The incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Attorney General nominee William Barr has confidence in special counsel Robert Mueller (MUHL'-ur) and will let Mueller finish his Russia investigation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says Barr has a "very, very high opinion" of Mueller.

The South Carolina Republican was among the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who met with Barr on Wednesday as Barr made the rounds on Capitol Hill before his confirmation hearing next week.

President Donald Trump pushed out Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year and nominated Barr to replace him.

Trump's critics have warned that Barr may try to curtail Mueller's investigation, given that the president has repeatedly called it a "witch hunt."

And Barr wrote an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department last year critiquing Mueller's investigation

Graham also commented on President Trump's speech Tuesday night from the Oval office.

"I thought the president did a good job of explaining the humanitarian problem," said Graham.

"I think the president is open minded to a deal, he's firm on the idea he needs border security money, including money for barriers, but I believe and hope he's open to a deal."

Washington DC - 9 January 2019

1. Cutaway of Attorney General nominee William Barr walking down the hall and into Sen. Lindsey Graham's office

++SILENT++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I think the main thing people want to know is what's his view of the Mueller investigation. And I can assure you based on what I've heard, that he has a high opinion of Mr. Mueller, believes that Mr. Mueller is doing a professional job, will do a professional job. Be fair to the president of the country as a whole and has no reason for Mr. Mueller to stop doing his job and is commited to allowing Mr. Mueller to finish."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"As to President I ask him, he said some pretty tough things. Mr. Barr said he's the one on the receiving end of this, he is sort of the accused and from the president's point of view, I think he believes it is a witch hunt and doesn't believe he did anything wrong and I can remember the Clinton days, when Ken Starr was part of a right-wing conspiracy. That is just sort of the way these things go."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"He had absolutely no indication he was going to tell Bob Mueller what to do, or how to do it. He is confident that Mr. Mueller will pursue the facts and the law."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"The memo, that was his opinion about the slippery slope of obstruction of justice charges against a president who wants to terminate a political appointee. He has got to believe that is a dangerous precedent to set and his memo was shared

with other people, he wanted their input. And we will share with the committee all the folks that Mr. Barr talked to and shared the memo with and we will give you an explanation to the committee as why he wrote it."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"He has a high opinion of Rod, they talked. Mr. Rosenstein mentioned him when they first met, I think that two years would probably be enough. He has some ideas of a deputy. I told him to pick somebody you are comfortable with and the president can approve and I trust his judgment to find a worthy successor to Mr. Rosenstein."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I thought the president did a good job of explaining the humanitarian problem on both sides, those who are coming here, the abuse that women go through, the children to get to the country, what happens when the criminal illegal immigrants are allowed to come back time and time again. And I thought it was a pretty persuasive case that we need to secure our border and we need to realize illegal immigration is a human tragedy at multiple levels."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"To my Democratic colleagues I don't believe you're going to get much traction that the president is manufacturing a crisis because all of you, including me have voted for billions of dollars to secure the border very much like the president is proposing."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"Toward the end of the week, there'll be some ideas emerging from the Senate that would have some bipartisan buy-in. But here's what the Democrats are going to ask, this is a good question - will the president sign it? And I think the president is open minded to a deal, he's firm on the idea he needs border security money, including money for barriers, but I believe and hope he's open to a deal on the wall."

10). Cutaway of Graham and Barr in his office ++SILENT++

The incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Attorney General nominee William Barr has confidence in special counsel Robert Mueller (MUHL'-ur) and will let Mueller finish his Russia investigation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says Barr has a "very, very high opinion" of Mueller.

The South Carolina Republican was among the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who met with Barr on Wednesday as Barr made the rounds on Capitol Hill before his confirmation hearing next week.

President Donald Trump pushed out Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year and nominated Barr to replace him.

Trump's critics have warned that Barr may try to curtail Mueller's investigation, given that the president has repeatedly called it a "witch hunt."

And Barr wrote an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department last year critiquing Mueller's investigation

Graham also commented on President Trump's speech Tuesday night from the Oval office.

"I thought the president did a good job of explaining the humanitarian problem," said Graham.

"I think the president is open minded to a deal, he's firm on the idea he needs border security money, including money for barriers, but I believe and hope he's open to a deal."

