DOJ Prosecutors Say Barr’s Authorization Of Voter Fraud Probes Is ‘Not Based In Fact’

Topline

More than a dozen career federal prosecutors signed a letter Friday criticizing Attorney General William Barr’s decision to greenlight probes into voting irregularities, the Washington Post reported, the latest pushback against an unusual directive that some Department of Justice staffers warn is politically problematic and unnecessary due to a lack of credible evidence of voter fraud.

Key Facts

Key Background

On Monday, Barr told prosecutors they can start looking into allegations of voting irregularities, as long as they are credible and may have altered the results of an election. This memo lifted a longstanding DOJ rule forcing prosecutors to wait until all votes are tallied and final results are certified before any election-related investigations can move forward, a protocol designed to prevent the agency from interfering in elections. Barr’s decision drew criticism from Democrats, especially because it came as President Donald Trump spread false conspiracy theories about voter fraud and denied President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Tangent

Barr’s memo has frustrated staffers across DOJ this week. Several department officials have reportedly expressed alarm, worrying Barr was giving into Trump’s baseless allegations of voter fraud, and DOJ’s top election crimes prosecutor stepped down from his leadership post within hours of the decision.

What To Watch For

It’s still unclear whether any federal prosecutors will end up launching election-related probes. Barr said investigations need to be based on credible allegations, and there is currently no evidence of widespread voter fraud anywhere in the United States.

Further Reading

Federal prosecutors assigned to monitor election malfeasance tell Barr they see no evidence of substantial irregularities (Washington Post)