William Barr on Trump and ‘bullshit’ claims of election fraud

Portland OR

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Former Attorney General Bill Barr said the Justice Department always knew Trump's claims of election fraud were "bullshit." Last December, Barr said: "To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election." That comment infuriated then-President Trump, Barr told the Atlantic. “How the f*ck could you do this to me? Why did you say it?” Trump asked Barr. Barr responded that he said it because it was true. “You must hate Trump. You must hate Trump," Trump said, referring to himself in the 3rd person, according to Barr. “My attitude was: It was put-up or shut-up time,” Barr told The Atlantic. “If there was evidence of fraud, I had no motive to suppress it. But my suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there. It was all bullshit.” Barr said the department investigated a specific allegation, spread by Trump allies, that ballots were being wheeled into a central precinct in Wayne County, Mich., but found a simple explanation. “In every other county, they count the ballots at the precinct, but in Wayne County, they bring them into one central counting place. So the boxes are coming in all night. The fact that boxes are coming in—well, that’s what they do.” The department also looked into claims that machines were switching votes from Trump to Biden. "“We realized from the beginning it was just bullshit." Barr also said that he told Trump the lawyers pursuing legal election fights were a "clown show." Barr said that Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had been urging him to speak out against Trump's false claims since November but would not do so himself. McConnell did not want to upset Trump as he needed Trump to campaign in Georgia. “Look, we need the president in Georgia,” McConnell said, according to Barr. “And so we cannot be frontally attacking him right now. But you’re in a better position to inject some reality into this situation. You are really the only one who can do it.” The department also looked into claims that machines were switching votes from Trump to Biden. "“We realized from the beginning it was just bullshit." Trump lost that election to now-President Biden, but had sought to overthrow the will of the voters by pushing a mix of conspiracy theories and outright falsehoods claiming he had actually won key states. Trump was clearly hoping that Barr’s Justice Department would help him in the effort. Barr had been widely seen as a Trump loyalist, and the attorney general had drawn widespread criticism for his favorably manipulated interpretation of the Mueller report, in trump's favor. Trump and his allies had been pushing a number of discredited claims, including one that voting machines were switching votes from Trump to Biden. “We realized from the beginning it was just bullshit,” Barr told the Atlantic of the idea that voting machines were changing votes. About two weeks later, Trump tweeted out Barr’s resignation letter, of which a substantial portion was dedicated to praising the president. “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!” Trump tweeted. “As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family.”