigation. Now of course this case doesn't deal directly with Russian election interference but still, this is the first time that we've seen someone who was close with Donald Trump during the campaign, as Paul Manafort was, and who actually led the campaign during several key months and be sent to jail. Now of course this is while he awaits trial and so he hasn't been convicted of anything at this point. But what the judge found was that there is probable cause that he had committed these crimes citing the grand jury indictment and that she couldn't, you know, she couldn't trust that he would not violate her order going forward."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"The main thing that this does is it ratchets up the pressure on Paul Manafort to cooperate with prosecutors.  At this point, you know he's been fighting this case pretty vigorously, both here and also in a subsequent case in Virginia. And so, you know it's yet to be seen what--what impact this will have on his calculus of whether or not he should reach out to prosecutors and perhaps try to make some kind of deal. Now why that matters for the president, it's yet to be seen. You know Paul Manafort was a key part of the campaign. He also took part in a meeting--a Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 with a Russian attorney who is supposed to be peddling dirt on Hillary Clinton, and he would be a witness to a lot of the aspects of the campaign that they are probing as part of the larger Russia investigation.

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Manafort's attorneys had argued that these were innocuous contacts, and that he actually didn't know that the people he had contacted were witnesses. The prosecution had countered that that's actually not a defense to witness tampering, and that it was, as they said, inconceivable that he didn't know that these people would be people that the prosecution would want to talk with. And so, what they said was that his efforts to contact them both in February after he had been charged had additional charges brought against him and then through an intermediary in April were efforts to try to influence their testimony and get them to lie about aspects of the case."

President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it."

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll give remarks on the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas."

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

And the White House is pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on White House South Lawn

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"So the stock market and our country from an economic standpoint is doing the best probably it's ever done. We're hitting new highs again. We've hit new highs I guess close to or over a hundred times since I'm president from the time of the election. Unemployment numbers are the best they've ever been, by far. We have almost 160 million people working today in the United States. That's more than we've ever had working in our country before. We're doing well on trade. We're doing well with China."

++BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Mueller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Mueller, I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

4. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is going to jail.

On Friday, Manafort was ordered into custody after a federal judge revoked his house arrest, citing newly filed obstruction of justice charges. The move by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson made Manafort the first Trump campaign official to be jailed as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

"So this is a first Trump campaign aide to actually be put in jail as part of the special counsel's investigation, said Chad Day, a reporter with The Associated Press.

"Now, of course, this case doesn't deal directly with Russian election interference but still, this is the first time that we've seen someone who was close with Donald Trump during the campaign, as Paul Manafort was, and who actually led the campaign during several key months, and be sent to jail, Day said.  

Already under intense pressure to cooperate with prosecutors in hopes of securing leniency, Manafort now loses the relative freedom he enjoyed while he prepared for two criminal trials in which he faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.

In issuing her ruling, Jackson said she had "struggled" with the decision but she couldn't "turn a blind eye" to his conduct.

"Manafort's attorneys had argued that these were innocuous contacts, and that he actually didn't know that the people he had contacted were witnesses," Day said.

"The prosecution had countered that that's actually not a defense to witness tampering, and that it was, as they said, inconceivable that he didn't know that these people would be people that the prosecution would want to talk with," he said.

A federal grand jury indicted Manafort and a longtime associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, last week on charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Manafort, 69, and Kilimnik are accused of attempting to tamper with witnesses in the case by trying to get them to lie about the nature of their Ukrainian political work. Prosecutors say Manafort and Kilimnik tried to get the two witnesses to say that lobbying work carried out by clandestinely paid former politicians only occurred in Europe and not the U.S., a contention the two witnesses said they knew to be false.

The distinction matters because unregistered foreign lobbying in the U.S. is a crime, while lobbying solely in Europe would be outside the special counsel's jurisdiction.

Manafort also pleaded not guilty to the latest indictment on Friday. Kilimnik, who prosecutors say is living in Russia, did not appear in court. Mueller's team has said that Kilimnik has ties to Russian intelligence agencies, a claim he has previously denied.

Manafort will remain in jail while he awaits trial in both Washington and Virginia over the next few months. He faces several felony charges - including tax evasion, bank fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent - related to his Ukrainian political work, money he funneled through offshore accounts and loans he took out on property in the U.S.

Washington, DC - 15 June 2016

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So this is a first Trump campaign aide to actually be put in jail as part of the special counsel's investigation. Now of course this case doesn't deal directly with Russian election interference but still, this is the first time that we've seen someone who was close with Donald Trump during the campaign, as Paul Manafort was, and who actually led the campaign during several key months and be sent to jail. Now of course this is while he awaits trial and so he hasn't been convicted of anything at this point. But what the judge found was that there is probable cause that he had committed these crimes citing the grand jury indictment and that she couldn't, you know, she couldn't trust that he would not violate her order going forward."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"The main thing that this does is it ratchets up the pressure on Paul Manafort to cooperate with prosecutors.  At this point, you know he's been fighting this case pretty vigorously, both here and also in a subsequent case in Virginia. And so, you know it's yet to be seen what--what impact this will have on his calculus of whether or not he should reach out to prosecutors and perhaps try to make some kind of deal. Now why that matters for the president, it's yet to be seen. You know Paul Manafort was a key part of the campaign. He also took part in a meeting--a Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 with a Russian attorney who is supposed to be peddling dirt on Hillary Clinton, and he would be a witness to a lot of the aspects of the campaign that they are probing as part of the larger Russia investigation.

