Senate Democrats opened the high-stakes confirmation of William Barr to be attorney general by pressing him on his memo going after special counsel Robert Mueller's probe and asked if he'll have the 'strength' to push back at President Trump.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the panel, said in her opening statement she had read the memo that Barr sent unsolicited to the White House, and would press him on his far-reaching view of executive powers.
'I believe it's important that the next attorney general be able to strongly resist pressure, whether from the administration or Congress, to conduct investigations for political purposes,' the California Democrat said.
'He must have the integrity, the strength and the fortitude to tell the president no - regardless of the consequences,' Feinstein said in her remarks.
William Barr's confirmation hearing to return to the helm of the Justice Department featured tough grilling from Democrats about his views on the Robert Mueller probe
She said she would question Barr on his written argument that the president's law enforcement powers 'extend to all matters including those in which he has a personal stake' – and brought up Trump's own vows to jail political opponent Hillary Clinton.
In his own opening remarks, Barr acknowledged the government shutdown and expressed solidarity with federal workers in the Justice Department who 'continue to perform their critical jobs.'
Attorney General nominee William Barr, center, and his wife Christine, right, smile before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019
Right away, he provided an assurance he won't allow Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe to be shut down.
'On my watch, Bob will be allowed to finish his work,' referring to his friend Mueller by his first name.
And in another tip to opponents, he said the Justice Department should be a place 'where the rule of law, not politics, holds sway.'
'I will serve in the same independence I did in 1991,' he said, opening his remarks with quips about family members he brought along.
Barr sprinkled his remarks with policy and rhetorical acknowledgements of the priorities of minority Democrats, even though Republicans in the Senate can confirm him without Democratic votes.
He mentioned as priorities the right to vote, the integrity of elections, and foreign interference in elections.
Barr introduced about 10 family members who are all government prosecutors or lawyers.
New Judiciary Chairman 'Lindsey Graham told the little boy he should be a doctor so someone in the family makes some real money
President Donald Trump's attorney general nominee will have to navigate his confirmation hearing skillfully, emphasizing his support for Trump's policies while assuring Democrats he will act independently and won't interfere with the special counsel's Russia investigation.
Barr will face questions Tuesday from the Senate Judiciary Committee about his relationship with Trump and his views on executive powers.
Barr plans to tell legislators that Trump never sought any promises, assurances or commitments – and that he didn't offer Trump any – before he was nominated for the post.
Trump has repeatedly complained that his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was insufficiently loyal because he recused himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Trump ultimately forced Sessions from office.
President Donald Trump picked Barr to replace Jeff Sessions, the attorney general he fired in November
Barr, 68, is expected to be confirmed, unless there is a major surprise during the hearing. It would be his second stint as attorney general, a position he held from 1991 to 1993 during the George H.W. Bush administration.
The hearing will be the first time a high-profile nominee will come before the committee since it considered the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual misconduct. The panel has a new chairman, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Graham said last week after meeting with Barr that the nominee has confidence in Mueller and will let him complete his Russia investigation.
Barr has a 'high opinion' of Mueller, Graham told reporters. 'He had absolutely no indication he was going to tell Bob Mueller what to do or how to do it.'
Barr and Mueller worked together when Barr was Bush's attorney general between 1991 and 1993 and Mueller oversaw the department's criminal division. The two men are 'best friends,' Graham said, and have known each other for 20 years.
Their wives attend Bible study together, and Mueller attended the weddings of two of Barr's daughters.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is Barr's 'best friend,' according to Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said the two men have known each other for 20 years and their wives attend a Bible study together
On Monday, the Justice Department moved to pre-empt the most significant questions that Barr is likely to face by releasing his prepared remarks. Barr plans to tell the senators that it is 'vitally important' that Mueller be allowed to complete his investigation and that he believes Congress and the public should learn the results.
'I believe it is in the best interest of everyone – the president, Congress, and, most importantly, the American people – that this matter be resolved by allowing the special counsel to complete his work,' Barr says.
Barr describes Mueller, a former Justice Department colleague, as a friend he has known personally and professionally for 30 years. Mueller headed the department's criminal division when Barr served as attorney general.
The special counsel is required to confidentially report his findings to the Justice Department. In his prepared remarks, Barr stops short of directly pledging to release Mueller's report, but he expresses general support for disclosing the findings, whatever they may be.
Democrats had raised concerns about Barr's prior comments about the Russia investigation, including an unsolicited memo he sent to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last year criticizing the inquiry into whether the president had obstructed justice.
Barr, pictured with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, released prepared remarks in advance of Tuesday's hearing in an attempt to pre-empt some of Democrats' questions
Barr also sent the memo to White House lawyers and discussed it with Trump's personal attorneys and a lawyer who represents Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, he said in a letter to Graham.
Copies were sent by Barr to White House lawyer Emmet Flood, Solicitor General Noel Francisco and Pat Cipollone, who is now White House counsel. Barr said he discussed the contents of the memo with Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow and Jane and Martin Raskin.
The development is likely to raise even more questions at the hearing about Barr's contact with those close to Trump ahead of his nomination. He has insisted that the memo was not to influence public opinion about Mueller's investigation.
Barr has previously said the president's firing of FBI Director James Comey was appropriate and that the Mueller prosecution team, criticized by Trump for including prosecutors who have contributed to Democrats, should have had more 'balance.'
Barr's role leading the Russia investigation may be especially important since Rosenstein, who has overseen the day-to-day work of Mueller's team, expects to leave the Justice Department soon after Barr is confirmed. It is not clear how much of the investigation will be left by then.
Barr would replace acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who declined to recuse himself from the investigation - despite the advice of a Justice Department ethics official and calls from Democrats who cited Whitaker's past critical comments on the probe.
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Main photo article Senate Democrats opened the high-stakes confirmation of William Barr to be attorney general by pressing him on his memo going after special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe and asked if he’ll have the ‘strength’ to push back at President Trump.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
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