Barr told the Senate back in June 2018 that Mueller's obstruction theory was complete CRAP and telegraphed the final decision just reached - KEK
Sauce
https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/549-june-2018-barr-memo-to-doj-mue/b4c05e39318dd2d136b3/optimized/full.pdf
Key summary
Mueller is proposing an unprecedented expansion of obstruction laws so as to reach facially-lawful actions taken by the President in exercising the discretion vested in him by the Constitution.
It appears Mueller is relying on 18 U.S.C. §1512, which generally prohibits acts undermining the integrity of evidence or preventing its production.
Section 1512 is relevant here because, unlike other obstruction statutes, it does not require that a proceeding be actually “pending” at the time of an obstruction, but only that a defendant have in mind an anticipated proceeding.
Because there were seemingly no relevant proceedings pending when the President allegedly engaged in the alleged obstruction.
While these controversies have heretofore been waged largely on the field of political combat, Mueller’s sweeping obstruction theory would now open the way for the “criminalization” of these disputes.
Predictably, challenges to the Department's decisions will be accompanied by claims that the Attorney General, or other supervisory officials, are “obstructing” justice because their directions are improperly motivated.
Whenever the slightest colorable claim of a possible “improper motive” is advanced, there will be calls for a criminal investigation into possible “obstruction.”
The prospect of being accused of criminal conduct, and possibly being investigated for such, would inevitably cause officials “to shrink” from making potentially controversial decisions.