Dec. 21 (UPI) — Days before leaving his post, Attorney General William Barr said Monday does not see a need for a special prosecutor in the criminal investigation of Hunter Biden or the November election.
President Donald Trump had been considering pushing for a special counsel to investigate the son of President-elect Joe Biden. The younger Biden revealed after the election he is being investigated by Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys in Delaware.
“To the extent that there’s an investigation, I think that it’s being handled responsibly and professionally within the department,” Barr said at a press conference. “And to this point, I have no seen reason to appoint a special counsel, and I see no reason to do so before I leave.”
Jeffery Rosen, who will step in for Barr during the final month of the Trump administration, has declined to say whether he would assign a special prosecutor to the case.
Barr also said he has not seen any systemic cases of voting irregularities in the November election.
“There is fraud unfortunately in most elections, I think we’re too tolerant of it,” Barr said, but added he found no evidence of widespread fraud in this general election.
Barr, one of Trump’s mosy also Barr, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters, said he saw “no basis” for the federal government to seize voting machines used in the Nov. 3 presidential election and affirmed earlier comments that he saw no evidence of systemic fraud in the election.
“I stand by that statement,” Barr said on Monday, referring to comments made in a Dec. 1 interview with the Associated Press.
Incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Sunday Joe Biden is nixing any discussion about his son with attorney general interviewees.
“He will not be discussing an investigation of his son with any attorney general candidates. He will not be discussing it with anyone he is considering for the role,” Psaki said. “And he will not be discussing it with a future attorney general.”
