An hour recognize myself for questions.
First of all, gentlemen, Thank you for being here today, All of you
served at former President Trump's pleasure at the Department of
Justice in top leadership positions with tremendous responsibilities.
Former attorney general Bill Barr told the Select committee that
before he left the department in December, 2020
He told President Trump On at least three occasions, there was no
evidence of widespread election fraud that would have changed the
results of the presidential election.
And refuted numerous specific claims of election fraud. The president
was making
Mr Rosen after Mr Barr announced his resignation.
The Donald Trump continued to demand that the Department of Justice
investigate his claims of election fraud.
Yes, he asserted that he thought the Justice Department had not done
Enough.
Thank you from the time you took over from Attorney General Bar until
January, 3rd. How often did President Trump contact you or the department?
To push allegations of election fraud.
So between December 23rd and January 3rd
The president either called me or met with me virtually every day.
With one or two exceptions, like Christmas Day.
Um, And before that, because I had been announced that I would become
the acting attorney general before the data actually did. The president
had asked
That are rich Donahue and I go over and meet with him. I believe
on December 15th as well.
So after you at some of these meetings and conversations with the
president
Um, what things? Uh, the President raised with you.
So the common element of all of this was the president, expressing
his dissatisfaction that the Justice Department, in his view had
not done enough to investigate election fraud.
But at different junctures.
Um other topics came up at different intervals. So at one point,
he had raised the question of having a special counsel for election
fraud.
Uh, at a number of points he raised
Ah, request that I meet with his campaign counsel, Mr Giuliani. At
one point, he raised the
Whether the Justice Department would file a lawsuit in the Supreme
Court.
At, uh, a couple of junctures. There were questions about making
public statements or about
Holding a press conference. One of the later junctures our was this
issue of sending a letter to state legislatures in Georgia or other
states.
And
so there were different things raised in different parts of our different
intervals with the common theme, being his dissatisfaction about
what the Justice Department had done to
AH, investigate election fraud.
I will say.
That the Justice Department
Um, declined.
All of those requests that I was just referencing because we did
not think that they were appropriate based on the facts and the law.
As we understood them.
Thank you.
So Mr Donahue on December 15th the day after Attorney General Barr
denounced Israeli resignation.
The president, someone you and Mr Rosen to the White House.
At this meeting with the president.
What did he want to discuss?
There are a number of topics of discussion that day, Mr Chairman.
Much of the conversation focused on a report that had been recently
released relating to Antrim County in Michigan.
I believe on December 13th.
An organization called the Allied Security Group issued a report
that alleged that the Dominion Building machines in that county had
the 68% error rate.
The report was widely covered in the media. We were aware of it.
We obtained a copy of it on the 14th of December the day prior. We
circulate to the U. S attorneys in Michigan for their awareness,
and we had a number of discussions internally. But the conversation
with the president
On that day, the 15th was largely focused on that. And he was essentially
saying, Have you seen this report?
He was adamant that the report must be accurate that it proved that
the election was defective that he, in fact won the election and
the department should be using that report.
To basically
tell the American people that the results were not trustworthy, and
he went on to other theories as well.
But the bulk of that conversation on December 15th focused on Antrim
County, Michigan, in the Assad report.
Thank you.
Mr Engel. We know that Attorney General Barr announced
On December 1st 2020 that the Department of Justice had found no
evidence of widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome
of elections.
So from December 1st 2020 until today as you sit here.
Have you ever doubted that top line conclusion?
No, I've never had any reason to doubt. Attorney General bars Conclusion.
Thank you.
Pursuant to Section five c eight of House resolution 503. The chair
now recognizes the gentleman from Illinois kings and girl for questions.