Washington DC - 9 January 2019

1. Cutaway of Attorney General nominee William Barr walking down the hall and into Sen. Lindsey Graham's office

++SILENT++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I think the main thing people want to know is what's his view of the Mueller investigation. And I can assure you based on what I've heard, that he has a high opinion of Mr. Mueller, believes that Mr. Mueller is doing a professional job, will do a professional job. Be fair to the president of the country as a whole and has no reason for Mr. Mueller to stop doing his job and is commited to allowing Mr. Mueller to finish."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"As to President I ask him, he said some pretty tough things. Mr. Barr said he's the one on the receiving end of this, he is sort of the accused and from the president's point of view, I think he believes it is a witch hunt and doesn't believe he did anything wrong and I can remember the Clinton days, when Ken Starr was part of a right-wing conspiracy. That is just sort of the way these things go."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"He had absolutely no indication he was going to tell Bob Mueller what to do, or how to do it. He is confident that Mr. Mueller will pursue the facts and the law."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"The memo, that was his opinion about the slippery slope of obstruction of justice charges against a president who wants to terminate a political appointee. He has got to believe that is a dangerous precedent to set and his memo was shared

with other people, he wanted their input. And we will share with the committee all the folks that Mr. Barr talked to and shared the memo with and we will give you an explanation to the committee as why he wrote it."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"He has a high opinion of Rod, they talked. Mr. Rosenstein mentioned him when they first met, I think that two years would probably be enough. He has some ideas of a deputy. I told him to pick somebody you are comfortable with and the president can approve and I trust his judgment to find a worthy successor to Mr. Rosenstein."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I thought the president did a good job of explaining the humanitarian problem on both sides, those who are coming here, the abuse that women go through, the children to get to the country, what happens when the criminal illegal immigrants are allowed to come back time and time again. And I thought it was a pretty persuasive case that we need to secure our border and we need to realize illegal immigration is a human tragedy at multiple levels."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"To my Democratic colleagues I don't believe you're going to get much traction that the president is manufacturing a crisis because all of you, including me have voted for billions of dollars to secure the border very much like the president is proposing."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"Toward the end of the week, there'll be some ideas emerging from the Senate that would have some bipartisan buy-in. But here's what the Democrats are going to ask, this is a good question - will the president sign it? And I think the president is open minded to a deal, he's firm on the idea he needs border security money, including money for barriers, but I believe and hope he's open to a deal on the wall."

10). Cutaway of Graham and Barr in his office ++SILENT++

US Attorney General William Barr is defending his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report.

Barr was testifying on Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

His appearance comes hours after it was revealed that Mueller had sent the Justice Department a letter objecting to the way his findings were portrayed.

Mueller told Barr that Barr's summary of the Russia probe's findings caused "public confusion about critical aspects" of the investigation.

A copy of Mueller's letter to Barr was released on Wednesday.

Mueller's letter is likely to be a central focus at Wednesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Barr.

Barr's prepared testimony shows he plans to defend his handling of Mueller's report.

++NOTE GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN SOUNDBITE #4++

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Various of US Attorney General William Barr entering the hearing room and taking seat

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Senator Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"But the Attorney General will be testifying here in a bit about the Mueller Report and I want to thank him for coming to the committee and giving us an explanation as to the actions he took and why he took them regarding the Mueller report and here is the good news.  Here is the Mueller report.  You can read it for yourself.  It is about 400 and something pages.  Can't say I have read it all, but I have read most of it.  There is an unredacted version over in the classified section of the Senate.  A room where you can go look at the unredacted version and I did that and I found it not to change anything in terms of an outcome."

3. Cutaway Barr listening to Graham

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Senator Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee, reading messages between FBI agents : ++NOTE GRAPHIC LANGUAGE ++

"'October the 19th, 2016. Trump is a fucking idiot. He is unable to provide a coherent answer.' Sorry to the kids out there.  These are the people that made a decision that (Hillary) Clinton didn't do anything wrong and a counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign was warranted.  We are going to, in a bipartisan way, I hope, deal with Russia.  But when the Mueller report is put to bed, and it soon will be, this committee is going to look long and hard at how this all started."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

5. Various views of letter Mueller sent to Barr

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

6.  SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California:

"More than once the report documents that legal condition can, excuse me, conclusions were not drawn because witnesses refused to answer questions or failed to recall the events. In addition numerous witnesses including but not limited to Jared Kushner, Sarah Sanders, Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon and John Kelly all stated they could not recall events.  The president himself said more than 30 times that he could not recall or remember enough to be able to answer written questions from the special counsel."

