2000 Former Department Of Justice Officials Call For Attorney General William Barr To Resign

The Justice Department’s decision to drop charges against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn caused hundreds Democratic lawmakers and former DOJ officials to criticize the move as political and call for Attorney General William Barr‘s resignation.

Nearly 2000 former Justice Department officials have signed onto a letter calling for Barr’s resignation due to “political interference in the Department’s law enforcement decisions.”

“Attorney General Barr’s repeated actions to use the Department as a tool to further President Trump’s personal and political interests have undermined any claim to the deference that courts usually apply to the Department’s decisions about whether or not to prosecute a case,” the letter reads.

Barr denied that the decision to drop the Flynn case was influenced by the president in an interview with CBS News, but some said prior cases also showed political bias.

Democrats have pointed to the Department’s February decision to ask for a shorter prison sentence for Roger Stone, a longtime ally and friend of Trump, as an example to back up their claims.

“I called for it last year and I’ll say it again: he must resign,” tweeted Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California).

Bill Barr has consistently done Donald Trump’s bidding and corrupted our justice system. I called for it last year and I’ll say it again: he must resign. pic.twitter.com/atbmMMQRLw

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 7, 2020 

Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents about his contacts with a Russian ambassador but later withdrew his plea, saying he was a victim of entrapment.

“William Barr is not the President’s lawyer – he is the country’s lawyer,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) tweeted. “His political interference is blatantly corrupt and he should resign.”

William Barr is not the President’s lawyer – he is the country’s lawyer. His political interference is blatantly corrupt and he should resign.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 7, 2020 

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) echoed concerns that the Department had a bias without specifically calling for Barr’s resignation.

“If Barr’s Justice Department will drop charges against someone who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and who the White House publicly fired for lying to the vice president, there’s nothing it won’t do, no investigation it won’t taint,” Wyden tweeted. “There’s no doubt left: William Barr won’t stop undermining the rule of law to punish Trump’s rivals and shield his friends from justice.”

If Barr’s Justice Department will drop charges against someone who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and who the White House publicly fired for lying to the vice president, there’s nothing it won’t do, no investigation it won’t taint.

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) May 7, 2020 

Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) called on the DOJ’s inspector general to investigate the decision.

“This reeks of corruption,” Booker tweeted. “The DOJ’s IG must investigate.”

Under the cover of a global pandemic, Trump’s DOJ is trying to drop the charges against a top Trump associate who pled guilty multiple times in open court. This reeks of corruption. The DOJ’s IG must investigate. https://t.co/2nHkMEYmXR

— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) May 7, 2020 

The judge overseeing the case threw a roadblock in front of the Flynn dismissal, taking the unusual step of calling on amicus curiae briefs, meaning outside parties can submit their legal opinions on the case’s dismissal.

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