WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE STORM
WE BEGIN WHERE, FOR BARR, IT ALL ENDED.
>> TAKE ME BACK TO THAT DAY,
DECEMBER 1st
YOU'RE IN THE SUV.
YOU'VE GOT MEETINGS AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.
DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GONNA END
UP IN THE OVAL OFFICE BEFORE THE
DAY WAS UP
>> NO, BUT I ASSUMED I WAS
AND AS I EXPECTED, THE PRESIDENT
HEARD I WAS IN THE BUILDING AND
TOLD ME TO COME DOWNSTAIRS
>> ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR
KNEW HE HAD INFURIATED THE
PRESIDENT.
SINCE ELECTION NIGHT TRUMP HAD
BEEN INSISTING HE'D WON.
>> THIS IS A FRAUD ON THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
THIS IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR
COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: BARR DISAGREED AND
SAID PUBLICLY THAT TRUMP'S
CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD WERE
WRONG.
>> WE HADN'T SEEN ANY EVIDENCE
OF BROAD FRAUD THAT WOULD'VE
AFFECTED THE -- THE OUTCOME OF
THE ELECTION
AND I KNEW THAT THAT WAS NOT THE PARTY LINE
PARTY LINE
>> Reporter: NOW BARR WAS BEING
SUMMONED TO THE PRESIDENT'S
PRIVATE DINING ROOM, WHERE H
WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING
IN PERSON.
>> AND I TOLD HIM THAT ALL THIS
STUFF WAS [ BLEEP ] AND ABOUT
ELECTION FRAUD AND THAT IT WAS
WRONG TO BE SHOVELING IT OUT THE
WAY HIS TEAM WAS
AND HE STARTED ASKING ME ABOUT
DIFFERENT THEORIES, AND I HAD
THE ANSWERS.
I WAS ABLE TO TELL HIM THIS IS
WRONG BECAUSE OF THIS.
>> YOU'RE TRYING TO SET HIM
STRAIGHT
>> YES
>> AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, HE
LISTENED
HE -- HE WAS OBVIOUSLY GETTING
VERY ANGRY ABOUT THIS.
I SAID, "OKAY, WELL LOOK, I
UNDERSTAND YOU'RE UPSET WITH ME.
AND I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY TO
TENDER MY RESIGNATION.
AND THEN BOOM.
>> HE SLAPS THE DESK
>> HE SLAPPED THE DESK AND HE
SAID, "ACCEPTED.
"ACCEPTED.
AND THEN BOOM, HE SLAPPED IT
AGAIN.
"ACCEPTED.
GO HOME.
DON'T GO BACK TO YOUR OFFICE
YOU'RE DONE.
GO HOME.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, BARR IS TELLING HIS
STORY OF HOW HE AND TRUMP
ARRIVED AT THAT TABLE POUNDING
MOMENT
IN HIS MEMOIR, "ONE DAMN THING
AFTER ANOTHER," BARR REVEALS NOT
JUST HOW HIS TIME WITH TRUMP
ENDED, BUT HOW IT ALL BEGAN.
>> YOU'RE CONTROVERSIAL.
>> YEAH, THAT'S OKAY
>> Reporter: THOUGH IT ENDED IN
A BLOW-UP, FOR MOST OF HIS
TENURE AS TRUMP'S ATTORNEY
GENERAL, BARR FACED CRITICISM
THAT HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE
PRESIDENT, PUTTING TRUMP'S
INTERESTS BEFORE THE COUNTRY'S
>> JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS
ARE ACCUSING BARR AND E
PRESIDENT OF INTERFERING IN THE
FAIR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
>> HE HAS HIRED A HATCHET MAN AS
HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO RIG THIS
SYSTEM
>> A LOT OF BLOWBACK COMING BILL
BARR'S WAY
>> THE NARRATIVE, AND WE LIVE IN
THE AGE OF NARRATIVE, NOT FACTS.
THE NARRATIVE WAS I WAS A TOADY
TO TRUMP AND I WOULD DO TRUMP'S
BIDDING. AND THE MEDIA
CONSTANTLY WENT OUT WITH THAT
STORY.
>> WERE YOU?
>> WELL, I THINK NO BECAUSE, I
TRIED TO TAKE EVERY ISSUE THAT
CAME TO ME AND DECIDE IT WHAT I
THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING.
AND I DIDN'T REALLY CARE WHAT
PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT ME.
>> Reporter: THE CRITICISM THAT
FRAMED BARR'S TIME IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY STARTED
BEFORE HE EVEN TOOK THE JOB.
