WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, set the tone for his party as he opened an extraordinary hearing with Attorney General William Barr.
Graham said, "For me, it is over," referring to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump.
Even though Mueller made clear he was not exonerating Trump on obstruction of justice, Republicans showed little interest in asking Barr about that open question.
Instead, they spent much of the day revisiting the role of Hillary Clinton and Democrats in the 2016 election.
One by one, the Republican senators took turns questioning Barr not about Trump's actions, but about whether any officials in the Justice Department used their positions to try to help Clinton over Trump.