Headlines for February 19, 2020

President Trump falsely called himself the “chief law enforcement officer” of the United States Tuesday. This is Trump speaking about the Justice Department’s abrupt decision to withdraw an earlier sentencing recommendation for Trump’s close friend and former campaign adviser Roger Stone, who was found guilty of seven counts of lying to Congress.

President Donald Trump: “Just so you understand, I chose not to be involved. I’m allowed to be totally involved. I’m actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country. But I’ve chosen not to be involved.”

Trump’s statement is not correct: The attorney general is the United States’ top law enforcement officer, not the president. Trump’s false claim comes as more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials have now called on Attorney General William Barr to resign, after he intervened in Stone’s sentencing. Four federal prosecutors withdrew from the case, and one resigned from his job, over Barr’s actions. The Federal Judges Association is holding an emergency meeting today amid the growing concerns about Trump’s intervention in the Stone case and the Justice Department overall. Roger Stone will be sentenced on Thursday, despite Trump demanding a new trial.