president's personal lawyers.
We count on them to be on the side of the law and to defend the best
interest of the United States, not the best interests of any political
campaign.
That's how it's been since the department was founded soon after
the Civil War.
Justice Department lawyers are supposed to play it 100% straight.
President Trump tried to erase his lost at the ballot box by parachuting
and unqualified man into the top job at justice. It was a power play
to win at all costs, with no regard for the will of the American
people.
It was about ignoring millions of votes. Ignore them. Throw them
out. Label them fraudulent, corrupt, illegal. Whatever facts were
clearly just an inconvenience.
From the Oval Office. President Trump urged others to bring his big
lie to life.
He begged, just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to
me and the Republican congressman.
He didn't care what the department's investigations proved.
What good were facts when they would only confirm his loss.
And it's no surprise that all the far out fully fabricated whack
job conspiracy theories collapsed under even the slightest scrutiny.
That insanity went from the Internet to the highest levels of government
in no time.
The bottom line, the most senior leadership of the Justice Department
from Attorney General Bill Bill Barr to Jeff Rosen, his successor
and his deputy Rich Donahue. Everyone except Jeff Clark.
Was telling President Trump the very same thing. The conspiracy theories
were false.
The allegation of a stolen election was a lie.
The data left no room for doubt. Nothing to question.
And the Constitution left no room for President Trump to change the
outcome of the election.
But we're here today because the facts were irrelevant. The President
Trump
It was about protecting his very real power and very fragile ego,
even if it required recklessly undermining aren't our entire electoral
system.
By wildly casting baseless doubt upon it.
In short, he was willing to sacrifice our republic to prolong his
presidency.
I can imagine no more dishonorable act by a president.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to these men you've heard from here
today.
Real leaders who stood for justice when it was in grave peril.
Who put their country first.
When the leader of the free world demanded otherwise.
They threatened to resign rather than corrupt our democracy and thanks
largely to each of them, President Trump's coup failed.
Contrast that to Jeff Clark, who would do exactly what the president
wanted say there was massive fraud.
Forget the facts and leave the rest to President Trump's congressional
friends.
Mr Clark refused to cooperate with this committee. He pled the fifth
over 125 times. Why risk self in criminal in incrimination?
And President Trump's congressional friends.
Some of them are angling for pardons.
They knew that every bit of what they did was a lie, and it was wrong.
That's all the more reason to respect those who came here to testify
today.
We thank them for their and flinching service in the face of incredible
pressure.
As it said The only thing necessary for evil to succeed is good men
to do nothing.
Thankfully, there were good people in the Department of Justice.
You heard from other good people to on Tuesday.
They, too, defended us.
But I'm still worried that not enough has changed to prevent this
from happening again.
The oath that we take has to mean something.
Has to cut to the core.
Of who we are.
And be the driving force of our service to this nation.
We on this committee, we may be able to shine light on the darkness,
but that is not enough.
It's now up to every American
Now and in the future.
To stand for truth.
To reject the lies.
Wherever we confront them in our towns and our capitals and our friendships
and our families and at the ballot box and within our own minds and
hearts.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.