7. Side view of Barr listening

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California:

"And contrary to the conclusion that the special counsel's report did not find evidence of communication or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, the Mueller report explicitly states and I quote 'a statement that the investigation did not establish particular facts does not mean there was no evidence of those facts.' Volume 2., page 2. Let me conclude with this, Congress has both the constitutional duty and the authority to investigate the serious findings contained in the Mueller report. I strongly believe that this committee needs to hear directly from Special Counsel Mueller about his views on the report in his March letter. I also believe senators should have the opportunity to ask him about these subjects in questions, directly. I have requested this to our chairman to authorize a hearing with Special Counsel Mueller and I hope that will happen soon. Thank you Mr. Chairman."

9. Mid view of senators

Attorney General William Barr is defending his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report.

Barr testifying Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

His appearance comes hours after it was revealed that Mueller had sent the Justice Department a letter objecting to the way his findings were portrayed.

Mueller told Barr that Barr's summary of the Russia probe's findings caused "public confusion about critical aspects" of the investigation.

A copy of Mueller's letter to Barr was released Wednesday.

Mueller's letter is likely to be a central focus at Wednesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Barr.

Barr's prepared testimony shows he plans to defend his handling of Mueller's report.

++NOTE GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN SOUNDBITE #4++

POOL

Washington - 1 May 2019

1. Various, Attorney General William Barr entering the hearing room and taking seat

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"But the Attorney General will be testifying here in a bit about the Mueller Report and I want to thank him for coming to the committee and giving us an explanation as to the actions he took and why he took them regarding the Mueller report and here is the good news. Here is the Mueller report. You can read it for yourself. It is about 400 and something pages. Can't say I have read it all, but I have read most of it. There is an unredacted version over in the classified section of the Senate. A room where you can go look at the unredacted version and I did that and I found it not to change anything in terms of an outcome."

3. Cutaway, Barr listening to Graham

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee, reading messages between FBI agents : ++NOTE GRAPHIC LANGUAGE ++

"'October the 19th, 2016. Trump is a fucking idiot. He is unable to provide a coherent answer.' Sorry to the kids out there. These are the people that made a decision that (Hillary) Clinton didn't do anything wrong and a counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign was warranted. We are going to, in a bipartisan way, I hope, deal with Russia. But when the Mueller report is put to bed, and it soon will be, this committee is going to look long and hard at how this all started."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - 1 May 2019

5. Various views of letter Mueller sent to Barr

POOL

Washington - 1 May 2019

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat - California:

"More than once the report documents that legal condition can, excuse me, conclusions were not drawn because witnesses refused to answer questions or failed to recall the events. In addition numerous witnesses including but not limited to Jared Kushner, Sarah Sanders, Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon and John Kelly all stated they could not recall events. The president himself said more than 30 times that he could not recall or remember enough to be able to answer written questions from the special counsel."

7. Side view of Barr listening

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat - California:

"And contrary to the conclusion that the special counsel's report did not find evidence of communication or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, the Mueller report explicitly states and I quote 'a statement that the investigation did not establish particular facts does not mean there was no evidence of those facts.' Volume 2., page 2. Let me conclude with this, Congress has both the constitutional duty and the authority to investigate the serious findings contained in the Mueller report. I strongly believe that this committee needs to hear directly from Special Counsel Mueller about his views on the report in his March letter. I also believe senators should have the opportunity to ask him about these subjects in questions, directly. I have requested this to our chairman to authorize a hearing with Special Counsel Mueller and I hope that will happen soon. Thank you Mr. Chairman."

9. Mid view of senators

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general told senators Tuesday "it is vitally important" that special counsel Robert Mueller be allowed to complete his Russia investigation

William Barr said at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing that it is in "the best interest of everyone...that this matter be resolved," adding, "the country needs a credible  resolution to these issues."

Barr said he believes Congress and the public must learn the results.

He also insisted that Trump never sought any promises, assurances or commitments before selecting him to be the country's chief law enforcement officer.

The top Democrat on the committee raised questions about a memo Barr wrote criticizing the Russia investigation and saying it showed a determine effort to undermine Bob Mueller.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, said she's also troubled by Barr's expansive view of presidential powers since he will be overseeing the special counsel's investigation into whether President Donald Trump or his associates coordinated with Russian election interference.

