U.S. Attorney General Barr steps down as Trump election defeat confirmed

[webfact]

U.S. Attorney General Barr steps down as Trump election defeat confirmed

By Sarah N. Lynch

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General William Barr attend the 38th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr will step down next week, he said on Monday, shortly after the Electoral College confirmed President Donald Trump's loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.

 

Barr, who had angered Trump by not supporting his incorrect claims that the Nov. 3 election result had been tainted by widespread fraud, said he would leave office on Dec. 23, a little less than a month before Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.

 

Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen will take over as acting attorney general after Barr's departure, Trump said.

 

"Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!" Trump said of Barr on Twitter.

 

A White House official told Reuters that Barr resigned on his own accord.

 

Trump lashed out at Barr on Twitter over the weekend after the Wall Street Journal reported that Barr knew earlier this year about an investigation into Biden's son Hunter's taxes.

 

Trump retweeted a comment from radio host Todd Starnes saying Barr should be fired for not disclosing the probe during the campaign. "A big disappointment!" Trump said in his tweet.

 

Barr's fate in the waning days of the Trump administration had been in question since he said earlier this month that a Justice Department investigation had found no sign of major fraud in the election, contradicting Trump's claims.

 

Trump's legal team accused Barr of failing to conduct a proper inquiry into the allegations.

 

Barr's resignation letter was released shortly after he briefed the president about the Justice Department's review into the Trump campaign's voter fraud claims. In it, Barr pledged the allegations "would continue to be pursued."

 

The White House official said Barr's meeting with Trump was amicable.

 

In the letter, Barr also praised what he called Trump's historic record, saying he had helped boost the economy, strengthen the military and curb illegal immigration.

 

"I am proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements you have delivered for the American people," Barr wrote.

 

Biden beat Trump by 306 to 232 votes in the state-by-state Electoral College that chooses the president, as well as by more than 7 million ballots in the popular vote.

 

Despite that, Trump has refused to concede and continues to promote his baseless voting fraud allegations, which have been repeatedly rejected by state and federal officials.

 

Trump has pursued a series of legal challenges in numerous states, but he has not managed to prevail in any of them.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a long-shot lawsuit by Texas that was backed by Trump and a number of other states seeking to throw out voting results in four states, dealing what is seen as the fatal blow in his quest to undo his election loss.

 

CORE TRUMP SUPPORTER

Barr has long been a staunch Trump ally, drawing scorn from Democrats and many of the department's own career prosecutors who have accused him of putting Trump's personal interests ahead of those of the country.

 

"William Barr was willing to do the President’s bidding on every front but one. Barr refused to play along with President Trump’s nonsensical claims to have won the election," Democratic House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement.

 

"Whomever Joe Biden chooses as the new Attorney General will have a tremendous amount of work to do to repair the integrity of the Department of Justice," Nadler added.

 

Prior to the 2020 election, Barr repeated Trump's unfounded claims that mail-in ballots could be subject to fraud, and he also intervened in several high-profile criminal cases in ways that benefited Trump's political allies such as Michael Flynn and Roger Stone.

 

In May 2019, Barr tapped federal prosecutor John Durham to investigate Obama-era intelligence and law enforcement officials for possible crimes in connection with their early stage probe into whether Trump's 2016 presidential campaign colluded with the Russian government.

 

On Dec. 1, Barr disclosed he had elevated Durham to the role of special counsel in October so that he could continue his criminal investigation - a move that will make it politically difficult for Biden to remove him from the post until the probe has concluded.

 

Noah Bookbinder, a former federal prosecutor who is now executive director for the progressive advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, said on Monday that Barr "has done tremendous damage to the Department of Justice and to the American people's very faith in our justice system.

 

"It is beyond ironic that Barr seems to have been pushed out for not going quite far enough to abuse his position for Trump's benefit, however unconscionably far he did go," Bookbinder's statement said. "The reason may be ridiculous, but good riddance.”

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Additional reporting by Eric Beech and Jeff Mason; Editing by Scott Malone, Howard Goller and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-15

 

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[cmarshall]

The daylight that recently appeared between Barr and Trump over supposed election fraud probably indicates that Barr already has a presidential pardon in his pocket which can't be revoked.  There is no obligation to make a pardon public.  The other possibility is that Trump's next move is something that will be such an atrocity that Barr wants to distance himself from it in advance.  Is Trump going to try to suspend the Constitution?

[Scott]

Troll posts with memes removed.  It's a discussion forum.  

[Lacessit]

It's great to see America has come to its senses. After January 20, my guess is Trump is going to make quite a few lawyers rich in his fight to stay out of prison.

[oompie69]

And many more Trump appointees will now be scrambling to update their CVs now that they face unemployment, I am sure.  

[ThaiFelix]

You know those little name signs people have on their office doors?  I bet the guy who makes them for the White House has been doing a raging business since Trumps been in power lol!

[cmarshall]

37 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Weird timing?

 

Assume barr doesn't want to be around for pardon-palooza?

