‘One of the worst attorneys general in American history’: Criticism of Bill Barr pours in as he resigns

The criticism has been pouring in from all sides for Attorney General William Barr after Donald Trump announced he would be stepping down from the Justice Department before Christmas.

Mr Barr has long been a lightning rod of anger and frustration from Democrats for his handling of the Mueller report, his heavy-handed response to racial justice protests this past summer, and his attempts to investigate FBI and DOJ officials who led probes into Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Recently, the attorney general has become something of a pariah on the right for defying Mr Trump’s claims of election fraud.

Virginia Democratic Congressman Don Beyer summed up his party’s position on the outgoing attorney general with a tweet shortly after the president announced his imminent departure.

“I don't know whether Bill Barr is actually resigning or being fired, but either way he will go down in history as one of the worst Attorneys General in American history,” Mr Beyer said.

And Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal embodied Democrats’ feelings of animus to Mr Barr.

“There should be no sympathy or regret for an Attorney General who trashed the rule of law, caused untold suffering, & enabled a morally depraved president. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Mr Blumenthal tweeted.

Mr Trump wished the attorney general well and said he would be replaced in an acting capacity by Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen.