Barr tells prosecutors to probe claims of vote irregularities as Trump mounts legal assault on U.S. election

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr told federal prosecutors yesterday to look into any possible “substantial” allegations of voting irregularities in last week’s election but urged them not to pursue “fanciful or far-fetched claims.”

The letter from Barr followed days of attacks on the integrity and legality of the election by President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, who have alleged without evidence that there was widespread voter fraud.

Trump has not conceded the election to Democrat Joe Biden who on Saturday secured more than 270 votes in the Electoral College to capture the presidency.

Earlier yesterday, Trump’s campaign filed a lawsuit to block Pennsylvania officials from certifying Biden’s victory in the state.

“I authorize you to pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions in certain cases, as I have already done in specific instances,” Barr wrote in the letter to federal prosecutors and the FBI director.

He said nothing in his letter should be read to indicate the Justice Department had in fact uncovered voting irregularities that affected the outcome of the election.

The letter was the first time Barr had addressed claims of voter fraud since last Tuesday’s showdown between Trump and Biden.

“While serious allegations should be handled with great care, specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries,” Barr wrote.

Democrats and the Biden campaign said Barr was fueling the very far-fetched claims he claimed he was guarding against.