"But the question is whether it was predicated - adequately predicated - and I'm not suggesting it wasn't adequately predicated, but I need to explore that," Barr added, though he refused to say why he was raising these questions.
But as the hearing went on, Barr was pressed about his use of the term 'spying,' with one Democratic Senator saying it was 'provocative' and 'unnecessarily inflammatory.'
And at the very end of the hearing, the Attorney General backed away from his original use of the term 'spying.'
“I just want to make it clear thinking back on all the different colloquies here, that I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred,” Barr explained.
“I am saying that I am concerned about it, and looking into it, that's all,” Barr said, as he confirmed news reports that he was going to review the origins of the Russia investigation for any possible misconduct.
“I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I am saying that I am concerned about it and I’m looking into it,” AG Barr clarifies bear the end of his Senate Appropriations testimony.
— Carrie Johnson (@johnson_carrie) April 10, 2019
Barr says "I think spying did occur" on the Trump campaign in 2016.
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) April 10, 2019
But he also says he wants to see if it was "adequately predicated" pic.twitter.com/RHIbVmZhel
Barr's comments came as he was asked about news reports which indicated he was starting a review of the origins of the investigation into questions of Russian interference - and whether there were any ties to the Trump campaign.
"I am going to be reviewing both the genesis and the conduct of intelligence activities directed at the Trump campaign during 2016," Barr said.
"A lot of this has already been investigated," Barr added, noting an ongoing review by the Department of Justice Inspector General.
“I believe there is a basis for my concern. But I’m not going to discuss the basis,” the Attorney General told a Senate hearing.
But the Attorney General said he wanted to pull together all of the information to 'see if there are any remaining questions to be addressed."
At his second budget hearing in two days, Barr's testimony was again dominated by questions about the Mueller report, which Barr once more said would hopefully be released next week - in a redacted form.
Barr again said the goal was to note redactions in a color coded format in the four areas the Attorney General set out in a late March letter to Congress - grand jury information, classified material, information which could interfere with ongoing prosecutions, and material which peripherally addresses third parties not directly involved in the investigation of Russian interference.
Attorney General Barr on Mueller Report: "I intend to release the report with redactions made in four areas…we plan to identify very specifically which redactions relate to which category and try to explain why that redaction was made." pic.twitter.com/NWTJ2lHLJc
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 10, 2019
Barr's comments came a few minutes after President Trump again denounced the investigation into Russian interference and any ties to his campaign, labeling it 'treason.'
“This was an attempted coup,” Mr. Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before he left for a trip to Texas.
“I knew how illegal this was,” the President said of the Mueller investigation, as he labeled it a 'scam.'
President Trump: "It was an illegal investigation. It was started illegally. Everything about it was crooked. Every single thing about it. There were dirty cops. These were bad people." pic.twitter.com/TFnblYAWj5
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 10, 2019
President Trump also very publicly signaled his support for Attorney General Barr's review of how the investigation started.
“Hopefully the Attorney General - he mentioned it yesterday - he's doing a great job, getting started on the origins of where this all started,” as the President again called the investigation an illegal witch hunt.
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