Barr has defended the memo. He says it was narrowly focused on a single theory of obstruction and didn't touch the broader questions surrounding Russian election interference.

Barr revealed Monday that he had sent the memo to White House lawyers and lawyers for Trump.

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Various shots of William Barr approaching witness table

2. Shots of Barr taking oath before testimony

3. Cutaway of committee chairman, Senator Lindsey Graham

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

"It is the attorney general's responsibility to enforce the law even handedly and with integrity. The attorney general must ensure that the administration of justice, the enforcement of the law is above and away from politics. Nothing could be more destructive of our system of government, of the rule of law or the Department of Justice as an institution than any toleration of political interference with the enforcement of the law."

5. Wide shot of Barr testifying

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

"If confirmed, I will serve with the same independence I did in 1991. At that time when President Bush chose me, he sought no promises and asked only that his attorney general act with professionalism and integrity. Likewise President Trump has sought no assurances, promises or commitments from me of any kind, either express or implied, and I have not given him any other than that I would run the department with professionalism and integrity."

7. Cutaway of committee members

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

"I believe it is vitally important that the special counsel be allowed to complete his investigation. I have known Bob Mueller for 30 years. We worked closely together throughout my previous tenure at the Department of Justice. We've been friends since and I have the utmost respect for Bob and his distinguished record of public service. And when he was named special counsel I said his selection was good news and that knowing him, I had confidence he would handle the matter properly and I still have that confidence today. Given his public actions to date, I expect that the special counsel is well along in his investigation. At the same time, the president has been steadfast that he was not involved in any collusion with Russian attempts to interfere in the election. I believe it is in the best interests of everyone, the president, Congress and the American people, that this matter be resolved by allowing the special counsel to complete his work. The country needs a credible resolution to these issues and if confirmed, I will not permit partisan politics, personal interests or any other improper consideration to interfere with this or any other investigation. I will follow the special counsel regulations scrupulously and in good faith and on my watch Bob will be allowed to finish his work."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California:

"Your memo also shows a large, sweeping view of presidential authority and a determined effort, I thought, to undermine Bob Mueller even though you state you have been friends and are in the dark about many of the facts of the investigation. So it does raise questions about your willingness to reach conclusions before knowing the facts and whether you prejudge the Mueller investigation and I hope you'll make that clear today. It also raises a number of serious questions about your views on executive authority and whether the president is in fact above the law."

11. Wide side shot of hearing

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

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 felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report was notable given the highly secretive nature of the special counsel's investigation and the public appearance for at least most of the probe that the Justice Department and Mueller's team were unified in approach.

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

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

It was also a forum for him to repair a reputation bruised by allegations that he's the Republican president's protector and by the emergence of a private letter from Mueller that criticized his handling of the report.

Democrats seized on the daylight between the two men to attack Barr's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning Mueller's report in the president's favor.

They also pressed him on whether he had misled Congress last month when he professed ignorance about complaints from the special counsel's team. Barr suggested he had not lied because he was in touch with Mueller himself and not his team.

"Mr. Barr, I feel your answer was purposely misleading, and I believe others do too," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

While Democratic senators bluntly questioned Barr's actions, Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they feel is a lack of investigation of them.

Neither side broke much 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.

Barr entered the hearing on the defensive following reports hours earlier that Mueller had complained to him in a letter and over the phone about the way his findings were being portrayed.

Two days after receiving Mueller's report, Barr released a four-page letter that summarized the main findings.

Mueller's letter, dated March 27, conveys his unhappiness that Barr released what the attorney general saw as the bottom-line conclusions of the special counsel's investigation and not the introductions and executive summaries that Mueller's team had prepared and believed conveyed more nuance and context than Barr's own letter. Mueller said he had communicated the same concern two days earlier.

Once Mueller submitted his report, his work was done and the document was "my baby," Barr insisted defiantly.

"It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Mueller's," he said.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"The conclusions in your page four page summary, you think, accurately reflect his bottom line on collusion. Is that correct? (Barr: Yes) And you can read it for yourself if you got any doubt. As to obstruction of justice, were you surprised he was gonna let you decide?"

