Barr Deserts Sinking Ship Before Trump Can Push Him Off

On Monday, just minutes after Joe Biden secured the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to become president, Donald Trump announced that Attorney William Barr was leaving.

"Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House. Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!" Trump tweeted. Barr will officially leave his post before Christmas, with Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen taking his place for the remaining month of the Trump administration.

Barr's resignation letter, which Trump also tweeted, was filled with effusive praise for Trump.

"I am proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements you have delivered for the American people," Barr wrote. He then recited the many familiar grievances of Trump's White House, complaining of the supposedly unfair "partisan onslaught" Trump faced, as well as the investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Barr also insisted that the Justice Department's review of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election that Trump lost "will continue to be pursued." Thus far, despite many claims and dozens of lawsuits, there has been no evidence of any voter fraud. In fact, Barr himself admitted just two week ago that the department had found no such evidence.

"To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election," Barr told the Associated Press.

Barr's refusal to find nonexistent voter fraud has led to Trump's increased frustration with his otherwise obeisant attorney general. He has complained privately and publicly on Twitter about Barr — both about him not doing enough before the election to secure Trump's win, and his refusal to declare voter fraud where none exists.

Multiple reports, including as recently as this weekend, suggested Trump was considering firing Barr. Other reports, meanwhile, said Barr was considering leaving his post before January.

It's possible Barr finally made the decision to resign before he, like so many others before him, could be fired on Twitter.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.