UPDATED AT 5:22 P.M.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed on Thursday that Utah’s top federal prosecutor is investigating allegations of misconduct atop the Justice Department and FBI.
John Huber, is the lead U.S. attorney and top federal law enforcement officer in Utah, having served for two years under former President Barack Obama and reappointed by Sessions last spring.
According to Sessions, Huber has already been looking into allegations that the DOJ and FBI acted improperly in how a warrant to monitor former Trump campaign aide Carter Page was obtained leading up to the 2016 presidential election, as well as the role former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had in the 2010 Uranium One deal.
In a letter to top Republican lawmakers who have been vocal in their accusations of abuse of powers, Sessions said he saw no cause to appoint a special counsel for the moment.
After Huber completes his review, Sessions said he will then determine the need for a special counsel — who would have broader prosecutorial powers.
“We understand that the Department is not above criticism and it can never be that the Department conceals errors when they occur,” Sessions wrote. “I am confident that Mr. Huber’s review will include a full, complete and objective evaluation of these matters in a manner that is consistent with the law and facts.”
Sessions said he also receives regular updates from Huber.
The lawmakers addressed in the letter — Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and House Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. — have pressed the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to look into surveillance of Page, as well as the relationship the DOJ and FBI had with Christopher Steele, the author of the Trump dossier, which GOP findings suggest was used in obtaining the wiretap.
Democrats have said Republicans are trying to thwart special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
Early Wednesday, Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirmed a probe would be launched to examine how the Page warrant was obtained. Sessions had already hinted the inspector general would take the reigns of the investigation earlier this year.
Horowitz is already investigating allegations of political bias in several investigations leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
But that wasn’t enough for Grassley and Graham, who renewed their call for a special counsel later Wednesday.