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

"Yes, I was surprised. I ... I think the very purpose the function he was carrying out the prosecutor of investigative and prosecutor function is performed for the purpose of people. (Graham: How many people did he actually indict, do you know?) I can't remember off the top of my head. (Graham: It was a lot.) Yeah."

4. Mid, Barr listening

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

"Thing that was confusing to me is that the investigation carried on for a while as additional episodes were were looked into, episodes involving the president. And so my question is or was why were those investigated if at the end of the day aren't going to reach a decision on them? (Graham: So did you consult Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein about the obstruction matter?) Constantly. (Graham: So, was he in agreement with your decision not to proceed forward?) Yes."

6. Wide, Barr listening

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"What really struck me, Mr. Mueller wrote that your letter threatened to undermine a central purpose for which the department appointed the special counsel to ensure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigation. Why did you testify on April 9th that you didn't know the concerns being expressed by Mueller's team, when in fact you had heard those concerns directly from Mr. Mueller two weeks before?"

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

"Mueller had never told me that that might that the expression of the findings was inaccurate. But I did then volunteer that I thought they were talking about the desire to have more information put out, but it wasn't my purpose to put out more information."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"Mr. Barr are you ... I feel your answer was purposely misleading and I think others do too. May I ask you another one? You said the president is fully cooperating with an investigation, but his attorney had told a defendant he'd be taken care of if he didn't cooperate with the investigation. Is there a conflict in that there are conflict in that?"

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

"I'm sorry, could you just repeat that? (Leahy: Both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Cohen we're told by Trump's personal attorney they'd be taken care of if they did not cooperate. You said that the president was fully cooperate. Is there a conflict there? Yes or no.) No."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat - Illinois:

"No I'll just say this Mr. Barr if you received a letter from Bob Mueller a few days after your March 24th letter, it was clear he had some genuine concerns about what you had said and done to that point. Can we move to another topic?"

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

"Yeah, his concerns was he wanted more added and I would analogize it to this my ... you know after, after a months long trial if if if I wanted to go out and get out to the public what the verdict was pending preparation of the full transcript and I'm out there saying here's the verdict. And the prosecutor comes up and taps me on the shoulder and says, 'well the verdict doesn't really fully capture all my work about that great cross examination I did or how about that third day of trial where I did that. This doesn't capture everything.' My answer to that is I'm not trying to capture everything. I'm just trying to state the verdict. (Durbin: No you just absolutely use the word summarize though in your letter.) Summarize the principal conclusions. (Durbin: Principle conclusions which most people would view as a summary.)"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat - Rhode Island:

"You described the report in four pages and it's a 400 page report, I don't know why you're cavalier about whether it is a summary or not?"

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

"Because, as I state in the letter that I'm stating the principal conclusions. You know Bob Mueller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. He's part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general at that point it was my baby and I was making a decision as to whether or not to make it public. And I effectively overrode the regulations, use discretion, to lean as far forward as I could to make that public and was my decision how and when to make it public not Bob Mueller's."

15. Wide view of hearing

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general told senators Tuesday "it is vitally important" that special counsel Robert Mueller be allowed to complete his Russia investigation

William Barr said at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing that it is in "the best interest of everyone...that this matter be resolved," adding, "the country needs a credible  resolution to these issues."

Barr said he believes Congress and the public must learn the results.

He also insisted that Trump never sought any promises, assurances or commitments before selecting him to be the country's chief law enforcement officer.

The top Democrat on the committee raised questions about a memo Barr wrote criticizing the Russia investigation and saying it showed a determine effort to undermine Bob Mueller.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, said she's also troubled by Barr's expansive view of presidential powers since he will be overseeing the special counsel's investigation into whether President Donald Trump or his associates coordinated with Russian election interference.

Barr has defended the memo. He says it was narrowly focused on a single theory of obstruction and didn't touch the broader questions surrounding Russian election interference.

Barr revealed Monday that he had sent the memo to White House lawyers and lawyers for Trump.

POOL

Washington, DC - 15 January 2019

1. Various shots of William Barr approaching witness table

2. Shots of Barr taking oath before testimony

3. Cutaway of committee chairman, Senator Lindsey Graham

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

"It is the attorney general's responsibility to enforce the law even handedly and with integrity. The attorney general must ensure that the administration of justice, the enforcement of the law is above and away from politics. Nothing could be more destructive of our system of government, of the rule of law or the Department of Justice as an institution than any toleration of political interference with the enforcement of the law."