 

That's unlikely to be the reason, since Barr was the original inventor of the pardon-palooza in 1992 which shutdown Lawrence Walsh's Contragate investigation just before it reached Bush I.  In fact, Barr probably got the AG job from Trump in the first place just because of his pardon-paloozaing.  

 

It could simply be that Barr didn't want to be fired, but it could also be something worse, like a Trump auto-golpe that Barr doesn't want to be part of. 

[Scott]

Troll posts and replies reported and removed.   Please use correct name.

 

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Weird timing?

 

Assume barr doesn't want to be around for pardon-palooza?

 

Or that trump would have tweet-fired him later in the day had he not resigned?

 

barr calling trump's electioneering the "rantings of a deposed king" probably didn't help?

 

 

 

 

Barr will certainly be charged for obstruction of justice. He hanged in hoping to get some sort of pre-pardon from Trump. When he saw the election slipping from Trump, he kept out of sight hoping that he too will be out of sight from next AG to investigate him. When nothing came about, he had to resign as the last toss of the dice to distance himself from Trump and hope he able to gain some clemency for the high possibility of an investigation on his conduct. 

[Jeffr2]

His resignation letter almost made me puke.  Talk about brown nosing and misinformation.  Jeez.

[bendejo]

Just wait until the uncensored Mueller Report lets the sunshine in.

 

 

[Tug]

2 hours ago, cmarshall said:

The daylight that recently appeared between Barr and Trump over supposed election fraud probably indicates that Barr already has a presidential pardon in his pocket which can't be revoked.  There is no obligation to make a pardon public.  The other possibility is that Trump's next move is something that will be such an atrocity that Barr wants to distance himself from it in advance.  Is Trump going to try to suspend the Constitution?

I think you are spot on trumps going to do something mr Barr wants no part of and he’s trying to salvage what he can of his reputation to late imo I haven’t forgotten what he did during the muller report 

[Jeffr2]

4 minutes ago, Tug said:

I think you are spot on trumps going to do something mr Barr wants no part of and he’s trying to salvage what he can of his reputation to late imo I haven’t forgotten what he did during the muller report 

I guess they've had several screaming matches lately...err...meetings.  I don't like Barr, but he's not one to put up with bullying.

 

Terrible for him to leave like this.  But typical of this dysfunctional administration.

[Walker88]

Stepped down is nice parsing, though one supposes the departure was mutual. barr one time followed his oath, and once is too much for 45.

 

If barr thinks he can salvage any reputation or legacy, however, he would have more luck patching up the Titanic and hoping it makes its original ETA in NY.

 

I'm waiting for jared to depart and seek safety in a nation without an extradition treaty with the US, and then issue a statement saying:
 

"I'm stepping down in order to spend less time with my family".

 

NOBODY who served that administration for any length of time is going to be able to wipe off the stench of incompetence, corruption, anti-democracy and simple foolishness that is the hallmark of these horrendous 4 years.

 

45 entered with 4.8% UE, he leaves with it approaching 7%. He entered with a growing economy, he has left one in tatters. He entered with a blueprint for addressing pandemics; he tossed it and the result is 300,000 dead and rising. He entered with the US embraced by allies; he leaves with former allies looking askance at what used to be a trusted friend. He entered with a National Debt, built up over 240 years, of $19.4 trillion; he leaves with it over $27 trillion. He claims he inherited 'carnage', but Pres Obama presided over much greater job creation and a much better performing stock market. He claims 'best economy ever', when he now ranks almost with Herbert Hoover, and well over 70% of all Quarters since WWII evidenced higher GDP growth than his average---even BEFORE the Covid Recession.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Walker88

[Jeffr2]

1 minute ago, Walker88 said:

Stepped down is nice parsing, though one supposes the departure was mutual. barr one time followed his oath, and once is too much for 45.

 

If barr thinks he can salvage any reputation or legacy, however, he would have more luck patching up the Titanic and hoping it makes its original ETA in NY.

 

I'm waiting for jared to depart and seek safety in a nation without an extradition treaty with the US, and then issue a statement saying:
 

"I'm stepping down in order to spend less time with my family".

 

NOBODY who served that administration for any length of time is going to be able to wipe off the stench of incompetence, corruption, anti-democracy and simple foolishness that is the hallmark of these horrendous 4 years.

 

45 entered with 4.8% UE, he leaves with it approaching 7%. He entered with a growing economy, he has left one in tatters. He entered with a blueprint for addressing pandemics; he tossed it and the result is 300,000 dead and rising. He entered with the US embraced by allies; he leaves with former allies looking askance at what used to be a trusted friend. He entered with a National Debt, built up over 240 years, of $19.4 trillion; he leaves with it over $27 trillion. He claims he inherited 'carnage', but Pres Obama presided over much greater job creation and a much better performing stock market. He claims 'best economy ever', when he now ranks almost with Herbert Hoover, and well over 70% of all Quarters since WWI evidenced higher GDP growth than his average---even BEFORE the Covid Recession.

