CIA Director Gina Haspel lamented how the Justice Department’s review of the Russia investigation would be a “nightmare” for her agency, according to veteran journalist Bob Woodward’s new book.
Haspel and then-Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats made an appointment with Attorney General William Barr after he announced the investigation in May 2019, which would look, in part, into alleged spying into President Trump’s 2016 campaign, possibly by law enforcement and intelligence agency officials.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, Woodward wrote in Rage, “had already torn inconclusively through the intelligence agencies, they said. Why did this need to be done? It will be very disruptive to the agencies.” Barr told the pair there was more out there that had not been investigated in the review that was being taken up by U.S. Attorney John Durham.
Haspel said such an investigation would have a negative effect on morale at the CIA, and some of her people were wondering if they needed to get an attorney, Woodward wrote.
Although Barr insisted that the investigation would not be disruptive, Haspel disagreed. According to Woodward, she said it was like Mueller 2.0 and a “nightmare” for the CIA.
Still, Coats and Haspel said they would provide the Justice Department with any documents that were needed because of a presidential order. They also urged Barr not to pull any fast ones…
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