Ex-AG Barr: Trump conduct ‘betrayal’ of presidency

Former Attorney General William Barr said Thursday President Donald Trump’s conduct as a violent mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol was a “betrayal of his office and supporters.” Separately, more than 6,200 additional National Guard members were activated to secure the Capitol ahead of president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Barr said Thursday that “orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable.”

Barr was one of Trump’s most loyal and ardent defenders in the Cabinet.

His comments come a day after angry and armed protesters broke into the U.S. Capitol, forcing Congress members to halt the ongoing vote to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s election and then flee from the House and Senate chambers.

Barr resigned last month https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/trump-says-barr-resigning-will-leave-before-christmas amid lingering tension over the president’s baseless claims of election fraud and the investigation into Biden’s son.

Barr’s comments came as the Defense Department had formally activated roughly 6,200 members of the National Guard from six states to help support the Capitol Police and other law enforcement in Washington in the wake of the deadly riot Wednesday that rocked the U.S. Capitol.

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller signed orders activating the National Guard from Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland for up to 30 days. A defense official said the goal is to have Guard members help secure the U.S. Capitol and the surrounding area through the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

The Guard members are arriving over the next several days. A total of 6,200 have been activated, but the exact number of troops that will actually get to the city may be less than that, depending on who is available in each state. The Guard won’t be armed, but will have riot gear and protective clothing, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide troop details.

The orders come a day after angry and armed protesters broke into the U.S. Capitol, forcing Congress members to halt the ongoing vote to certify Biden’s election and then flee from the House and Senate chambers.

Four people died in the melee, including a protester who was shot by police. The vote was later completed after the building was cleared.

In another development Thursday, Trump’s former acting White House chief of staff resigned his post as special envoy to Northern Ireland on Thursday, saying “I can’t do it. I can’t stay.”

Mick Mulvaney joined a growing list of Trump administration officials who are leaving following the riot.

Mulvaney said he called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday night to tell him that he was resigning. Mulvaney served as acting White House chief of staff from January 2019 until March 2020. Before that, he was director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with some of them, are choosing to stay because they’re worried the president might put someone worse in,” Mulvaney told CNBC.