Good for Sen. Mark Warner, yet again calling for the resignation (see below for Warner’s fundraising email this morning; bolding added by me for emphasis) of corrupt, out-of-control, extremist, totally-unfit-for-the-job Attorney General William Barr. Actually, this is nothing new for Sen. Warner re: Barr. For instance, see:
- May 3, 2019: Sen. Warner: Barr Is Acting Like “A Paid Hack for the President” (“But we now know that Mueller was literally quite upset [and] wrote not one but two letters to Barr, and if the facts prove out that he lied to Congress, he should resign.”)
- May 29, 2019: “Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) joins MTP Daily to talk about the next steps for Congress after Robert Mueller reiterated the conclusions of his investigation.”
- June 2, 2019: Video: Sen. Mark Warner Says AG Barr Has “Little Credibility” Because He’s “Time and Again, Not Acting as Our Attorney General But as a Personal Advocate for Donald Trump”
Still, it’s good to see Sen. Warner staying on top of this, given Barr’s “dangerous celebration of unchecked presidential power” and the fact that Barr is “shockingly clear about his authoritarianism.” This guy never should have been confirmed in the first place, obviously, and now that he’s in power, he’s doing enormous damage to the rule of law. That’s why it’s so important for powerful Democrats like Sen. Warner to keep a close eye on this situation.
Last week, the Department of Justice released a long-awaited report into the origins of the Russia investigation. Contrary to what President Trump and his allies have been claiming for three years, the report found no evidence that the investigation — which exposed criminal activity by the President’s campaign manager, national security adviser, and other top aides — was influenced by political bias.
But you wouldn’t know that from listening to Attorney General Bill Barr. Mr. Barr went on national television and, instead of accepting the findings of a non-partisan, two-year investigation, proceeded to attack the men and women of federal law enforcement, mislead the American people, and try to provide political cover for the President.
Frankly, the Attorney General’s habit of substituting partisan spin for the facts has undermined whatever credibility he brought to the job, and I think the American people deserve better. I’ve called on the Attorney General to resign before, but this latest attempt to rewrite history makes it even more clear we need new leadership in the Justice Department.
I was one of the first Senators to oppose Attorney General Barr’s nomination because our nation’s top law enforcement officer has a responsibility to defend the rule of law, not the personal interests of the President.
Time and again, the Attorney General has failed to live up to that standard. I think the American people deserve better. If you agree, I hope you’ll add your name and join me in calling for Mr. Barr’s resignation.
Sincerely,
Mark Warner
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