A rare statement was posted on Sunday by about 1,110 former Justice Department officials and former prosecutors, urging US Attorney General Bill Barr to resign. This comes after an extraordinary week of events at the Justice Department.
Actions such as the withdrawal of four career prosecutors from the case of former Trump ally Roger Stone after Barr overruled their sentencing recommendation, Barr’s separate investigation into the case of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and his unusual interview pushing back against the President, have prompted the call for Barr’s resignation.
The statement, which was issued by former DOJ officials who had served in administrations of both political parties, emphasized that Mr. Barr’s actions in serving the President’s personal interests have damaged the Department of Justice’s reputation for integrity and the rule of law, compelling Mr. Barr’s resignation. Failing that, the statement urged the Department’s career officials to take appropriate action to uphold their oaths of office and defend nonpartisan, apolitical justice.
The statement also urged career attorneys to report any concerning actions they witness by Barr or his allies to the Justice Department’s Inspector General.
Barr, who was appointed by Trump, has been a staunch supporter of the president, leading to criticism that the Attorney General shouldn’t be partisan.
Although Barr’s criticism of Trump during the week sparked speculations of a rift between him and the AG, sources within the White House indicated that Trump is satisfied with Barr.
Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, stated on Sunday to CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” that Barr “does enjoy the support” of Trump, asserting that he doesn’t think “it’s impossible (for Barr) to do his job.”
“In fact, I think that Attorney General Barr is doing a great job,” he added. “I think he has a lot of confidence inside the White House. I think that the President’s frustration is one that a lot of Americans have, which feels like the scales of justice are not balancing.”
