Whitewater prosecutor predicts indictments in John Durham's Russia investigation

Former Whitewater prosecutor Robert Ray expects prosecutions in U.S. Attorney John Durham's inquiry into the Russia investigation.

"It is a criminal investigation with grand jury authority, and I don't think the attorney general expects this is going to be just left to the side of history without actual prosecutions being brought to hold those responsible accountable," he said during the Sunday premiere of Fox News legal analyst Greg Jarrett's special, Witch Hunt: The Flynn Vindication.

"Even if no felony prosecution is ever brought as a result of this, this is a political scandal of the highest order, and the American people should be paying attention," he added.

Ray, the former federal prosecutor who succeeded Ken Starr as independent counsel in the investigation into President Bill Clinton roughly 20 years ago, also commented on the case of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, President Trump's short-lived first national security adviser.

"I imagine there are people who are in the know who may well have knowingly withheld information from the court and from defense counsel in connection with the Michael Flynn prosecution," he said.

"If it turns out that that can be proved," he added, "then there are going to be referrals and potential false statements, and/or perjury prosecutions to hold those, particularly those in positions of authority, accountable."

Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to FBI investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador regarding a United Nations resolution on Israel and sanctions. But Flynn now claims he was set up by the FBI, and the Justice Department is seeking to drop the case.

Attorney General William Barr appointed Durham to investigate misconduct by intelligence and national security officials in the inquiry examining ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Barr has said in recent interviews he is "very troubled" by what Durham has uncovered and has not dismissed the possibility of prosecutions if the team believes they can make a strong case.