key moment

Barr pledged to allow Mueller to finish his work.

Mr. Barr used his opening remarks to the committee to clarify that he has no intention of firing Mr. Mueller before his work is done and to indicate that he would provide “as much transparency as I can consistent with the law” around the investigation’s results. The rule of law, he insisted, should be above and outside of the politics that divide the nation.

“It is in the best interest of everyone — the president, Congress and, most importantly, the American people — that this matter be resolved by allowing the special counsel to complete his work,” Mr. Barr said. He added: “I will follow the special counsel regulations scrupulously and in good faith, and on my watch, Bob will be allowed to finish.”

Mr. Mueller is believed to be in the final stages of his inquiry, which he took over from the F.B.I. in May 2017 after agents opened it nearly two and a half years ago.

“The country needs a credible resolution of these issues,” Mr. Barr said.

The fate of Mr. Mueller’s findings — an expected report — was a recurring topic. Mr. Barr said that Mr. Mueller’s report to the attorney general will be “confidential,” but the attorney general will then produce his own report to Congress based on that material. He said that he intended to be as transparent as possible given grand-jury secrecy rules, but that he would not let the White House edit or change it, as the president’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has suggested may happen.