Barr authorises DOJ to investigate election ‘fraud’ as Georgia fights allegations

Attorney General Bill Barr has authorised Department of Justice prosecutors to investigation claims of voter fraud in the US election. The decision, announced in a DOJ memo, contradicts longstanding practices of the department staying out of election processes. 

The investigation comes as election officials in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania have all defended their processes over the last week. An election official in Georgia, a Republican, said if any voter fraud were to be found it would be minimal. This comes as President-elect Joe Biden’s lead in Georgia has grown to more than 11,000 votes. 

Mr BIden held his first policy speech on Monday that focused on the coronavirus pandemic. In the speech, he implored Americans to wear a mask due to fears an additional 200,000 people could die in the country from the novel virus. 

Earlier that day, Mr Biden praised scientists working on Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, which was shown to be 90-per cent effective, but warned the jab will not be in play for months yet.