William Barr resigned as attorney general on Monday after a face-to-face meeting with President Trump. The President announced the departure in a tweet which indicated the decision had been made by Barr. He wrote, “Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!” Trump then said Barr would “spend the holidays with his family.”
Since he was confirmed as Attorney General in February of 2019, Barr has been hammered by mainstream media and establishment critics alike. He referenced this atmosphere in his resignation letter, highlighting laudable achievements of Trump’s presidency, which the establishment media ignored. He remained resolute throughout the letter:
"Your 2016 victory speech in which you reached out to your opponents and called for working together for the benefit of the American people was immediately met by a partisan onslaught against you in which no tactic, no matter how abusive and deceitful, was out of bounds . . . Few could have weathered these attacks, much less forge ahead with a positive program for the country.”
Barr offered a near-laundry list of Trump's accomplishments, including the pre-Covid-19 economy; providing rising wages and record low unemployment, especially for minority groups; the rebuilding of the American military; the destruction of the Islamic State’s caliphate; progress made toward peace in the Middle East; and brokering historic deals thought by most to be impossible. Barr recognized curbs put on illegal immigration through enhanced border security and work with Mexico against cartels. He praised the President’s support for the men and women of law enforcement and his commitment to cracking down on China’s exploitation of the American economy/workforce.
Barr continued his praise: "You have advanced the rule of law by appointing a record number of judges committed to constitutional principles. With Operation Warp Speed, you delivered a vaccine for coronavirus on a schedule no one thought conceivable—a feat that will undoubtedly save millions of lives.”
Barr also mentioned that his talk with the President included discussion of voter fraud allegations and that it was “incumbent on all levels of government . . . to assure the integrity of elections and promote public confidence in their outcome.”
Hunter Biden investigation controversy
The resignation came on the heels of news that Barr used his position in the Department of Justice to ensure prosecutors investigating Hunter Biden not to take any action that might cause the probe to be publicly revealed in the run-up to the election.
Trump had complained via Twitter and Fox News that Barr “should have stepped up. All he had to do is say an investigation’s going on,” Trump said. “Bill Barr, frankly, did the wrong thing.”
Barr’s insistence, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, that steps be taken to avoid the Hunter Biden probe going public, is in line with current Justice Department policy against disclosures, investigatory steps, or filing of indictments close to an election in order to avoid interference. According to the Wall Street Journal, Barr and his team insulated the investigations, gave instructions to prevent its existence from leaking. Instructions were issued verbally by the prosecutor. They asked if staff members involved in the situation could be trusted.
If Barr had acted in violation of policy, publicly revealing an investigation involving Hunter Biden before the election, the Biden presidential campaign might have just said Biden was not charged with any crime and would cooperate with investigators.
The media was already protecting Biden, refusing to report on allegations and raw evidence including a subpoena that was already revealed. Unlike the media, Barr chose ethics over politics.
The situation regarding the Hunter Biden investigation shows the pressures now facing the Department of Justice since the James Comey press conference days before the 2016 election. During that presser, he informed lawmakers that the bureau was investigating new information related to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails that were discovered on former Rep. Anthony Weiner's laptop.
President Trump, by contrast, believed the voting public should have been told.
In an interview before the announcement of Barr’s departure, Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade pressed Trump about his criticism of Barr for not disclosing that investigation. Kilmeade pointed out, “Jonathan Turley said he had no choice . . . it would have been like James Comey again.” The Wall Street Journal also reported that Trump wants the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden—but Barr was not interested in that idea.
“If Biden gets in, nothing will happen to Hunter or Joe. Barr will do nothing, and the new group of partisan killers coming in will quickly kill it all."
Still, a White House spokesman said on Monday that “AG Barr resigned on his own accord. He wasn’t pushed out or forced to resign. It was a very amicable meeting and as you can tell from the letter he thinks very highly of the President.” This sentiment was echoed by Mark Levin, who says, the President and Barr are friends, they like each other very much.
Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen will take over as Attorney General, overseeing several highly sensitive matters including scheduled federal executions, the John Durham probe, issues regarding election fraud, and the Hunter Biden investigation. The Attorney General also oversees the pardon office.
Carol King received a first-class Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics from Stirling University, along with an exceptional commendation for a study on U.S. public opinion and foreign policy. She also completed a year of study at the University of London before taking up a Graduate Proctor Fellowship at Princeton University. She further completed a Master of Philosophy in American Politics at Dundee University. She is currently focused on bringing her wealth of knowledge to UncoverDC as a writer.
Twitter: @CarolKing561
