Attorney General William Barr defended his independence amid accusations by House Democrats that he had politicized the Justice Department (DOJ) in an effort to secure …
Attorney General William Barr defended his independence amid accusations by House Democrats that he had politicized the Justice Department (DOJ) in an effort to secure favors for President Donald Trump. Barr on Tuesday defended a series of decisions before the House Judiciary Committee, saying that they were made to restore the rule of law and ensure the administration of one system of justice. His appearance before the committee was highly anticipated after the department garnered intense scrutiny for actions taken that appeared to benefit the president and his allies. House Democrats have been seeking Barr’s testimony over his involvement in a series of events, which they characterized as a departure from democratic norms and an erosion of the separation of powers. The lawmakers have long accused the attorney general of acting under the influence of Trump and shielding him from investigations for alleged corruption. “Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the Department’s professional core in an apparent effort to secure favors for the President,” Jerrold Nadler (D-N. Y.), the committee’s chairman, said during his opening statement. “In your time at the Department, you have aided and abetted the worst failings of this President.” The attorney general rejected the claims in his own opening statement, accusing that Democrats on the committee of attempting to “discredit” him by “conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the President’s factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions.” “The President has not attempted to interfere in these decisions. On the contrary, he has told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever call I think is right,” he said.
