Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(62,392 posts)
Thu Jul 25, 2024, 04:30 PM Jul 25

Former AG Bill Barr personally involved in decision to publicize details of 2020 mail-in ballot probe, DOJ watchdog find

Source: CNN

Former AG Bill Barr personally involved in decision to publicize details of 2020 mail-in ballot probe, DOJ watchdog finds

By Hannah Rabinowitz and Tierney Sneed, CNN
4 minute read
Published 12:20 PM EDT, Thu July 25, 2024

(CNN) — A Justice Department watchdog has found that former Attorney General Bill Barr was personally involved in the decision to publicize an incident from the 2020 election – nine mail-in ballots for Donald Trump being discarded in a dumpster in Pennsylvania – that flamed the false narrative of widespread voter fraud.

But the department’s inspector general stopped short of finding that Barr violated any internal policies, concluding that he had wide discretion as attorney general to disclose details from criminal investigations. Investigators ultimately determined that the ballots were discarded in error by a contractor, and no charges were brought.

The inspector general looked at the decision to put out a press release about the incident from Justice Department prosecutors in the Middle District of Pennsylvania in September 2020. The release said investigators were looking into “potential issues with mail in ballots.”

Barr “encouraged and authorized” US Attorney David Freed to issue the statement – a move several DOJ attorneys called “unusual” – and he “specifically approved inclusion of the details about the discarded ballots, including that all the recovered ballots had been cast for President Trump,” according to the inspector general’s report released Thursday.

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/25/politics/bill-barr-2020-election-fraud/index.html

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Former AG Bill Barr personally involved in decision to publicize details of 2020 mail-in ballot probe, DOJ watchdog find (Original Post) Eugene Jul 25 OP
Trump said Barr was "his AG" SharonClark Jul 25 #1
They opened the ballots? Grins Jul 25 #2
Yes I thought the same thing as I read this article FakeNoose Jul 25 #3

Grins

(7,658 posts)
2. They opened the ballots?
Thu Jul 25, 2024, 04:54 PM
Jul 25
“…all the recovered ballots had been cast for President Trump.”

How did they know? They opened them? Why would they do that?

FakeNoose

(34,592 posts)
3. Yes I thought the same thing as I read this article
Thu Jul 25, 2024, 11:27 PM
Jul 25

Our Pennsylvania mailed ballots have 2 envelopes. The ballot must be placed inside the 2nd "Privacy" envelope and completely sealed. The outer mailing envelope shows the address and signature of the voter, plus the date they signed the envelope.

There's no way that Bill Barr or anyone else would have known that the discarded votes were cast for Chump unless he violated the law by opening the inner Privacy envelopes.

Latest Discussions»Editorials & Other Articles»Former AG Bill Barr perso...