FRAUD
‘Zero Credibility’: Legal Experts Blast ‘Religious Zealot’ Bill Barr for Politicizing Trump’s Poor Pandemic Performance

Attorney General Bill Barr is getting blasted for a highly-partisan interview he gave to Fox News. Barr’s role as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer is seen as sacrosanct by the American people, who believe the wall between the head of the Dept. of Justice and politics should never be cracked.
The AG attacked the press for waging a “jihad” against Trump’s promotion of an unproven malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, to battle COVID-19, despite it not having been approved, or even appropriately tested for that purpose. And he described President Donald Trump’s early handling of the impending coronavirus pandemic as “statesman-like,” which is false. Numerous reports show Trump was far more aware of how fatal the coronavirus could be and just how much it could disrupt the globe.
“The politicization of decisions like hydroxychloroquine has been amazing to me,” Barr told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. “Before the president said anything about it, there was ‘fair and balanced’ coverage of this very promising drug, and the fact that it had such a long track record that the risks were pretty well known, and as soon as he said something positive about it, the media’s been on a jihad to discredit the drug. It’s been quite strange.”
“It’s very disappointing,” Barr also said, “because I think the president went out at the beginning of [the coronavirus pandemic] and really was statesmanlike, trying to bring people together, working with all the governor. Keeping his patience as he as he got these snarky, gotcha questions from the White House media pool and the stridency of the partisan attacks on him has gotten higher and higher.”
That’s false. The media has worked to inform the public that the drug can be dangerous, and even deadly, when inappropriately used. And reporters have tried to let the public know that reports of the drug’s supposed success in treating the deadly virus has been mostly anecdotal.
Here’s one portion of the interview:
Barr says he’s disappointed about partisanship during the pandemic because the President has acted statesmanlike and worked with all the governors while dealing with gotcha questions from the media. He goes on to accuse the media of leading a jihad against Hydroxychloroquine pic.twitter.com/fW2NLDOzB7
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) April 9, 2020
Many legal experts are furious.
CNN Legal Analyst, former federal and state prosecutor:
AG William Barr is a disgrace, a political hack with zero credibility who constantly embarrasses himself and the Justice Department.
His comments sound like they’re from a campaign spokesperson, not the nation’s top law enforcement official.
For example: (1/3) https://t.co/HxGohon3rh
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) April 9, 2020
– Criticizes media for asking not-nice questions of Trump (this is what our top law enforcement official is worried about)
– Claims media on a “jihad” against Trump’s ideas (speaks for itself).
You want to go work for the campaign, fine. Stop dragging down DOJ with you. (3/3)
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) April 9, 2020
Former SDNY Federal Prosecutor:
Barr is adding to his title of Most Dangerous Trump Cabinet Member. He’s now giving reckless advice on health policy (not part of the AG’s job or expertise) in addition to more explicitly espousing political conspiracy theories about the origins of the Russia Investigation. https://t.co/5qqtmtdhxz
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) April 9, 2020
Attorney and commentator:
Bill Barr got called a fucking fraud who deceived the American people by a Republican-appointed federal judge a month ago, and as far as I can tell @IngrahamAngle was too insipid to mention it and mainstream outlets covering her interview are meekly going along with that.
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 9, 2020
Federal judge, one month ago: “The Court has grave concerns about the objectivity of the process that preceded the public release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report.”
“Attorney General Barr distorted the findings in the Mueller Report.” https://t.co/xDDE3hkOgS
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 9, 2020
Managing editor, Lawfareblog:
It’s not an exaggeration to say if we do what Barr says, people will die https://t.co/926Opccfjc
— Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic) April 9, 2020
Attorney, columnist, pundit:
Just in time for Ramadan, religious zealot AG Bill Barr claims the media is declaring a “jihad” on Trump for his hunch that hydroxychloroquine is a safe drug. After Barr leaves Trump, Im betting that Putin or MBS hires him as his top defender. https://t.co/g2a5yb7t84
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) April 9, 2020
CNN Chief National Security Correspondent:
In which the nation’s top law enforcement official expresses his opinion on social distancing guidelines, a medical treatment and religious freedom: https://t.co/el7aYyPhbX
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) April 9, 2020
MSNBC Justice & Security Analyst, former DOJ spokesman:
Statesmanlike! I thought this had to be a paraphrase until I watched the clip. What a joke Barr has become. https://t.co/7J4kxIi7aB
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) April 9, 2020
Former Justice Department prosecutor:
Religious freedom, as guaranteed in the First Amendment, does not mean people must be religious or the government favors religion.
Barr is a danger. https://t.co/ZSQjFTM11Z
— Michael J. Stern (@MichaelJStern1) April 9, 2020
Conservative think tank scholar:
Bill Barr is simply an awful person besides being the worst Attorney General in the history of United States
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) April 9, 2020
Professor at the U.S. Naval War College:
"The greatest evil is now conceived and ordered in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices." – C.S. Lewis https://t.co/0TAnJvM4so
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 9, 2020
Supreme Court reporter for The Economist:
Bill Barr should go home and hide under his bed https://t.co/98d8wItqAY
— Steven Mazie (@stevenmazie) April 9, 2020
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