(NBC News) Attorney General William Barr is facing increased calls to resign after his first congressional testimony since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted Russia report.
Democrats are pointing to a newly-revealed letter Mueller sent to Barr in March as proof that his handling of the report was focused on protecting President Trump than upholding justice.
In his letter, Mueller expressed frustration with the attorney general’s four-page summary of the report, saying it “did not fully capture the context, nature and substance” of the report.
“Attorneys don’t put things in writing unless they’re pretty serious about it,” Senator Dick Durbin noted during Wednesday’s hearing.
Barr offered his own take on the letter, describing it as “a bit snitty” and adding “I think it was probably written by one of his staff people.”
Noting that Mueller wanted more information made public, Barr noted once the report was complete “At that point, it was my baby and I was making the decision on whether or not to make public.”
Republicans, meanwhile, defended Barr and remained focused on the origins of the Mueller investigation and alleged surveillance of the Trump campaign during their questioning.
