Obamagate A Hoax? Trump Allegations Against Biden, Obama Won't Lead To Charges From AG Barr

Though President Trump has been trying to stir up supporters with allegations of crimes eclipsing Watergate committed by the Obama administration, Attorney General William Barr said Monday he does not expect any criminal investigation of former President Barack Obama or Vice President Joe Biden.

During a news conference about last year’s shooting at a Florida military base, Barr lashed out at what he called attempts to “gin up allegations of criminality by one’s political opponents.”

“This is not a good development,” Barr said.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is investigating whether any criminal act was involved in Trump’s payment of hush money to two women who claimed to have had affairs with him.

In recent days, the president has been accusing Obama and Biden of wrongdoing in their handling of Russian interference in the 2016 president election.

“Obamagate makes Watergate look small time!” Trump tweeted last Monday. He followed that up with several tweets of “obamagate,” without making any specific charges or providing any evidence of wrongdoing.

Barr’s Justice Department is attempting to drop charges against Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty twice to lying to the FBI about his contacts with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The judge in the case, however, has shown reluctance to go along. Trump has characterized Flynn’s prosecution as persecution.

On Monday, Barr said he has seen no evidence of wrongdoing by Obama or Biden in connection with the case.

“As to President Obama and Vice President Biden, whatever their level of involvement, based on the information I have today, I don’t expect Mr. [North Carolina U.S. Attorney John] Durham’s work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man,” Barr said. “Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others.”

An inspector general’s report found errors were made in the way the FBI conducted the investigation that led to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the election. Mueller concluded Russian intelligence actively interfered in the election, spreading disinformation that created divisions in the electorate and promoted partisan polarization, ultimately helping Trump win the election.