Outgoing Attorney General William Barr said Monday he saw “no reason” to appoint a special counsel to look into the president’s allegations of election fraud or the tax investigation into the son of President-elect Joe Biden.
In his final press conference held Monday, Barr said the investigation into Hunter Biden’s financial dealings was “being handled responsibly and professionally.”
“I have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel and I have no plan to do so before I leave,” he said.
Barr also told The Associated Press in a previous interview that he had seen no evidence of widespread voting fraud, despite President Donald Trump’s claims to the contrary.
The President has been weighing whether to push the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel, which would make it harder for Joe Biden to shut down either investigation. But it’s not clear how he would do it without the cooperation from Justice officials.
Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, speculated that the idea of appointing a special counsel to look into Hunter Biden’s case may be the reason behind Barr’s sudden recent resignation.
“Barr just said that he has no plans to appoint special counsels on the election or Hunter Biden. His refusal is likely the reason for his sudden need for ‘family time’,” Turley tweeted.
Barr just said that he has no plans to appoint special counsels on the election or Hunter Biden. His refusal is likely the reason for his sudden need for “family time.”
…https://t.co/SanBEVtmNg— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 21, 2020
In his blog post on Dec. 17, Turley writes that several media reports indicate the President is discussing with White House advisors the prospect of appointing a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden.
“Reports indicate that, with Barr leaving, Trump is openly discussing appointing a special counsel for the Hunter Biden investigation,” he wrote.
Turley says even though Barr had his up and down moments with the President, it’s the mainstream media who heaped false attacks on him.
“The media, in sad contrast, has repeatedly and falsely accused Barr of wrongdoing and then refused to correct those stories,” he wrote.
And Turley also gives an example:
“The media widely reported that Barr ordered Lafayette Park cleared of peaceful protesters to enable a Trump photo op at nearby Saint Johns Church. The evidence directly contradicts those claims. I testified before Congress on the incident and cited overwhelming evidence that the decision to clear the park area was made the prior weekend after violence erupted around the White House. Barr was not aware of the photo op when he approved the clearing of the area, which was delayed due to the late arrival of personnel and fencing material. Yet the false story was widely repeated, he explained.”
Turley also notes that history will ultimately defend Barr’s leadership of the Justice Department.
“Barr has always proven the ultimate immovable object in the path of irresistible forces. Whether it is the press or the president, he is formidable precisely because he knows who he is. He has a sense of his own ‘True North’ and does not break from that line of sight. Barr will have his family time,” he wrote. “That is good for his family, but not so good for the country.”
Meanwhile, Trump supporters say there’s still plenty of reason to question the election, no matter what Barr or the media say about it.
Sen. Josh Hawley recently told the Senate committee investigating voting irregularities, “After 4 years of being told the last election was fake, the same people are telling us if you have any concerns about election integrity you’re a nut case, sit down and shut up. That is not a recipe for success in this country.”
.@HawleyMO: “After 4 years of being told the last election was fake, the same people are telling us if you have any concerns about election integrity you’re a nut case, sit down and shut up. That is not a recipe for success in this country.” pic.twitter.com/JwiOUnTb6g
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) December 21, 2020
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