Top congressional Democrats, joined by some Republicans, on Friday signaled they will look for assurances from William Barr that he will let special counsel Robert…
Top congressional Democrats, joined by some Republicans, on Friday signaled they will look for assurances from William Barr that he will let special counsel Robert Mueller ‘s investigation continue if he becomes attorney general.
President Trump on Friday named Barr as his pick to fill the top Justice Department spot, a position he also held under former President George H. W. Bush. If confirmed, he would have oversight of Mueller’s probe into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.
Democrats quickly laid out their goalposts for Barr’s nomination, including what they expect to hear from him during his confirmation process about Mueller’s investigation.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N. Y.) said in a statement that Barr must, « under oath, » pledge that he won’t try to interfere in the special counsel investigation, which has been a long-running, frequent punching bag for Trump.
“Given President Trump’s demonstrated lack of regard for the rule of law and the independence of the American justice system, his nominee for attorney general will have a steep hill to climb in order to be confirmed by the Senate, » Schumer said in a statement.
In addition to publicly supporting Mueller’s probe continuing, Schumer added that « at a minimum » and « under oath before the Senate » Barr also has to pledge to make Mueller’s final report available quickly to the public.
