Attorney General William P. Barr in an interview released Friday responded to criticisms for saying “spying” was conducted on President Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“I guess it’s become a dirty word somehow. It never has been for me. I think nothing wrong with spying. It’s whether it’s allowed by law,” Mr. Barr said.
“Like many other people who are familiar with intelligence activities, I had a lot of questions about what was going on. I assumed when I went in, I would get answers, and I got no answers that are satisfactory and, in fact, probably have more questions and some of the facts I’ve learned don’t hang together with the official explanations of what happened,” he said.
When asked to clarify, Mr. Barr said, “That’s all I really will say. Things are just not jiving.”
Mr. Barr said in April during a Senate hearing that the Obama-led FBI did spy on Mr. Trump’s campaign.
“I think spying did occur. The question is whether it was adequately predicated,” he said. “I believe there is a basis for my concern.”
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said earlier this month that spying is “not the term I would use” and he is “working to help” Mr. Barr review how the Russia investigation began.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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