With reports that U.S. Attorney John Durham’s probe into potential FBI and Justice Department misconduct in launching the Russia investigation has been elevated to a criminal inquiry, enabling Durham to subpoena witnesses and file charges, there is a new effort afoot to discredit Attorney General William Barr.

Two key Democrats leading the impeachment inquisition against President Donald Trump, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, responded by slamming Barr, who appointed Durham, as a “vehicle for Trump’s political revenge.”

“These reports, if true, raise profound new concerns that the Department of Justice under Attorney General William Barr has lost its independence and become a vehicle for President Trump’s political revenge,” the pair said in a joint statement. “If the Department of Justice may be used as a tool of political retribution, or to help the President with a political narrative for the next election, the rule of law will suffer.”

If the Department of Justice may be used as a tool of political retribution, or to help the President with a political narrative for the next election, the rule of law will suffer new and irreparable damage. Joint statement w/ @RepAdamSchiff — (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) October 25, 2019

Adding to the potential angst on the left is the news that Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced on Thursday his report on possible surveillance abuses will be released soon — this centers on the FISA warrants that enabled the FBI to begin spying on the Trump campaign.

Thus, a concerted effort to smear Barr and even call for his impeachment — much like we saw with Russia, the left now has impeachment on the brain.

The media, allies to the party that has essentially weaponized the lower chamber of Congress they now control to launch an impeachment inquisition against Trump, is referring to the investigation of the investigators as “political weaponization.”

Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at The Federalist and a contributor for Fox News, compared this to the media’s reaction to former special counsel Robert Mueller’s 2-year, $35 million probe.

“Absolutely FASCINATING to watch corporate media, which repeatedly claimed any skepticism of politicized Special Counsel probe was a threat to very republic, now claim a criminal probe into federal government’s spying and leak campaign against Trump is ‘political weaponization,'” she tweeted.

Absolutely FASCINATING to watch corporate media, which repeatedly claimed any skepticism of politicized Special Counsel probe was a threat to very republic, now claim a criminal probe into federal government’s spying and leak campaign against Trump is “political weaponization.” — Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 25, 2019

With the U.S. intelligence apparatus having targeted Trump, the developments this week give former FBI director James Comey, former CIA director John Brennan and former National Intelligence director James Clapper reason to be concerned.

As American Majority’s Ned Ryun tweeted, along with a clip of Clapper reacting to the news, “Nervous much, Jimmy?”

After all, there remains the possibility that the truth is coming… though that would be a rare occurrence.

Liberals want to #ImpeachBarr to protect their Demicracy subverters… Brennan, Clapper, and co better lawyer up! The truth is coming… — realPolitiDiva™️ ????? (@realPolitiDiva) October 25, 2019

As for the claim on the left that there is no evidence, former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino offered up his take:

“haven’t seen a single shred of evidence” ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? https://t.co/Bd9ltZEjEv — Dan Bongino (@dbongino) October 25, 2019

Bongino’s tweet was in response to MSNBC analyst Matthew Miller doing his part to carry the water for the Democratic Party.

We know more about the Russia investigation than probably any probe in DOJ’s history, and haven’t seen a single shred of evidence that would provide a predicate for a criminal investigation. This looks like a Trump takeover of law enforcement, plain and simple. — Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) October 25, 2019

In reality, very little has been reported thus far on Durham’s efforts, which suggests the left is sweating the pending results.

Here’s a sampling of additional responses to the effort to smear Barr and dismiss the investigation of the investigators:

It looks like someone is going to prison, but it certainly isn’t going to be Bill Barr or Donald Trump. I’ll bet some fairly prominent Democrats are shitting their pants right about now, though…#ImpeachBarr — Mark Gess (@MarkGess) October 25, 2019

REALITY CHECK: DOJ/other Federal Aagencies were used as a ‘tool of political retribution’ under the Obama Admin to try to frame/oust a duly elected President. The Rule of Law will suffer irreparable damage if we don’t hold Dem/Deep State subversives accountable. — John Betts (@JohnFromCranber) October 25, 2019

OMG! Schiff and Nadler are attacking our institutions. Besides, if Obama’s DOJ did nothing wrong then tney should welcome an investigation to clear them. Isn’t this what Dems and @JoeNBC said about Mueller and Team Trump? Gaslighting thugs. — Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) October 25, 2019

Newsflash: It’s not AG Holder at the DOJ anymore. — Dustin The Mathnificent ∛ (@alfortish) October 25, 2019

Wow. You guys are REALLY nervous. The indictments coming down will be real and no one will mistake them for political prosecutions like what went on with Mueller — Steph (@steph93065) October 25, 2019

“The truth is coming” I don’t know about that. I would like to think that but my gut tells me they (Comey, Clapper, Brennan, etc) will slink away unscathed. They ARE charter members of the DC Cabal and it’s hard for me to remember when any of them was held accountable. — Bill Anderson (@WBill_Anderson) October 25, 2019

I think @Comey @JohnBrennan @petestrzok et al should welcome the opportunity to be vindicated by a criminal investigation. They did nothing wrong so why should they mind? Plus, defendants in the US have great rights and the courts can block any DOJ potential abuses. All good… pic.twitter.com/AO5mIZbyJw — Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) October 25, 2019

The panic on the left is hilarious. — j II (@jamejonson) October 25, 2019