It All Falls Apart For Trump As Bill Barr Resigns After Electoral College Formalizes Biden Win
Donald Trump’s presidency – and his hopes for remaining in office, despite Joe Biden’s decisive victory last month – came crashing to the ground on Monday.
Just after the Electoral College formalized Biden’s victory, Trump took to Twitter to announce that Attorney General William Barr has resigned and will be leaving his post before the Christmas holiday.
“Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House,” Trump said. “As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family.”
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! As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
…Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, an outstanding person, will become Acting Attorney General. Highly respected Richard Donoghue will be taking over the duties of Deputy Attorney General. Thank you to all! pic.twitter.com/V5sqOJT9PM
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
While Trump is playing off Barr’s departure as a choice to spend the holidays with his family, it’s highly unusual for an attorney general to leave his post with just a few weeks left in a president’s term.
Barr can’t run from his sad legacy
It didn’t take long for William Barr to sell his soul for Donald Trump, and that’s a legacy he will carry with him until the end of time – regardless of what Barr did before leading Trump’s Justice Department or what he chooses to do in the years ahead.
From whitewashing the Mueller report to meddling in Trump-related SDNY cases to pushing the president’s conspiracy theories, Bill Barr was one of Trump’s most loyal henchmen, not America’s attorney general. In service of Trump, he inflicted lasting damage on one of America’s most important institutions.
As Rachel Maddow said last week, a pre-inauguration resignation from Barr – which is now playing out – won’t save the outgoing attorney general from his Trump-stained legacy.
William Barr’s resignation announcement on Monday was part of a one-two punch that spells the end of Donald Trump’s presidency.
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Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
