U.S. Attorney General William Barr will not recuse himself from oversight over the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, a Justice Department spokeswoman said Monday night.
The newly appointed Barr's decision not to recuse follows guidance from "senior career ethics officials" at the Justice Department, the spokeswoman said.
Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, possible collusion by the campaign of President Donald Trump, possible obstruction of justice by Trump and other issues. Trump denies any wrongdoing.
"Following General Barr's confirmation, senior career ethics officials advised that General Barr should not recuse himself from the Special Counsel's investigation," the spokeswoman said. "Consistent with that advice, General Barr has decided not to recuse."
Barr's predecessor as attorney general, Jeff Sessions, had recused himself from overseeing probes related to Russian election meddling because of his own contacts with Russia's ambassador to the United States during the election while supporting Trump as a U.S. senator.
Sessions' recusal, combined with the firing of FBI Director James Comey by Trump in early 2017, set in motion the appointment of Mueller as special counsel by Sessions's deputy, Rod Rosentein that year.
Mueller's probe and Sessions' recusal both have deeply angered Trump. The president has repeatedly called Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt" and this past weekend called it illegal.
Sessions was forced out by Trump in early November. Sessions' chief of staff, Matt Whitaker, then took over running the Justice Department as acting attorney general.
Whitaker did not recuse himself from overseeing Mueller's investigation despite a Justice Department ethics official recommending that he do so because of his past criticism of Mueller's probes.
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