Conservative lawyers bash Bill Barr for allowing Trump to flout the law

A group of conservative attorneys attacked Attorney General Bill Barr in a letter Friday for his understanding of the Constitution, executive powers, and allowing President Donald Trump unfettered power.

“In recent months, we have become concerned by the conduct of Attorney General William Barr,” the group, Checks & Balances, said in a statement that was shared with The New York Times.

The group, Checks & Balances, is a group of Republican and conservative lawyers, which includes Washington attorney George Conway, known for being one the president's most entertaining Twitter trolls, and the spouse of senior White House aide Kellyanne Conway.

"Mr. Barr’s view on executive power is a misreading of the unitary executive theory," The Times cited Charles Fried, a Harvard Law professor who supported the understanding of executive orders while serving as solicitor general for former President Ronald Reagan. Fried explains the theory, as “the executive branch cannot be broken up into fragments.”

The executive branch can be used to express a president's authority, but “it is also clear that the executive branch is subject to law,” Fried wrote. “Barr takes that notion and eliminates the ‘under law’ part.”

In a recent speech, Barr created a new defense of Trump, saying Trump never withheld the White House aid to Ukraine in exchange for the "favor" he referenced in their July 25 phone call.

“The Republicans in the Senate and in the House think they’re in a Parliament, and their responsibility is to a prime minister to whom they owe party loyalty,” said Stuart Gerson, who served in President George Bush's Justice Department. “That’s not the American tradition. One can recognize substantial executive power, but that doesn’t mean the legislative branch should be dead.”

Read the full report from The New York Times.