Attorney General William Barr did not speak at the Republican National Convention this week, but that doesn't mean he's been sitting silently on the sidelines during this election season.Barr has done more than a half-dozen TV interviews with national broadcasters since early June in which he has addressed hot-button issues and political fights central to the 2020 campaign.
It is highly unusual for an attorney general to bluntly attack political opponents, particularly during a presidential campaign. Traditionally, they seek to avoid even the perception of trying to tip the scales in their boss' favor.
Legal experts and Justice Department veterans say it is not the attorney general's job to engage in partisan politics. And they say with these sorts of statements, Barr is doing exactly that.
"He has been operating as a political operative and a campaign aide to the president rather than as attorney general of the United States," said Fred Wertheimer, the founder of the left-leaning watchdog group Democracy 21. "Barr is free to have any views he wants but he's not free to exercise those views as attorney general."
The Justice Department's mission, Wertheimer noted, is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice.
"Now, there's no way you can listen to what he says and watch what he does and conclude he is leading the American people to believe he's going to do a fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans," Wertheimer said.
"There's a whole series of things that Barr has done that fairly viewed are either overt political actions or overt political advocacy, which has no appropriate place and no logical place other than to advance the president's reelection," Ayer said.
