William Barr, the attorney general who appointed John Durham to investigate the Russian collusion hoax targeting Donald Trump, clarified that neither President Obama nor Vice President Biden were involved in Durham’s inquiry. In his memoir One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General, Barr praised Robert Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw Mueller’s investigation into Trump. Barr noted Rosenstein’s “important contributions” to the administration but highlighted that these were not reflected in Durham’s June 21 testimony. Meanwhile, Durham criticized the FBI for failing to rigorously examine collusion claims, applying inconsistent standards to the Clinton and Trump campaigns, and relying on unverified opposition research like the Steele dossier.
The narrative connects to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, which faced internal challenges as Bernie Sanders gained momentum in early polls. A January 2016 Politico report noted Sanders’ rising support in New Hampshire and Iowa. Weeks later, WikiLeaks released over 30,000 emails from Clinton’s private server, sparking speculation about their source. Seth Rich, a DNC staffer, was murdered in July 2016 under mysterious circumstances. The FBI focused on his laptop despite no clear motive or suspects. In 2020, the bureau admitted possession of Rich’s device but withheld its contents, resisting court orders to release data and seeking to delay disclosure for decades.
Durham’s findings underscore systemic issues within the FBI, including its role in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation against Trump, which involved secret FISA court surveillance and entrapment tactics. Despite Robert Mueller’s conclusion that no collusion existed, the bureau continued operations that fueled impeachment efforts. The case of Seth Rich remains unresolved, with investigators lacking answers about his murder and the potential link to leaked DNC emails.
Congress could address these gaps by launching a comprehensive inquiry into Rich’s death, examining all possibilities without political constraints. The seventh anniversary of his murder, July 10, offers a timely opportunity to demand transparency. The fight against institutional overreach is a battle to preserve historical truth.
