GOP accuses special counsel John Durham of a ‘cover-up’ regarding Trump-Russia origins.

House Republicans Express Frustration with Durham’s Investigation

Several House Republicans are voicing their frustration with special counsel John Durham’s investigation into the Trump-Russia probe. One Republican even went so far as to accuse Durham of being part of a “cover-up” for his failure to uncover the origins of the investigation.

Durham recently appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to testify about his report, which revealed that the FBI had no proper basis to launch the controversial 2016 election inquiry. This inquiry eventually led to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Republicans and Democrats Criticize Durham

While Democrats were expected to criticize Durham, it was surprising to see some Republicans join in as well. During Mueller’s investigation, former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with a professor named Joseph Mifsud, who allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton.

Republicans, such as Rep. Tom Massie and Rep. Matt Gaetz, questioned Durham about his failure to interview Mifsud or gather more information about him. Massie pointed out that Mifsud’s name appeared 89 times in Mueller’s report but was absent from Durham’s report.

Massie asked Durham, “Who did Mr. Papadopoulos meet with that gave him this supposed Russian information?” Durham responded that Papadopoulos had identified Mifsud as the source of the information but that they were unable to make contact with him.

Gaetz also pressed Durham on Mifsud’s role in starting the investigation, showing video footage of Mueller refusing to answer questions about Mifsud. Durham admitted that he did not know who put Mifsud in play.

Challenges in Investigating Mifsud

Durham explained that they attempted to interview Mifsud but were unsuccessful. He mentioned that Mifsud had ties to Link University in Rome and some connections to the Italian government, but it was difficult to determine who he was associated with.

When asked why he didn’t subpoena Mifsud, Durham explained that they needed to locate him first. He also defended his report, stating that it was a sincere effort to pursue the facts with the information available.

Other Issues Raised by Republicans

Republicans also raised concerns about the FBI’s reliance on the Steele dossier and the misleading information provided to the Justice Department and congressional leaders. They questioned why certain individuals, such as McCabe, Strzok, Comey, and others, were not compelled to testify.

Durham acknowledged the disappointment in their refusal to cooperate but explained that issuing subpoenas is not always appropriate or effective. He emphasized that there were a number of factors to consider in determining whether to issue subpoenas.

Overall, House Republicans expressed their frustration with the lack of accountability and the perceived shortcomings of Durham’s investigation.