President Trump has given Special Counsel John Durham new authority into the criminal investigation into the origins of the FBI’s counterintelligence into the 2016 Trump campaign. In a recent memo, the President granted Durham the power to use classified information indefinitely for the remainder of the investigation.
Attorney General William Barr, who leaves office today, appointed Durham to be special counsel for the investigation in October. The calculated move allows for Durham to remain at his post no matter the election’s outcome.
#SpecialCounselDurham New POTUS MEMO authorizing use classified info in criminal Durham probe, “In addition, the AG is authorized to use classified information as he deems necessary in connection with his review, including in a GRAND JURY or other PROCEEDING”@CBSNews pic.twitter.com/t4TKh0Pyku
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) December 22, 2020
The Daily Wire reported on Trump’s memo to government leaders:
Section 1. Authority of the Attorney General. The Attorney General is currently conducting a review of intelligence activities relating to the campaigns in the 2016 Presidential election and certain related matters. On May 13, 2019, the Attorney General directed John Durham to conduct that review, which subsequently developed into a criminal investigation. On October 19, 2020, the Attorney General appointed Mr. Durham to conduct that investigation pursuant to the powers and independence afforded by the Special Counsel regulations of the Department of Justice.
In a memorandum of May 23, 2019, I directed the heads of elements of the intelligence community, as defined in 50 U.S.C. 3003(4), and the heads of each department or agency that includes an element of the intelligence community, to assist the Attorney General in connection with that review, and authorized the Attorney General to declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence that relates to his review. In addition, the Attorney General is authorized to use classified information as he deems necessary in connection with his review, including in a grand jury or other proceeding.
The memo from President Trump was addressed to the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
