Top DOJ official steps down after Trump’s attorney general authorises election fraud investigations

Civil rights organisations say resignation shows how grossly politicised DOJ has become under Barr

Attorney General William Barr leaves the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday (AP)

The top federal investigator of election crimes in the US has resigned just hours after Donald Trump’s attorney general William Barr authorised probes into claims of voter fraud.

Richard Pilger, director of the election crimes branch of the Department of Justice (DOJ), stepped down from the post he has held since 2010 on Monday, the New York Times first reported.

In an email, Mr Pilger told colleagues that the attorney general’s decision is “abrogating the 40-year-old Non-Interference Policy for ballot fraud investigation in the period prior to elections becoming certified and uncontested.”

“Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications… I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the election crimes branch,” wrote Mr Pilger in his email, which was also shared by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights on Twitter.

“Pilger is staying at DOJ but his resignation from election crimes and the memo are a testament to how grossly politicised and partisan the Barr DOJ is, in service of Trump. It is a total travesty,” tweeted Vanita Gupta, who is the president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Days after the election result was projected in favour of Democrat Joe Biden, Mr Trump has refused to concede and has instead repeatedly claimed fraud in voting across several states.  

It is not the first time that Mr Barr has been accused of using his role to further Mr Trump’s political objectives.

In October, two private ethics groups came out with a detailed study into Mr Barr and the DOJ’s practices and policies since he was appointed by Mr Trump in 2019. The study accused the attorney general of using his public office for prioritising the president’s interests and political objectives over those of US national security.

It had urged the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against Mr Barr.