That seems to be the case. Is he constrained by law or union contracts in firing people at the DOJ? If that is the case, the path needs to be cleared. Barr and every replacement going forward can hide behind that. The DOJ needs to be stripped clean.
While Barr has to contend with lots of constraints in his position, so does every other cabinet member. It goes with the territory. But it doesn’t stop Barr (or any executive for that matter) from establishing priorities and defining tasks for those under him. You can’t let personal conflicts get in the way of your agenda.
Barr is simply too weak to be in the job. If someone like Rudy was in charge you’d see a much different department.
That said, I agree that the DOJ and FBI are so obviously politicized that major reorganizations are inevitable. Rampant corruption and partisanship have already destroyed their credibility. If Trump gets re-elected I expect major changes.