Commentary
In this installment of “Facts Matter,” entitled “Will the Durham Probe ‘Wither on the Vine?’–Interview with Matt Whitaker,” our host Roman Balmakov interviews guest Matt Whitaker, former Acting Attorney General under the Trump administration. Whitaker gives the viewer an inside look at the Durham investigation and discusses concerns over what is happening with it under the Biden administration.
Whitaker, now a private attorney, works with a group for the nonprofit America First Legal, questioning and challenging the Biden administration.
America First Legal Project
According to their website, America First Legal is a conservative legal group comprised of Stephen Miller, Matt Whitaker, Gene Hamilton, Mark Meadows, Russ Vought, Ed Corrigan, and Wesley Denton, all of whom were senior members of the Trump administration. The purpose of the group is to challenge the policies of the radical left and protect the civil rights of the American people, which are in jeopardy. In their mission statement, they explain: “We are committed to fighting for all Americans regardless of race, color, religion or creed. We will defend the rights of all Americans from attacks by anyone from any party, who would seek to attack their freedom, their dignity and the equal rights under the law.” Some of the issues they have been involved in are: investigations into the removal of troops from Afghanistan, the Heartbeat Bill in Texas, and cases involving taxpayer money being used to fund abortion clinics. Most recent was a case where COVID relief funds set aside for agriculture were allocated to farmers based on race, which is against the law. They filed an injunction and the Biden administration decided not to move forward with that policy. These are just a few examples.Mr. Whitaker also discusses border policies and protocols. Former President Donald Trump had smart policies at the border. Those coming across were COVID tested before being allowed entry into the country. Currently, some immigrants are not being tested and others who test positive for COVID are still being released into the United States. This is just one example of how the reversal of Trump’s policies by the Biden administration is putting the health and safety of our country at risk.
Will the Durham Probe Wither on the Vine-Interview with Matt Whitaker | Facts Matter [Full Episode]
Watch the full episode here.
The Durham Probe
John Durham served as the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut. He was appointed as special counsel by the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation into the origin of the FBI investigation of Russia and its interference in the 2016 presidential election. His investigation includes checking to see if any individuals broke the law and seeing them brought to justice. Mr. Whitaker believes that when the Biden administration took over, they started sweeping it under the rug and are continuing to do so. Durham is no longer serving as the U.S. Attorney in Connecticut and if he is being denied the resources he needs, then he will be unable to do a thorough investigation. The Durham Probe began in May of 2019 and has lasted longer than the tenure of Robert Muller, the special counsel who took over the investigation in 2017. Beyond just examining the involvement of FBI tipsters, Durham is also investigating how the FBI began its investigation with a tip from an Australian diplomat and fueled by accusations from British spy, Christopher Steele who was paid by Trump opponents. The Durham probe involves examining possible criminal charges against several lower-level FBI investigators and the case has led to one prosecution to date. Mr. Durham was required to submit a budgetary report to be reviewed by the Attorney General who would then make a decision on whether or not the probe would be funded to continue. Former Attorney General William Barr who was also skeptical about the FBI investigation, appointed Mr. Durham as special counsel giving him job security into the Biden administration. Although former President Trump voiced frustration that Durham was unable to deliver his results while he was still in office, a lengthy report is expected to come from the probe.Mr. Whitaker states, “My fear is that it is just going to wither on the vine because ... the Biden administration has no interest in really actually getting to the bottom of that and holding people accountable, and I think that is sad for America.” He makes a good point that if the Department of Justice and other officials make illegal decisions, there should be a measure of accountability and the American people should be made aware of it. In the FBI investigation, they knew early on that Trump had not colluded with Russia in any way and so that should have been the end of the investigation. Instead, it was drug out over another two years with lots of money used for it and former President Trump was basically harassed during the entirety of the investigation. In the end, a 400-page report was produced basically saying the president had done nothing wrong. In an Aug. 19 report Fox News reported the latest news on the Durham probe. More than 40 GOP Senators in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanded that the probe be allowed to continue, and the report made public. A statement in the letter said, “The Special Counsel’s ongoing work is important to many Americans who were disturbed that government agents subverted lawful process to conduct inappropriate surveillance for political purposes,“ the letter reads. ”The truth pursued by this investigation is necessary to ensure transparency in our intelligence agencies and restore faith in our civil liberties. Thus, it is essential that the Special Counsel’s ongoing review should be allowed to continue unimpeded and without undue limitations.”
Whitaker states it comes down to the media and the fact that there is no accountability for Democratic administrations. They were more tough on this investigation than on investigating China and Russia. We are living in a world of false information and lies. Whitaker ends the interview by advising that it will take all of us standing together and demanding accountability from our officials and their administrations.
“Facts Matter” premiers every Mon, Wed and Fri —exclusive on EpochTV.
Follow Epoch TV on social media
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus
Twitter:https://twitter.com/EpochTVus
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
