          
obstruction-of-justice analysis of the conduct we investigated. We concluded that none of
those legal defenses provided a basis for declining to investigate the facts.
</p><!--l. 148--><p class="noindent" >
</p>
   <h5 class="likesubsubsectionHead"><a 
 id="x1-26000A."></a>Statutory defenses.</h5>
<!--l. 150--><p class="noindent" >Consistent with precedent and the Department of Justice&#x2019;s general approach to
interpreting obstruction statutes, we concluded that several statutes could apply
h