Democrats Blast AG Barr For ‘Disgraceful’ Decision to Hold Presser on Mueller Report: He’s ‘Trying to Protect’ Trump
The Justice Department confirmed that Attorney General William Barr will be holding a press conference — and taking questions — on Thursday regarding the release of a redacted version of the Mueller report.
The press conference is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., according to the DOJ, which raises questions as to when the Mueller report itself will be released, and whether Barr will seek to spin its findings as favorable to President Donald Trump.
The president’s critics certainly think the press conference is politically motivated. Joe Lockhart, a CNN contributor who served as President Bill Clinton‘s press secretary while he was tormented by his own independent counsel, called the presser a “defensive move.”
“Simply put, Barr is Trump’s press guy tomorrow trying to protect him,” Lockhart wrote on Twitter. “It’s really outrageous.”
“Barr’s news conference tomorrow will be the kickoff of @realDonaldTrump press strategy of making the story about the investigators not the results of the investigation,” he added. “Beyond inappropriate. It’s disgraceful.”
Barr’s news conference tomorrow will be the kickoff of @realDonaldTrump press strategy of making the story about the investigators not the results of the investigation. Beyond inappropriate. It’s disgraceful.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) April 17, 2019
Lockhart’s comments were a response to MSNBC justice analyst Matthew Miller, who wrote that Barr “needs to get out of the way.”
I can’t think of any reason Barr needs to hold a press conference to discuss a report Mueller wrote. He needs to get out of the way. https://t.co/gJbazzL8sO
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) April 17, 2019
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have also begun to weigh in. Democratic Rep. David Cicilline accused the attorney general of trying to frame the findings of the special counsel with his press conference.
Why is William Barr holding a press conference if not to (once again) try and frame the Special Counsel’s findings. Just release the full report and let the American people judge for themselves!
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) April 17, 2019
Rep. Val Demings called the move from Barr “pretty convenient.”
Pretty convenient of the Attorney General to take questions on the report before anyone has a chance to read the report. https://t.co/oiH7ZrsWi4
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) April 17, 2019
[Photo by Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images]
