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WASHINGTON (AP) -- It may be special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report, but the spotlight Thursday belonged just as much to the attorney general who made it public.
The report had not yet been released when William Barr, by turns testy and defensive, took the Justice Department podium to face questions about the now-concluded probe. He was there not only to detail the main conclusions of Mueller's investigation but also to explain his handling of the report following a reputation-bruising month that has fueled skepticism from Democrats about whether the attorney general is functioning as a Donald Trump loyalist.
"It seems puzzling for someone with a long career at the department," said Arun Rao, a former federal prosecutor in Maryland who served under Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. "Particularly today, his behavior seems to be more of an advocate for a client rather than representing the department."
At his press conference, Barr stressed a half-dozen times that Mueller did not find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, a point Trump has seized on to try to claim vindication. He acknowledged that Mueller closely scrutinized the president for obstruction of justice but said he and Rosenstein disagreed with some of Mueller's legal theories. He also praised the White House's cooperation with the investigation and appeared to justify the president's anger over it, saying Trump "faced an unprecedented situation" and people must bear in mind the context.
"(T)here is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents and fueled by illegal leaks," Barr said.
He gave a terse "no" when asked by a reporter if he was concerned that it might be improper to hold a news conference before the report was public. He brushed off questions about whether he was protecting the president, saying he wasn't sure what the basis was to say he was being generous to Trump.