During live coverage on NBC News Thursday morning, Justice Department correspondent Pete Williams made a point of saying that Attorney General William Barr’s four-page letter outlining the conclusions of the Mueller Report “tracks very closely” with the findings in the report itself.
After NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt wondered whether comments from Barr in his press conference earlier that morning were an accurate reflection of the Mueller report, Williams replied: “Those are – that is a summary.” He then went to commend Barr’s March letter on the report:
I have to say that the way Barr described the – what he called the top-line or bottom-line conclusions of the Mueller investigation, tracks very closely with what I’ve been able to read. His summary of what the investigation says is pretty much on point here, I think, Lester.
That observation came after weeks of unfounded media accusations that Barr was involved in a “cover-up” of the investigation results.
Williams went on to share one piece from the report involving Holt himself:
And by the way, you know, you come up in this report because one of the things that Mueller looked at, as I think is pretty well-known, is the interview the President gave with you in which he said that one of his motivations for firing James Comey was “the Russia thing.” And that was one of the factors that the independent counsel – or the Special Counsel looked at.
Here is a transcript of the April 18 exchange:
11:21 AM ET
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LESTER HOLT: And, Pete, I want to go back to something that – [coughs] excuse me – William Barr said in his news conference. He says, “The Special Counsel’s report acknowledges that there’s evidence to suggest that the President was frustrated by his belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by political opponents and fueled by illegal leaks.” Were those Barr’s words or were they actually referred to in this report?
PETE WILLIAMS: Those are – that is a summary. I have to say that the way Barr described the – what he called the top-line or bottom-line conclusions of the Mueller investigation, tracks very closely with what I’ve been able to read. His summary of what the investigation says is pretty much on point here, I think, Lester.
And by the way, you know, you come up in this report because one of the things that Mueller looked at, as I think is pretty well-known, is the interview the President gave with you in which he said that one of his motivations for firing James Comey was “the Russia thing.” And that was one of the factors that the independent counsel – or the Special Counsel looked at.
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