Tipsheet

Multiple Members of Congress Send a Letter to AG Barr Demanding His Resignation

Beth Baumann
Beth Baumann  |  December 20, 2019 6:40 AM

Multiple members of Congress on Friday sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr demanding that he and and United States Attorney John Durham resign. The six members of Congress claim the two men "inappropriately interfered in independent Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations and intentionally used your positions to mislead the American public in defense of President Donald J. Trump."

Their argument focuses solely on the fact that Barr "handpicked" Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe. The goal of Durham's investigation is to determine whether or not the probe was “lawful and appropriate."

According to these members, Barr's previous claims that the Trump campaign was spied upon is an "unfounded assertion" and was "inappropriate" because Inspector General Michael Horowitz was also completing his investigation.

"In the report released on on Monday December 9, the OIG concluded that the Justice Department acted within its jurisdiction initiating an investigation and that there was sufficient factual evidence to investigate the Trump campaign," the leader said. 

The group said Barr pushed "conspiracy theories" during an interview that took place on Tuesday, December 10 by suggesting that "the FBI under the Obama administration was a greater threat to our democracy than Russia."

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"Your uncorroborated and inappropriate statements on the OIG report legitimize fringe conspiracy theories and erode public trust in the in the Justice Department's credibility," the letter stated.

The members of Congress also stated Barr "manipulate[d] facts to benefit President Trump" before Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into the Russia investigation. 

They claimed Durham's investigation into the FBI's work is nothing but a "sham" and took issue with how he "spoke openly about the investigation as it was ongoing."

"Mr. Barr, your course of conduct makes clear your allegiances is to Donald Trump over the Department of Justice and the American people that you serve," the letter said. "You are unfit to hold the position of Attorney General and your dedication to eroding public trust in our legal systems represents the antithesis of what a Justice Department official should be. Mr. Durham is equally as complicit in this mission and together your actions demonstrate that neither of you possess the integrity necessary to serve in the Department of Justice."

"For those reasons, we demand your immediate resignation as Attorney General and that of U.S. attorney Durham," the letter concluded.

The letter was signed by Reps. Hank Johnson Jr. (D-GA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).