New Statements by Outgoing Barr Won't Please Trump

William Barr's last day as attorney general is Wednesday, and he's going out in a way that surely won't please President Trump. In a news conference Monday, Barr said he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to investigate claims of election fraud or the business dealings of President-elect Joe Biden's son Hunter, reports USA Today. Barr also shot down the idea of seizing voting machines, saying he sees "no basis" for such an action. He added that while he's "sure there was fraud in this election," he said he didn't deem it widespread enough to affect the outcome, per the Washington Post.

"If I thought a special counsel at this stage was the right tool and was appropriate, I would name one, but I haven't, and I'm not going to," Barr said. In regard to Hunter Biden, Barr noted that an ongoing investigation is "being handled responsibly and professionally" currently within the department. "To this point, I have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel, and I have no plan to do so before I leave," he said. The AP reports that Trump has been considering whether to push the Justice Department to name special counsels in order to make it harder for the Biden administration to close any investigations. (More William Barr stories.)