>> AND WE NOW HAVE A SPECIAL
COUNSEL TO HEAD THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION.
>> Reporter: BARR WAS A PRIVATE
CITIZEN WHEN THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY BEGAN, AND HAD DEEP
CONCERNS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
INTO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN'S
ALLEGED TIES TO RUSSIA
>> I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE
RUSSIA-GATE THING.
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS QUITE
POSSIBLY BEING USED AS A
POLITICAL WEAPON
AND THE MORE I HEARD ABOUT IT,
THE MORE IT STARTED LOOKING THAT
WAY.
>> Reporter: THE MAN HEADING
THAT INVESTIGATION,
ROBERT MUELLER, HAD BEEN A
COLLEAGUE OF BARR'S DECADES
EARLIER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE.
>> YOU HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP
WITH MUELLER
>> YES, WE WERE FRIENDS.
AND OUR WIVES WERE FRIENDS, ARE
FRIENDS.
>> ARE YOU STILL FRIENDS
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> Reporter: MUELLER'S
INVESTIGATION EXPANDED,
TARGETING THE PRESIDENT FOR
POSSIBLE OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
BARR THOUGHT MUELLER'S LEGAL
THEORY WAS FLAWED, AND THAT THE
POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY WAS IN
JEOPARDY
HE WROTE A LENGTHY, UNSOLICITED,
MEMO ABOUT WHY THE PRESIDENT
SHOULD NOT BE INVESTIGATED
HE EMAILED IT TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
>> MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT THAT MEMO
AS AN AUDITION FOR THE JOB OF
ATTORNEY GENERAL
"LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS
HOW I LEAN."
>> WELL, FIRST, I WASN'T
INTERESTED IN BEING ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
AND SECOND, YOU KNOW, IF I
WANTED TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
THERE ARE MUCH MORE DIRECT WAYS
OF AUDITIONING FOR IT.
>> YOUR MIND SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS
CLEARLY MADE UP BEFORE WE EVEN
GOT TO THIS POINT ON THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION.
>> OH, NO, IT WASN'T
>> THAT IT WAS A PHONY
INVESTIGATION.
>> NO, IT WASN'T MADE UP
I WAS -- AS I SAY IN MY BOOK, I
WAS SUSPICIOUS OF IT
IT DIDN'T RING TRUE TO ME.
>> Reporter: MONTHS AFTER BARR
WROTE THAT MEMO, THE PRESIDENT
FIRED HIS FIRST ATTORNEY GENERAL
JEFF SESSIONS, WHO HAD REFUSED
TO INTERVENE IN THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION.
THE PRESIDENT OFFERED THE JOB TO
BARR
>> DO YOU AFFIRM THAT THE
TESTIMONY YOU ARE ABOUT TO
GIVE --
>> Reporter: AT HIS CONFIRMATION
HEARING, SENATORS GRILLED BARR
ABOUT HIS OBJECTIVITY.
>> ON WHETHER YOU SHOULD RECUSE
YOURSELF FROM THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION.
>> WOULD YOU SEEK TO STOP THAT
PORTION OF THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION?
>> HE SWORE HE WOULD NOT
INTERFERE IN THE INVESTIGATION,
AND EVEN SAID THIS ABOUT HIS OLD
FRIEND BOB MUELLER
>> I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR
BOB AND HIS DISTINGUISHED RECORD
OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
>> I THOUGHT I WAS DOING OKAY.
AND THEN, MY CHIEF OF STAFF CAME UP AND SAID, "THERE'S A PROBLEM.
UP AND SAID, "THERE'S A PROBLEM.
WE HEARD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
THE PRESIDENT IS APOPLECTIC.
HE THINKS YOU WERE TOO NICE TO
MUELLER.
HE WAS THINKING ABOUT PULLING
THE NOMINATION
>> WAS IT A LITTLE BIT OF AN
INTRODUCTION TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE
LIKE WORKING FOR DONALD TRUMP?
>> YEAH, SURE.
BUT YOU KNOW, I -- I WENT IN
WITH MY EYES OPEN.
I DIDN'T GO IN TO BE BEST
BUDDIES WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
>> Reporter: FIVE WEEKS INTO THE
JOB, THE MUELLER REPORT WAS IN
BARR'S HANDS
>> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL
REPORT
>> THIS IS ALL WE KNOW, BOB
MUELLER HAS SUBMITTED HIS REPORT
TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
PERIOD
>> Reporter: MUELLER HAD WRAPPED
UP HIS INVESTIGATION, BUT BARR
DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RELEASE THE
FULL REPORT.
