Barr says investigations into 2020 candidates must be approved by top Justice officials
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN) — Attorney General William Barr has told federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials to involve top Justice Department officials at the start of investigations of 2020 political candidates to ensure "this fall's elections are conducted in a fair manner that is free from inappropriate influences."
The directive, outlined in a memo sent on Wednesday and obtained by CNN, is a sharp response to the charged investigations that marked the 2016 presidential cycle. Barr also told the officials to notify senior DOJ leaders when investigating illegal campaign contributions by foreign nationals.
It amounts to one of the most influential changes made in the wake of a Justice Department inspector general report that faulted the FBI for its handling of certain investigative steps as it probed potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. It also serves as reaction to the FBI's investigation of former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's email server, which was criticized for leadership decisions that were made out of Justice Department protocol.
"The Department has a strong interest in the prosecution of election-related crimes, including those involving corruption of the election process. Yet we must investigate and prosecute those matters with sensitivity and care to ensure that the Department's actions do not unnecessarily advantage or disadvantage any candidate or political party," Barr wrote in the memo, first reported by The New York Times.
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By David Shortell, CNN
Updated 1856 GMT (0256 HKT) February 6, 2020
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/06/politics/justice-department-investigations-2020-candidates/index.html
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