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Manafort's attorneys had argued that these were innocuous contacts, and that he actually didn't know that the people he had contacted were witnesses. The prosecution had countered that that's actually not a defense to witness tampering, and that it was, as they said, inconceivable that he didn't know that these people would be people that the prosecution would want to talk with. And so, what they said was that his efforts to contact them both in February after he had been charged had additional charges brought against him and then through an intermediary in April were efforts to try to influence their testimony and get them to lie about aspects of the case."

A group of conservative House lawmakers are calling for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate whether misconduct took place in the FBI and the Justice Department.

The move follows a White House announcement that top FBI and Justice Department officials have agreed to meet with congressional leaders and "review" highly classified information the lawmakers have been seeking on the handling of the probe.

The agreement came after President Donald Trump made an extraordinary demand that the Justice Department investigate whether the FBI infiltrated his presidential campaign. It's unclear exactly what the members will be allowed to review or if the Justice Department will be providing any documents to Congress.

During a meeting Monday with Trump, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray also reiterated an announcement late Sunday that the Justice Department's inspector general will expand an existing investigation into the Russia probe by examining whether there was any improper politically motivated surveillance.

Rep. Devin Nunes, an ardent Trump supporter and head of the House Intelligence Committee, has been demanding information on an FBI source in the Russia investigation.

And Trump has taken up the cause as the White House tries to combat the threat posed by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Washington DC - 22 May 2018

1. Republican members of Congress walk into room

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

2. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Lee Zeldin, (R) New York:

"Good morning everybody and thank you for coming out. We have at least 19 members of Congress who will be introducing today a 12 page House resolution detailing misconduct at the highest levels of the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be outlining FISA (US Foreign Intelligence Survaillance Court) abuse. How and why the Hillary Clinton email probe ended and how and why the Trump-Russia probe began. This resolution also calls for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate the gross misconduct with the understanding that the Justice Department cannot be expected to investigate itself. It's very important to note that the ranks of the DOJ and FBI are filled with amazing patriotic Americans who love their job, take their oath seriously and perform their jobs objectively with much respect for the rule of law. These are historic, legendary agencies that require transparency and accountability regarding the misconduct that took place. It is important for these exceptional public servants and these important agencies to continue their work moving forward stronger than ever before. As the resolution states, the concerns of the American people are serious and the issues requiring an immediate, unbiased, independent and thorough investigation are broad. In just the past few days, we learned that the DOJ, FBI or both appeared to have planted at least one person into Donald Trump's presidential campaign to infiltrate and surveil the campaign. This action alone reminds us of just how necessary this resolution is, as well as the appointment of a second special counsel."

3. Wide of news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Lee Zeldin, (R) New York:

"In conclusion, I would just like to point out that while many in the media and American public have been trying to bring down the president without evidence the president Trump colluded with Russia to win the election. There is a ton of actual evidence of real misconduct that those same people had been attempting to completely sweep under the rug. I believe legal scales of justice, that no one is above the law. That includes anyone regardless of last name and that even includes people at the highest levels of the DOJ and FBI, especially when misconduct is committed in the performance of their duties while trying to take down elected officials and candidates. No official at the Justice Department can ever allow their own political bias to overwhelm their own objectivity and responsible performance of their duties. A second special counsel must be appointed and transparency and accountability is demanded for these great, legendary historic agencies. With that we are confident that these great agencies will be able to move forward stronger than they ever were before."

5. Wide of news conference

6. SOUNDBITE (English): Rep. Mark Meadows, (R) North Carolina/Freedom Caucus Chair:

"Even today, we continue to see leaks come out of the Department of Justice and FBI, spinning a narrative that quite frankly is not supported by the facts. So it's time that we get to the facts. It's time that we appoint a second special counsel."

7. Wide of news conference

House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

1. Wide of House lawmakers on dais at hearing

2. Mid of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

4. Mid of lawmakers on dais

5. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

7. Mid of lawmakers on dais

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."

9. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."  

11. Wide of lawmakers on dais

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus099334

House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

+++WHITE FLASHES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina +++SOT PARTIALLY COVERED WITH BROLL+++

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

2. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York +++SOT PARTIALLY COVERED WITH BROLL+++

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

4. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."  

+++WHITE FLASH+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."

House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

1. Wide of House lawmakers on dais at hearing

2. Mid of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

4. Mid of lawmakers on dais

5. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

7. Mid of lawmakers on dais

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."

9. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."  

11. Wide of lawmakers on dais