CLASSIFIED AND GRAND JURY
INFORMATION NEEDED TO BE
REDACTED
INSTEAD HE WROTE A FOUR PAGE
LETTER FOR CONGRESS ON MUELLER'S
FINDINGS
>> IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU
WANTED THE ENTIRE REPORT OUT
>> YES
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PUT THE
WHOLE REPORT OUT THE DAY I GOT
IT
>> BUT, YOU DIDN'T
>> RIGHT
>> AND ENDED UP WRITING THIS FOUR-PAGE SUMMARY.
FOUR-PAGE SUMMARY.
>> WELL, THE REASON I DIDN'T,
WAS BECAUSE THERE'S MATERIAL IN
THERE THAT UNDER LAW CANNOT BE
OUT AND BE MADE PUBLIC
SO I SAID THAT I WOULD PUT OUT
THE PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS OF THE
REPORT
AND THE CONCLUSIONS WERE THERE
WAS NO COLLUSION AND THAT HE
DIDN'T MAKE A DECISION ON
OBSTRUCTION, BUT HE LAYS OUT ALL
THE FACTS IN THE REPORT.
AND I SAY THAT HE DOES NOT
EXONERATE TRUMP.
>> Reporter: BUT CRITICS SAY
BARR ESSENTIALLY DID EXONERATE
THE PRESIDENT.
HE SAID MUELLER'S EVIDENCE DID
NOT ESTABLISH THAT TRUMP
COMMITTED A CRIME.
WHAT BARR LEFT OUT OF HIS
FOUR-PAGE LETTER, MUELLER'S
DESCRIPTION OF MULTIPLE ACTS BY
THE PRESIDENT THAT WERE CAPABLE
OF EXERTING UNDUE INFLUENCE OVER
LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS
MUELLER CITED THE PRESIDENT'S
EFFORT TO HAVE THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL REMOVED, HIS ATTEMPTS TO
LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PROBE, AS
WELL AS HIS PUBLIC ATTACKS ON
THE INVESTIGATION.
MUELLER'S FULL REPORT WOULD NOT
BE RELEASED FOR NEARLY A MONTH
TRUMP'S VOICE FILLED THE VACUUM.
>> SO IT'S COMPLETE EXONERATION,
NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.
>> THIS FOUR PAGE LETTER, THIS
SUMMARY WAS IMMEDIATELY MET WIDE
CRITICISM THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY
ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT MUELLER
WAS SAYING
>> THAT'S NOT TRUE
WHAT IT WAS, WAS A TANTRUM BY
THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HOPING THAT
MUELLER WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING
DOWN TRUMP
>> WAIT A MINUTE
MUELLER HIMSELF WROTE YOU A
LETTER COMPLAINING
HE SAID, THE SUMMARY DIDN'T
CAPTURE THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS
REPORT AND THAT THERE WAS NOW
PUBLIC CONFUSION
>> NO, HE DIDN'T SAY THE
SUBSTANCE OF HIS REPORT.
>> Reporter: ACTUALLY HE DID
MUELLER WROTE BARR'S LETTER "DID
NOT FULLY CAPTURE THE CONTEXT,
NATURE, AND SUBSTANCE OF THIS
OFFICE'S WORK AND CONCLUSIONS.
IT WASN'T JUST MUELLER
LATER, THE FOUR-PAGE LETTER CAME
UP IN COURT CASES SEEKING THE
UNREDACTED MUELLER REPORT.
ONE JUDGE SAID BARR, "DISTORTED
THE FINDINGS" AND QUESTIONED
WHETHER BARR WAS TRYING TO,
"CREATE A ONE-SIDED NARRATIVE.
>> A SECOND JUDGE SAYS IT WAS
DISIN GENEROUS, THERE WAS A LACK
OF CANDOR.
SO THE COMPLAINTS ARE PILING UP
THAT THIS FOUR-PAGE SUMMARY
DIDN'T REALLY CAPTURE THE
ESSENCE OR THE HEART OF WHAT WAS
IN THE REPORT.
DO YOU REJECT THOSE?
>> I TOTALLY REJECT IT
THIS WAS NOT A SUMMARY OF THE
REPORT
IT WAS A DESCRIPTION OF HIS
BOTTOM LINE CONCLUSIONS.
YOU KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE WAITING
OUTSIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE AND