5. Wide shot of Barr testifying

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

"If confirmed, I will serve with the same independence I did in 1991. At that time when President Bush chose me, he sought no promises and asked only that his attorney general act with professionalism and integrity. Likewise President Trump has sought no assurances, promises or commitments from me of any kind, either express or implied, and I have not given him any other than that I would run the department with professionalism and integrity."

7. Cutaway of committee members

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

"I believe it is vitally important that the special counsel be allowed to complete his investigation. I have known Bob Mueller for 30 years. We worked closely together throughout my previous tenure at the Department of Justice. We've been friends since and I have the utmost respect for Bob and his distinguished record of public service. And when he was named special counsel I said his selection was good news and that knowing him, I had confidence he would handle the matter properly and I still have that confidence today. Given his public actions to date, I expect that the special counsel is well along in his investigation. At the same time, the president has been steadfast that he was not involved in any collusion with Russian attempts to interfere in the election. I believe it is in the best interests of everyone, the president, Congress and the American people, that this matter be resolved by allowing the special counsel to complete his work. The country needs a credible resolution to these issues and if confirmed, I will not permit partisan politics, personal interests or any other improper consideration to interfere with this or any other investigation. I will follow the special counsel regulations scrupulously and in good faith and on my watch Bob will be allowed to finish his work."

9. Wide shot of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, California:

"Your memo also shows a large, sweeping view of presidential authority and a determined effort, I thought, to undermine Bob Mueller even though you state you have been friends and are in the dark about many of the facts of the investigation. So it does raise questions about your willingness to reach conclusions before knowing the facts and whether you prejudge the Mueller investigation and I hope you'll make that clear today. It also raises a number of serious questions about your views on executive authority and whether the president is in fact above the law."

11. Wide side shot of hearing

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

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 felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report was notable given the highly secretive nature of the special counsel's investigation and the public appearance for at least most of the probe that the Justice Department and Mueller's team were unified in approach.

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

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

It was also a forum for him to repair a reputation bruised by allegations that he's the Republican president's protector and by the emergence of a private letter from Mueller that criticized his handling of the report.

Democrats seized on the daylight between the two men to attack Barr's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning Mueller's report in the president's favor.

They also pressed him on whether he had misled Congress last month when he professed ignorance about complaints from the special counsel's team. Barr suggested he had not lied because he was in touch with Mueller himself and not his team.

"Mr. Barr, I feel your answer was purposely misleading, and I believe others do too," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

While Democratic senators bluntly questioned Barr's actions, Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they feel is a lack of investigation of them.

Neither side broke much 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.

Barr entered the hearing on the defensive following reports hours earlier that Mueller had complained to him in a letter and over the phone about the way his findings were being portrayed.

Two days after receiving Mueller's report, Barr released a four-page letter that summarized the main findings.

Mueller's letter, dated March 27, conveys his unhappiness that Barr released what the attorney general saw as the bottom-line conclusions of the special counsel's investigation and not the introductions and executive summaries that Mueller's team had prepared and believed conveyed more nuance and context than Barr's own letter. Mueller said he had communicated the same concern two days earlier.

Once Mueller submitted his report, his work was done and the document was "my baby," Barr insisted defiantly.

"It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Mueller's," he said.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"The conclusions in your page four page summary, you think, accurately reflect his bottom line on collusion. Is that correct? (Barr: Yes) And you can read it for yourself if you got any doubt.  As to obstruction of justice, were you surprised he was gonna let you decide?"

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

"Yes, I was surprised. I ... I think the very purpose the function he was carrying out the prosecutor of investigative and prosecutor function is performed for the purpose of people. (Graham: How many people did he actually indict, do you know?) I can't remember off the top of my head. (Graham: It was a lot.) Yeah."

4. Mid, Barr listening

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

"Thing that was confusing to me is that the investigation carried on for a while as additional episodes were were looked into, episodes involving the president. And so my question is or was why were those investigated if at the end of the day aren't going to reach a decision on them? (Graham: So did you consult Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein about the obstruction matter?) Constantly. (Graham: So, was he in agreement with your decision not to proceed forward?) Yes."

6. Wide, Barr listening

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"What really struck me, Mr. Mueller wrote that your letter threatened to undermine a central purpose for which the department appointed the special counsel to ensure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigation. Why did you testify on April 9th that you didn't know the concerns being expressed by Mueller's team, when in fact you had heard those concerns directly from Mr. Mueller two weeks before?"

