{"id":17953,"date":"2020-12-15T10:25:01","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T15:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=17953"},"modified":"2020-12-15T10:25:01","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T15:25:01","slug":"william-barr-us-attorney-general-to-leave-post-by-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/12\/15\/william-barr-us-attorney-general-to-leave-post-by-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"William Barr: US attorney general to leave post by Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><b class=\"css-14iz86j-BoldText e5tfeyi0\">US Attorney General William Barr, one of Donald Trump&#8217;s staunchest allies, is stepping down before Christmas, the president has announced.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Barr&#8217;s term was due to end on 20 January, when Mr Trump leaves office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Tensions between the two flared after Mr Barr said there was no evidence of widespread fraud in November&#8217;s vote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He was criticised by Mr Trump for not publicly disclosing during the election campaign that the justice department was investigating Joe Biden&#8217;s son.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realDonaldTrump\/status\/1338614499981602819\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tweeted Mr Barr&#8217;s resignation letter<\/a> saying: &#8220;Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-39826934\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The White House revolving door: Who&#8217;s gone?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Barr&#8217;s letter to the president began by saying he &#8220;appreciated the opportunity to update&#8221; the president on the Department of Justice&#8217;s (DOJ) review of voter fraud allegations in the recent election and &#8220;how these allegations will continue to be pursued&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He did not give more details about the review, and praised Mr Trump&#8217;s achievements in office before ending the letter by saying he would depart from his position on 23 December.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen will serve as acting attorney general, Mr Trump said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Barr, 70, had previously served as attorney general under President George HW Bush in the early 1990s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He came out of semi-retirement in 2019 to replace Jeff Sessions, who was forced out by President Trump over the justice department&#8217;s appointment of Special Counsel Mueller to investigate alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Democratic critics of Mr Barr accused him of shielding his ex-boss from justice. Trump supporters recently turned on him due to his unwillingness to support Mr Trump&#8217;s election lawsuits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-55153366\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">His comments in early December that claims of voter fraud were unproven<\/a>\u00a0were a blow to Mr Trump, who has not accepted defeat.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Since the 3 November election, Mr Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, and members of his legal defence team have spoken of an alleged international plot to hand President-elect Joe Biden the win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Last week, Mr Trump attacked Mr Barr on Twitter, claiming that he did not publicly reveal that Mr Biden&#8217;s son Hunter was being investigated by the justice department. Hunter Biden has since confirmed that his tax affairs are being looked into.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Trump claimed the decision not to reveal the investigation was a\u00a0<a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realDonaldTrump\/status\/1337772511870799872?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;big disadvantage&#8221; for the Republicans at the polls<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>President Trump&#8217;s\u00a0<a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/election-us-2020-55308526\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announcement of Mr Barr&#8217;s departure came at the same time the US electoral college affirmed Mr Biden&#8217;s presidential election victory<\/a>, one of the final steps required for him to take office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-mysbf6-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-qozapo-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">Who is Jeff Rosen?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Rosen, 56, joined the justice department in May 2019, replacing Rod Rosenstein as deputy attorney general, but he will serve for less than a month in the top job.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He is perhaps best known for leading the department&#8217;s antitrust case against Google, filed in October, which accuses the tech giant of establishing monopolies in search and search advertising.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He first joined the Trump administration in 2017 as deputy transportation secretary, but also worked as a policy adviser under President George W Bush.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>In between government posts, he has followed a legal career in the private sector, with several stints at the powerful US law firm Kirkland &amp; Ellis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Trump has described him as &#8220;an outstanding person&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-mysbf6-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-qozapo-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">Why is Barr going now?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-18mjolk-ComponentWrapper e1xue1i80\" data-component=\"image-block\">\n<figure class=\"css-2y05cd-StyledFigure e34k3c20\">\n<div class=\"css-kwaqyc-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c22\"><span class=\"css-13t93ir-Placeholder e16icw910\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"css-evoj7m-Image ee0ct7c0\" src=\"https:\/\/c.files.bbci.co.uk\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/27FB\/production\/_112953201__104759290_anthonyzurcher_tr-nc.png 976w\" alt=\"Analysis box by Anthony Zurcher, North America reporter\" width=\"1706\" height=\"340\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Rumours that Attorney General Barr was eyeing an early exit from the Trump administration turned out to be true. Although he received a traditional Trump send-off &#8211; his departure announced via Twitter &#8211; the president was cordial, thanking him and posting his effusive resignation letter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>If there were any discord over the attorney general&#8217;s recent handling of election investigations &#8211; his assertion that he had seen no evidence of widespread fraud &#8211; it did not spill into public view.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Barr probably will best be remembered for his management of Special Counsel Robert Mueller&#8217;s Russia probe. He defused what could have been a political bomb for the president by giving an advanced summary of the independent counsel&#8217;s full report in a four-page memo that downplayed many of its more serious allegations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Perhaps the president&#8217;s gratitude for that service outweighed any of their more recent disagreements and allowed them to part on amicable terms. Or perhaps in the waning days of the Trump presidency, there was no sense fighting on the way out the door.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>With William Barr gone, however, there may be less institutional resistance if President Trump decides to bypass traditional justice department procedures and issue a spate of controversial pardons for his closest allies. By exiting now, Mr Barr is affording himself the ability to stay silent on such matters.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-55312016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">US Attorney General William Barr, one of Donald Trump&#8217;s staunchest allies, is stepping down before Christmas, the president has announced. Mr Barr&#8217;s term was due to end on 20 January, when Mr Trump leaves office. <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/12\/15\/william-barr-us-attorney-general-to-leave-post-by-christmas\/\" title=\"William Barr: US attorney general to leave post by Christmas\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[285,1589,6219],"class_list":{"0":"post-17953","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-usa","9":"tag-donald-trump","10":"tag-us-attorney-general","11":"tag-william-barr","12":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17953"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17954,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17953\/revisions\/17954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}