After Disclosure Of Mueller Letter, Demands For Barr Resignation Mount

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Attorney General Bill Barr frustrated Special Counsel Robert Mueller with his misleading portrayal of the Russia investigation’s final report in March, the Washington Post revealed Tuesday and the Justice Department confirmed. Mueller wrote a letter to Barr saying that his summary of the report he sent to Congress “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this office’s work and conclusions,” the Post reported.

Many reporters and observers had argued from the beginning that Barr’s letter was likely purposely deceitful. Now that it’s been revealed that the notoriously taciturn Mueller objected to the attorney general’s portrayal, Barr is facing increasing calls for his resignation.

“Attorney General Barr willfully misled the American people to cover up attempted crimes by Donald Trump. He should resign his position or face an impeachment inquiry immediately,” said Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro.

“This is exactly right,” said Max Bergmann with The Moscow Project in response to Castro. “But this also applies to the President.”

“This isn’t just a question of getting accurate information about the Mueller probe,” said Lawfare Executive Editor Susan Hennessey. “At this point, Barr cannot credibly lead the Department of Justice. That has wide-ranging implications.”

Barr is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.