President Trump vented about John Durham, a U.S. attorney tasked with investigating misconduct during the Russia inquiry, during a 46-minute address about the state of the election.
The comments, Trump’s first about the prosecutor since it was revealed on Tuesday that Attorney General William Barr appointed Durham last month to be special counsel to root out any criminality in the so-called Russiagate controversy, were made deep into the speech, a video of which was posted online on Wednesday.
“We’re still waiting for a report from a man named Durham, who I have never spoken to and I have never met,” Trump said. “They can go after me before the election as much as they want. But unfortunately, Mr. Durham didn’t want to go after these people or have anything to do with going after them before the election. So, who knows if he’s ever going to even do a report?”
The video was posted roughly 24 hours after it was revealed that Barr designated Durham as a special counsel, giving him an extra layer of protection to continue his work should the incoming Biden administration try to put a stop to the inquiry. The attorney general gave Durham a broad scope to conduct his investigation, to prosecute any federal crimes he finds, and to release reports.
Trump’s stated frustration with the pace of Durham’s work pace falls in line with several of his allies, who hoped Durham would issue more indictments or at least release a report prior to the election.
Some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, applauded the special counsel appointment. Others, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz, view it as yet another letdown. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a leading Democratic defender of former special counsel Robert Mueller, called it a “flawed” appointment with the purpose of “interfering with the Mueller investigation.”
Trump floated appointing a “special prosecutor” during a weekend interview with Fox News. A Justice Department official told the Washington Examiner the White House was not made aware of Durham’s October appointment until Tuesday.
