Inquiry into Russia probe carries political consequences

Attorney General William Barr says he doesn't expect a criminal inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation to target former President Barack Obama or Joe Biden, the former vice president and President Donald Trump's Democratic opponent this summer

But that doesn't mean the investigation, led by U.S. Attorney John Durham of Connecticut, doesn't carry its own political consequences. The inquiry could conclude this summer, meaning fresh revelations might be exploited by Trump in the heat of the election season to damage Biden or to attack the Obama administration

Buoyed by the Justice Department's decision to dismiss the case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn and by the ongoing declassification of Russia-related material, Trump and his allies have looked to Durham's investigation as the last opportunity to hold accountable officials they say wronged the president. Former Obama administration officials, meanwhile, find themselves scrutinized for actions they took four years ago while investigating Russian election interference.