DOJ Investigation Could Be Signal For Donald Trump To Resign & Seek Pardon, Journalist Suggests

Attorney General William Barr’s Department of Justice recently announced an investigation into a possible scheme to funnel money to Donald Trump’s White House in exchange for a presidential pardon. According to journalist Anshel Sag, the announcement of the probe might have a hidden purpose.

“The timing of this investigation seems very suspicious, as in, it allows for exactly enough time for Trump to resign and for [Mike] Pence to pardon him,” he tweeted.

As reported by CNN, the investigation referenced by Sag was revealed in court records that were unsealed in federal court on Tuesday. The news network claimed that the records don’t reveal the timeline of the purported scheme or the names of anyone involved. According to the publication, a DOJ official told them that no government official was — or is — the target or subject of the investigation

“The case is the latest legal twist in the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration after several of his top advisers have been convicted of federal criminal charges and as the possibility rises of Trump giving pardons to those who’ve been loyal to him,” the publication wrote.

Barr’s close relationship with the head of state has caused scrutiny for some time. A previous report from The Intercept spotlighted former DOJ officials who suggested that Barr was attempting to undermine the election and help Trump win. But on Tuesday, he broke with the president on claims of widespread electoral fraud.

As reported by CNN, the controversial attorney general claimed that the Justice Department has, thus far, not found any evidence of significant voter fraud that would overturn the results of the election.

“His decision represented a final failure of Trump’s often successful attempt to weaponize the Justice Department as a personal and potent political weapon,” the publication wrote.

Speculation around a possible Trump resignation and Pence pardon has also swirled for months. Most recently, columnist Brent Budowsky predicted that the president would resign shortly before Inauguration Day and allow Pence to step in as commander-in-chief and offer him a pardon.

According to Budowsky, a presidential pardon would make state-level cases against Trump easier to manage and make it easier for him to execute business deals after his presidency. The writer also predicted that the head of state would issue pardons to allies and family members in the lead-up to his resignation.

Since the election was called for Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has pardoned former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn was charged for lying to the FBI and could have faced additional charges in the future for undisclosed lobbying for Turkey.