Lindsey Graham
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Friday sent Robert Mueller a letter giving him the opportunity to testify about his telephone conversation with Bill Barr regarding the March 27th letter he sent the attorney general complaining about the media coverage of the initial findings of his report.
The night before Barr was set to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee, a March 27th letter Mueller wrote to Bill Barr complaining about the public perception of his report was leaked to the Washington Post and the New York Times — both papers strategically published the letter the night before Barr’s testimony to create the narrative that the attorney general was hiding something.
Barr was repeatedly asked about the March 27th letter during the hearing Wednesday; lawmakers accused him of possible perjury because he previously stated that Mueller had no issue with his “principal conclusions.”
Barr also had a conversation with Mueller over the phone about the letter and Mueller made it clear that Barr did not inaccurately present his final report — rather Mueller was upset about the media coverage.
Under questioning from Senator Richard “Da Nang Dick” Blumenthal, Barr revealed contemporaneous notes were taken during his call with Mueller, but like a boss, Barr refused to hand the memos over to the committee.
Lindsey Graham wrote, “In response to questions by Senator Blumenthal, the Attorney General testified in essence that you told him in a phone call that you did not challenge the accuracy of the Attorney General’s summary of your report’s principal conclusions, but rather you wanted more of the report, particularly the executive summaries concerning obstruction of justice, to be released promptly. In particular, Attorney General Barr testified that you believed media coverage of your investigation was unfair without the public release of those summaries.”
Graham concluded his letter by inviting Mueller to testify.
“Please inform the Committee if you would like to provide testimony regarding any misrepresentations by the Attorney General of the substance of that phone call.”
Screenshot of letter:
