In May 2019, then Attorney General Bill Barr tasked United States Attorney John Durham with uncovering the origins of the Trump-Russia collusion probe.
Fox News later revealed in October that Durham’s inquiry had morphed into a criminal investigation. However, there has been little in the way of new developments since, and many on the right, including former President Donald Trump himself, are extremely dissatisfied with the results so far.
Tom Fitton, who serves as president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, expressed concern over cost of Durham’s investigation, according to The Washington Times.
Durham’s team only spent $1.5 million in the first 6 months of its investigation — just 25% of the amount that former special counsel Robert Mueller’s operation spent over the same time frame investigating what turned out to be a complete hoax.
“The resting state of an office”
According to Fitton, the relatively low number “demonstrates what I think observers have already concluded: the investigation is low energy, and he’s disinterested in getting to the bottom of the worst government corruption scandal in government history.”
Instead of an active investigation, Fitton believes that amount of money spent suggests that Durham was presiding over “the resting state of an office.”
Fitton isn’t alone in his doubts about the efficacy of Durham’s undertaking.
“Where’s Durham?” Trump said in March, according to Fox News. “Is he a living, breathing human being? Will there ever be a Durham report?”
Sources say Durham remains at work
Still, Fox cited anonymous sources within the Department of Justice who expressed confidence that Durham was focused on the task at hand.
While one unnamed figured acknowledged the investigation has been “dead quiet,” the individual remained convinced that work remains “ongoing.”
Another source opined that Durham is “is not the kind of guy to be idle,” calling him “a very diligent, hardworking, serious guy” who “wouldn’t stay in that job a minute longer than he has to.”
Durham’s investigation has thus far produced only one criminal conviction, that of former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith who pleaded guilty last year to one count of making a false statement. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and 400 hours of community service.
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