Nadler demands answers from Barr on ‘new channel’ for receiving Ukraine info from Giuliani

“As you know, the Department has formal, established channels by which to receive information and begin investigations,” Nadler wrote. “This new channel to Mr. Giuliani would seem to be a significant departure from those traditional channels.”

 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) first revealed on Sunday that Barr had “created a process” to receive and verify information on Ukraine coming from Giuliani. Barr confirmed Graham’s comments a day later, saying during a press conference that the Justice Department has an “open door” to any individual with information on Ukraine. 

“There are a lot of agendas in the Ukraine, a lot of crosscurrents, and we can’t take anything we receive from the Ukraine at face value,” Barr said, adding that the department established “an intake process in the field so that any information coming in about Ukraine could be carefully scrutinized.”

Barr maintained that the process would assess the provenance and credibility of all information it receives, including from Giuliani. Giuliani’s efforts to push Ukrainian officials to launch an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden over unfounded allegations of corruption became central to the impeachment proceedings. 

Nadler said in the letter that the potential communications between Giuliani and the Justice Department raised serious questions of a conflict of interest. He noted that two of Giuliani’s associates — Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman — face campaign finance violation charges and that Parnas has alleged that Barr “had to have known everything” about Giuliani’s Ukraine pressure campaign. 

The New York congressman also asked whether Barr has discussed the so-called intake process with President Trump. 

“Whether or not you are in league with Giuliani and his associates, DOJ guidelines and regulations exits to protect you and the Department from even the appearance of a conflict of interest or any impropriety,” Nadler said. 

Revelations about Trump’s and Giuliani’s efforts to push Ukraine for investigations into his political rivals helped spur the House impeachment inquiry last September. The Senate voted to acquit Trump of the impeachment articles last week after blocking a motion to hear new witnesses and documents. 

Giuliani has frequently promoted the allegations that Joe Biden engaged in corruption as vice president while working to oust a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating a Ukrainian gas company where Hunter Biden sat on the board. There is no evidence that the Bidens engaged in any malfeasance.