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Barr news conference, DOJ's release of Mueller report 'extraordinary' for case resulting in no charges: Andrew McCarthy
By Elizabeth Llorente
Published April 18, 2019
Appearing on "Fox & Friends," former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy described Attorney General William Barr's press conference as a dramatic departure from the norm by making public comments and releasing details of an investigation that resulted in no charges.
"It's extraordinary in the sense that usually in the Justice Department if you don't charge anyone, the government says nothing," McCarthy said. "So just the fact that they are speaking about a case in which charges aren't going to be filed is extraordinary."
McCarthy, a Fox News contributor, was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
McCarthy noted there will be two versions released of the report -- one for the general public that will have redacted sections, and another for members of Congress who have security clearance.
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"Once we have a concrete report in front of us and we can read it, the next steps will kind of suggest themselves," he said.
McCarthy said Barr is a proven qualified attorney general who can withstand tough criticism.
"A lot of people say he wouldn't have been my pick, but he sure is qualified," McCarthy said. "Now all of a sudden Democrats are trying to paint him as some sort of lackey of the president....Barr is a very savvy, smart, scrupulous lawyer. And he has got a thick skin."
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It was not immediately clear exactly when on Thursday the DOJ would release the redacted version of the nearly 400-page investigation into Russian election meddling, but the document was expected to be delivered to lawmakers and posted online by noon.
Barr has said redactions in the report's release are legally mandated.to protect four broad areas of concern: sensitive grand jury-related matters, classified information, ongoing investigations and the privacy or reputation of uncharged "peripheral" people.
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The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Democrat New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, has said he is prepared to issue subpoenas "very quickly" for the full report if it is released with blacked-out sections, likely setting in motion a major legal battle.
https://www.foxnews.com/shows/fox-and-friends/former-federal-prosecutor-says-dojs-release-of-mueller-report-extraordinary-for-case-resulting-in-no-charges