William Barr
Photographer: Michael Reynolds / EPA / Bloomberg
Photographer: Michael Reynolds / EPA / Bloomberg
President Donald Trump once again called upon special counsel to investigate electoral fraud – and did so on the last day of his term through Attorney General William Barr.
“After seeing the massive voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, I disagree with anyone who thinks a strong, swift and fair special counsel is unnecessary, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump tweeted Wednesday night. “These were the most corrupt elections in our country’s history, and it must be scrutinized!”
The tweet, like many Trump has posted about the 2020 vote, included a warning from Twitter: “This allegation of election fraud is disputed.”
Barr, who has been a staunch Trump loyalist since taking office last year, said this week that he saw no reason to name special counsel to investigate allegations of election fraud, and reiterated an earlier statement that there is no evidence of this. widespread fraud that would nullify Joe Biden’s victory.
“If I thought that a special counsel was the right and appropriate resource at this stage, I would name one, but I don’t have and will not,” Barr said Monday.
Wednesday was Barr’s last day at Justice. He gave Trump a letter last week saying he was resigning and was praised by the president at the time.
But Trump’s tweet on Wednesday night is a signal that Barr’s replacement, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, will be under pressure to bend to the president’s will before his tenure expires on Jan. 20.
Previously: Barr suppresses Trump’s demands, sees no counsel Biden Case
Trump, who continues to deny his loss even after the electoral college confirmed last week that Biden had won, has switched to a shrinking circle of advisers who have discussed ideas such as confiscating voting machines that have even dismissed old confidants as extreme.
The president has at times suggested that Sidney Powell, a lawyer who has filed numerous unsuccessful lawsuits on behalf of his campaign, should be named as special counsel, according to a person familiar with the conversation who asked for anonymity to describe the internal discussion.
Any attempt to go ahead with putting Powell in that position would raise questions about the legality of the president personally appointing special counsel, a decision usually left to the attorney general.
Powell was rejected by the campaign last month after accusing Republican elected officials of involvement in a complicated plot to change the election results.
Further frustrating for the president this week were Barr’s comments that he saw no reason to appoint special counsel to oversee an investigation into Biden’s son Hunter Biden. Justice Department prosecutors investigating Biden are “responsible,” Barr said.
– With help from Chris Strohm and Justin Sink