Plot twist. According to the New York Times, sources close to Attorney General Bill Barr say he is exploring how to resign from the flaming dumpster fire that is the decomposing Trump administration, before it all ends next month. One source close to Barr who spoke to the Times said he could announce his departure before the end of the year.
By leaving early, Mr. Barr could avoid a confrontation with the president over his refusal to advance Mr. Trump's efforts to rewrite the election results.
Mr. Barr's departure would also deprive the president of a cabinet officer who has wielded the power of the Justice Department more deeply in service of a president's political agenda than any attorney general in a half-century. Conversely, it would please some Trump allies, who have called for Mr. Barr to step down over his refusal to wade further into Mr. Trump's efforts to overturn the election outcome.
Mr. Barr has not made a final decision, and the prospect of him staying on through Jan. 20 remains a possibility, the people familiar with his thinking cautioned. Should Mr. Barr step down before the end of the Trump administration, the deputy attorney general, Jeffrey A. Rosen, would be expected to lead the Justice Department until President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sworn in.
[New York Times, By Peter Baker, Katie Benner, Michael S. Schmidt]
