Bill Barr accuses Trump of 'extorting' the GOP and squandering Republicans' chances in the midterms
In an interview published in Bari Weiss's Common Sense publication, former Attorney General William Barr accused former President Donald Trump of practicing "extortion" on the GOP by endorsing his own batch of candidates in “pursuit of a personal agenda” instead of focusing on winning his party elections.
“This pursuit of a personal agenda and personal power is weakening the Republican Party at a time when it could have a historic victory and make historic progress in ‘making America great again,'” Barr said.
“The tactic that Trump is using to exert this control over the Republican Party is extortion,” the former AG added. “What other great leader has done this? Telling the party, ‘If it’s not me, I’m going to ruin your election chances by telling my base to sit home. And I’ll sabotage whoever you nominate other than me.’ It shows what he’s all about. He’s all about himself.”
Barr said that the "sharp leftward turn" of Democrats is giving Republicans an opportunity that Trump is squandering.
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“This is how I see the Republican Party: There’s never been more consistent conservatism within the Republican Party than there is today,” he said. “The idea that there are RINOs, people that really don’t support Republican principles, is simply not true."
“What the president is defining as RINOs are people who are true-blue Republicans and conservatives but who just have a problem with Trump personally. This is all personal to Trump,” he continued.
"‘It’s my person or it’s sabotage,'” he said, giving an example of Trump's logic.