John Durham Aide Reportedly Quits Probe Of Russia Investigation Due To Concerns Of Pressure From William Barr
Federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy, who was a top aide in John Durham’s probe into the origins of the Russia investigation, has resigned from the inquiry, the Hartford Courant reported.
“The short email was a brief farewell message and said nothing about political pressure, her work for Durham or what the Durham team has produced, according to people who received it,” the report read.
But according to the publication, Dannehy’s departure is at least partly due to concerns that Attorney General William Barr is pressuring the investigative team for political reasons. Her exit comes just one day after Barr suggested during an NBC News interview that more charges could be coming from the probe in the future, Fox News wrote.
“Colleagues said Dannehy is not a supporter of President Donald J. Trump and has been concerned in recent weeks by what she believed was pressure from Barr – who appointed Durham – to produce results before the election,” the Hartford Courant report read.
“They said she has been considering resignation for weeks, conflicted by loyalty to Durham and concern about politics.”
Her work as assistant U.S. Attorney in Connecticut reportedly involved “building complex corruption cases against high-profile politicians” and led to the conviction of former Connecticut Treasurer Paul Silvester and former state Gov. John G. Rowland.
Thus far, the Durham probe has led to one public arrest — former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty to doctoring an email that was used in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application process for renewing warrants on former Trump campaign official Carter Page. As The Inquisitr reported, Trump reacted positively to the development and suggested that the charge just one of many that would come from the investigation into the alleged Obama administration plot to spy on his 2016 campaign.
While speaking to NBC News, Barr declined to comment on whether new charges will be announced before November’s election.
The Intercept previously claimed that Barr is “weaponizing” the Department of Justice to benefit Trump in November via attacks on the American leader’s enemies and a campaign to undermine voters. According to Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general who served in the George H.W. Bush administration, Barr’s alleged attempts to help Trump politically are linked to his personal long-term goal — expanding the powers of the U.S. president.
Along with Trump, Barr is a firm believer in the unitary executive theory, which claims that the American Constitution provides the president with unilateral control over the executive branch.
