William Barr, former attorney general, clarified in his memoir One Damn Thing After Another that neither President Obama nor Vice President Biden were targeted by John Durham’s investigation into the Russian collusion claims against Donald Trump. Barr praised Robert Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for their roles in appointing Mueller to investigate Trump, noting Rosenstein’s “important contributions” to the administration. However, Durham’s report largely omitted Rosenstein’s efforts, while criticizing the FBI for failing to properly scrutinize collusion allegations, applying inconsistent standards to the Clinton and Trump campaigns, and relying on uncorroborated opposition research like the Steele dossier.

The investigation revealed that the FBI continued its focus on Clinton-related scandals even after intelligence briefings suggested a Clinton campaign plan to create a Russia-Trump scandal. Hillary Clinton’s campaign faced internal challenges, including early-state polls showing Bernie Sanders gaining traction. In 2016, WikiLeaks released thousands of emails from Clinton’s private server, sparking speculation about leaks. Months later, Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer, was murdered in Washington, D.C., with the FBI showing little interest in his case. His laptop became a focal point, and years later, the bureau admitted possession of it, refusing to disclose its contents.

The FBI’s actions extended to operations like Mid-Year Exam, which cleared Clinton, and Crossfire Hurricane, which targeted Trump aides. Despite Robert Mueller’s findings that no collusion existed, the Russia hoax persisted. Durham’s investigation highlighted systemic issues within the FBI, including falsified documents and entrapment tactics. The murder of Seth Rich remains unsolved, with the FBI withholding critical evidence. Congress could address these failures by investigating the case fully, free from political constraints.

The struggle against FBI injustice is the struggle of memory against forgetting.