Mueller told Barr, Rosenstein 3 weeks ago he would not make decision on obstruction

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller and members of his team informed Attorney General William Barr three weeks ago that they would not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice, according to a person familiar with the meeting.

Both Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was also at the March 5 meeting, were surprised by this, the person said.

"It was unexpected," said the source.

The readout from the meeting partly helps to explain why Barr was able to make a decision on whether the president had obstructed justice just 48 hours after receiving Mueller's final report.

In a letter to Congress on Sunday, Barr said that Mueller "did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction."

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Barr said the decision by Mueller "leaves it to the Attorney General to determine" whether the president obstructed justice.

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And Barr concluded that Mueller's evidence of obstruction was "not sufficient to establish that the President had committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Critics had said Barr was too quick to react. However, the timing reveals that he had this information at least three weeks in advance of his decision.