That's what I thought about Spicer and Sanders.  But they are getting big bucks to talk to the nuts at these "conservative" conventions and groups.  Incredible.

[RJRS1301]

4 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It's great to see America has come to its senses. After January 20, my guess is Trump is going to make quite a few lawyers rich in his fight to stay out of prison.

Does he have the liquidity to pay for the cost of his legal adivce and defence?

 

Payment upfront each day thank your FORMER Mr President.

No I do accept title deeds , coz probably already used as security to some other debt.

Money or find another legal mind.

 

Jareds daddy may be able to help

 

 

 

[RJRS1301]

I know you will be all kind and thoughtful for the Trump supporters in the forum, they are now in a period of mourning, still in the denial stage, but they will make it through to acceptance in the next 4 years.

Offer kindness and compassion for their  loss

[vandeventer]

I never liked Barr, and I still think he needed thicker eye glasses to see the truth ,as he could never see the truth that was  in front of his nose. There are numerous things he fail to see, Hunter Biden and problems with the Election are only a few. Good bye Bill Barr, and good luck with your next job.

[Jeffr2]

31 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

I never liked Barr, and I still think he needed thicker eye glasses to see the truth ,as he could never see the truth that was  in front of his nose. There are numerous things he fail to see, Hunter Biden and problems with the Election are only a few. Good bye Bill Barr, and good luck with your next job.

Hunter Biden so far is just a conspiracy theory. There were no significant problems with the elections.

 

But yes, his spin and cover up of the Mueller investigation requires thicker glasses for him.

[Opl]

2 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

I know you will be all kind and thoughtful for the Trump supporters in the forum, they are now in a period of mourning, still in the denial stage, but they will make it through to acceptance in the next 4 years.

Offer kindness and compassion for their  loss

They can find some comfort in Barr's resignation letter .. 

[kamahele]

Trump just needed something today to garner attention as all attention was on Biden and his election via the electoral college.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

I know you will be all kind and thoughtful for the Trump supporters in the forum, they are now in a period of mourning, still in the denial stage, but they will make it through to acceptance in the next 4 years.

Offer kindness and compassion for their  loss

IMO psychotherapy for cognitive dissonance would be more helpful, although kindness and compassion cost nothing.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

I never liked Barr, and I still think he needed thicker eye glasses to see the truth ,as he could never see the truth that was  in front of his nose. There are numerous things he fail to see, Hunter Biden and problems with the Election are only a few. Good bye Bill Barr, and good luck with your next job.

Now you tell us.

I think we'll see a fair number of Trump supporters who will now reveal how they never liked Barr. Even though they approved of when he lied on Trump's behalf, undermined prosecutions on behalf of Trump's allies, and pretty much turned the Dept. of Justice into Trump's private law firm.

[stevenl]

17 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Now you tell us.

I think we'll see a fair number of Trump supporters who will now reveal how they never liked Barr. Even though they approved of when he lied on Trump's behalf, undermined prosecutions on behalf of Trump's allies, and pretty much turned the Dept. of Justice into Trump's private law firm.

Of course they didn't like Barr, he didn't do enough to protect the president: Durham was too slow, election fraud was deemed to not be present, Trump is still under state investigation.

[Caldera]

Good riddance. He has been a total disgrace, much like his master.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, cmarshall said:

Is Trump going to try to suspend the Constitution?

Serious question, I'm not an American so I have no knowledge of their laws - is that possible?  What would his intention be? To negate the election result?  If it is possible, would he not have to get a ruling in favour from the Supreme Court?

[cmarshall]

17 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Serious question, I'm not an American so I have no knowledge of their laws - is that possible?  What would his intention be? To negate the election result?  If it is possible, would he not have to get a ruling in favour from the Supreme Court?

 

A coup in the US would be both possible and illegal, just as in any country.  If Trump does not attempt a coup the only reason will be because he can't pull it off, not because it would violate any principle he might have.  Trump is a psychopath.  Psychopaths do what they can get away with.

Edited December 15, 2020 by cmarshall

[Jeffr2]

5 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

 

A coup in the US would be both possible and illegal, just as in any country.  If Trump does not attempt a coup the only reason will be because he can't pull it off, not because it would violate any principle he might have.  Trump is a psychopath.  Psychopaths do what they can get away with.

Luckily, the joints chief of staff already said the military follows the constitution, not dictators.

[cmarshall]

12 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Luckily, the joints chief of staff already said the military follows the constitution, not dictators.

 

Sounds familiar.  Now where have I heard military types before saying that a coup is impossible?

Edited December 15, 2020 by cmarshall

[placeholder]

4 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Does he have the liquidity to pay for the cost of his legal adivce and defence?

 

Payment upfront each day thank your FORMER Mr President.

No I do accept title deeds , coz probably already used as security to some other debt.

Money or find another legal mind.

 

Jareds daddy may be able to help

 

 

 

He will certainly be able to, thanks to the billion dollar Qatari bailout of the Kushner family. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by placeholder