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

"Mueller had never told me that that might that the expression of the findings was inaccurate. But I did then volunteer that I thought they were talking about the desire to have more information put out, but it wasn't my purpose to put out more information."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"Mr. Barr are you ... I feel your answer was purposely misleading and I think others do too. May I ask you another one? You said the president is fully cooperating with an investigation, but his attorney had told a defendant he'd be taken care of if he didn't cooperate with the investigation. Is there a conflict in that there are conflict in that?"

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

"I'm sorry, could you just repeat that? (Leahy: Both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Cohen we're told by Trump's personal attorney they'd be taken care of if they did not cooperate. You said that the president was fully cooperate. Is there a conflict there? Yes or no.) No."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat - Illinois:

"No I'll just say this Mr. Barr if you received a letter from Bob Mueller a few days after your March 24th letter, it was clear he had some genuine concerns about what you had said and done to that point. Can we move to another topic?"

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

"Yeah, his concerns was he wanted more added and I would analogize it to this my ... you know after, after a months long trial if if if I wanted to go out and get out to the public what the verdict was pending preparation of the full transcript and I'm out there saying here's the verdict. And the prosecutor comes up and taps me on the shoulder and says, 'well the verdict doesn't really fully capture all my work about that great cross examination I did or how about that third day of trial where I did that. This doesn't capture everything.' My answer to that is I'm not trying to capture everything. I'm just trying to state the verdict.  (Durbin: No you just absolutely use the word summarize though in your letter.)  Summarize the principal conclusions.  (Durbin: Principle conclusions which most people would view as a summary.)"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat - Rhode Island:

"You described the report in four pages and it's a 400 page report, I don't know why you're cavalier about whether it is a summary or not?"

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

"Because, as I state in the letter that I'm stating the principal conclusions. You know Bob Mueller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. He's part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general at that point it was my baby and I was making a decision as to whether or not to make it public. And I effectively overrode the regulations, use discretion, to lean as far forward as I could to make that public and was my decision how and when to make it public not Bob Mueller's."

15. Wide view of hearing

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general says he doesn't believe special counsel Robert Mueller (MUHL'-ur) "would be involved in a witch hunt."

Barr made the comment Tuesday at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Trump has repeatedly decried the special counsel's investigation as a "witch hunt" and has suggested he is being targeted by the Justice Department.

Mueller is investigating potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.

Barr also says it would be an "abuse of power" for Trump to intervene in an investigation he "has a stake in."

William Barr said Tuesday at his confirmation hearing he believes such an action would be a breach of the president's constitutional duties and could violate federal law depending upon the circumstances.

Barr was responding to questions from California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (FYN'-styn), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in light of a memo he wrote criticizing special counsel Robert Mueller's obstruction-of-justice investigation.

Barr has said the memo was intended to be narrowly focused on one of Mueller's reported interpretations of obstruction. Barr also says his memo was based solely on public reporting and not any confidential information.

POOL

Washington - 15 January 2018

1. Wide of hearing

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Are you familiar with the January 11th New York Times article about FBI open inquiry into whether Trump was secretly working on behalf of Russians."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee (off camera):

"Yes Mr. Chairman."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Would you promise me and this committee to look into this and tell us whether or not, in the appropriate way, a counterintelligence investigation was opened up by somebody at the FBI slash Department of Justice against President Trump."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Yes, Mr. Chairman. I think there were a number of investigations as I understand it going on in the department."

6.  SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"You ever heard of such a thing in all the time you've been associated with the Department of Justice."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I have never heard of that."

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Are there rules about how you can do counterintelligence investigations?"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I believe there are Mr. Chairman."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"So if you want to open up one against the president. are there any checks and balances?"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Not outside the FBI."

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"OK well we need to look at that."

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Mueller. You say you've known Mueller a long time. Would you say you have a close relationship with Mr. Mueller?"

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

"I would say we were good friends."

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"Would you say that you understand him to be a fair minded person?."

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

"Absolutely."

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"Do you trust him to be fair to the president and the country as a whole?"

18. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Yes."

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina (off camera):

"When his report comes to you, will you share with us as much as possible?"

20. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Consistent with the regulations and the law, yes."

