Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, a longtime supporter of the “unitary executive” theory of presidential power and a once close ally of President Trump, condemned the president for inciting Wednesday’s violent mob attack. “Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable,” Barr said in a statement to the Associated Press. Trump’s actions represented a “betrayal of his office and supporters,” Barr added. During last summer’s protests on police brutality in the nation’s capital, Barr directed troves of armed, unmarked law enforcement officials to monitor the scene. He would later fall out of favor with the president, departing in December after rebuking Trump’s baseless claims of widespread election fraud.
