Established Fact
Former U.S. Attorney William McSwain publicly disclosed that Attorney General William Barr directed him to pass all Pennsylvania election-fraud reports to Attorney General Josh Shapiro rather than investigate them independently. Shapiro was an elected Democrat who had appeared in campaign advertising during the 2020 election, publicly stated before the election that he intended to “fight like hell” to ensure Pennsylvania went for Biden, and was directly involved in election-related litigation. As a result of Barr’s instruction, certified letters detailing specific alleged election-law violations and evidence destruction – sent by plaintiffs Hoopes and Stenstrom on January 4, 2021 – were functionally suppressed: as of November 17, 2021, none of three law enforcement officials had charged any Delaware County election employee with any election-related crime.
Citations
William McSwain, Letter to President Trump (June 2021), publicly released July 2021. Barr directed McSwain to pass Pennsylvania election fraud complaints to AG Josh Shapiro. McSwain letter quoted in Politico: Barr directed McSwain on election fraud claims (July 2021).
McSwain letter released by Trump campaign. See Epoch Times: Trump releases McSwain letter. Barr disputed key aspects of McSwain’s characterization of their conversation.
Philadelphia Inquirer coverage of McSwain letter and Barr-Shapiro referral. See Philadelphia Inquirer: McSwain letter coverage (July 2021). Note: Barr has publicly stated that McSwain’s characterization is not accurate; see also Washington Post coverage.
McSwain Letter Quotes: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/13/barr-election-fraud-claims-499519 | [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/13/barr-election-fraud-claims-499519)
Trump Releases McSwain Letter: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-releases-letter-from-ex-us-attorney-alleging-barr-pressured-him-not-to-probe-voter-fraud-claims-3898922 | [Epoch Times](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-releases-letter-from-ex-us-attorney-alleging-barr-pressured-him-not-to-probe-voter-fraud-claims-3898922)
McSwain Claims Barr Directed Referrals: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/13/trumps-much-hyped-voter-fraud-letter-is-very-thin-gruel/ | [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/13/trumps-much-hyped-voter-fraud-letter-is-very-thin-gruel/)