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:

"Do you believe Mr. Mueller would be involved in a witch hunt against anybody?"

22. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I don't I don't believe Mr. Mueller would would be involved in a witch hunt."

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California:

"Will you commit to no interference with the scope of the special counsel's investigation?"

24. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I will--the scope of the special counsel's investigation is set by his charter and by the regulations and I will ensure that those are maintained."

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California (off camera):

"Will you commit to providing Mr. Muller with the resources, funds and time needed to complete his investigation?"

26. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Yes."

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California (off camera):

"Will you commit to ensuring that Special Counsel Mueller is not terminated without good cause, consistent with department regulations?"

28. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Absolutely."

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California (off camera):

"If special counsel Mueller makes any request, for instance, about the scope of his investigation or resources for his investigation will you commit to notifying Congress if you deny that request?"

30. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"I think the regulations require notification of Congress if there's a disagreement."

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California:

"Will you commit to making any report Mueller produces at the conclusion of his investigation available to Congress and to the public?"

32. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"As I said in my statement I am going to make as much information available as I can, consistent with the rules and regulations that are part of the special counsel regulations."

33. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California (off camera):

"Will you commit to making any report on the obstruction of justice public?"

34. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"That's the same answer."

35. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California:

"Your 2018 memo, in it, you stated and I quote 'the framers plan contemplates that the president's law enforcement powers extend to all matters including those in which he had a personal stake' end quote. Please explain what you base this conclusion on."

36. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General Nominee:

"Here's the Department of Justice right here and within the Department of Justice, enforcement decisions are being made. The president's over here. And I think of it as there are two categories of potential communications. One would be on a case that the president wants to communicate about that he has no personal interest in no political interest in. Let's say the president is concerned about Chinese stealing trade secrets and say I want you to go after this company that's being, you know, that may be stealing trade secrets. That's perfectly appropriate for him to do, to communicate that, but whether it's bona fide or not, as I said in my statement, the Department of Justice's obligation and the attorney general's obligation is not to take any action unless we reach, we, the Department of Justice and the attorney general, reach their own, independent conclusion that it is justified under the law. And, regardless of the instruction and that's my quote that everyone is saying you know siccing you know it's OK for the president to direct things. All I said was it's not per se improper for the president to call on the department for doing something, especially if he has no personal or political interest in it. The other category of cases and let's pick a you know an easy bad example would be if a member of the president's family or a business associate or something was under investigation and he tries to intervene. He--he's the chief law enforcement officer and you could say well he has the power. But that would be a breach of his obligation under the Constitution to faithfully execute the laws. So in my opinion if he attempts, if a president attempts to intervene in a matter that he has a stake in to try to protect himself that should first be looked at as a breach of his constitutional duties whether it also violates a statute depending on what statute comes into play and what all the facts are."

The incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Attorney General nominee William Barr has confidence in special counsel Robert Mueller (MUHL'-ur) and will let Mueller finish his Russia investigation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says Barr has a "very, very high opinion" of Mueller.

The South Carolina Republican was among the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who met with Barr on Wednesday as Barr made the rounds on Capitol Hill before his confirmation hearing next week.

President Donald Trump pushed out Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year and nominated Barr to replace him.

Trump's critics have warned that Barr may try to curtail Mueller's investigation, given that the president has repeatedly called it a "witch hunt."

And Barr wrote an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department last year critiquing Mueller's investigation

Washington DC - 9 January 2019

1. Cutaway of Graham and Barr in his office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"I think the main thing people want to know is what's his view of the Mueller investigation. And I can assure you based on what I've heard, that he has a high opinion of Mr. Mueller, believes that Mr. Mueller is doing a professional job, will do a professional job. Be fair to the president of the country as a whole and has no reason for Mr. Mueller to stop doing his job and is commited to allowing Mr. Mueller to finish."

++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"As to the President I ask him, he said some pretty tough things. Mr. Barr said he's the one on the receiving end of this, he is sort of the accused and from the president's point of view, I think he believes it is a witch hunt and doesn't believe he did anything wrong and I can remember the Clinton days, when Ken Starr was part of a right-wing conspiracy. That is just sort of the way these things go."

++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina, Incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

"He had absolutely no indication he was going to tell Bob Mueller what to do, or how to do it. He is confident that Mr. Mueller will pursue the facts and the law."