On the week that celebrated the life of former President George H. W. Bush \u2014 who served his country with class, commitment, honor and humility \u2014 it seems\u2026<\/b>
\nOn the week that celebrated the life of former President George H. W. Bush \u2014 who served his country with class, commitment, honor and humility \u2014 it seems incongruous that President Donald Trump would nominate the same lawyer who served Bush as attorney general.
But William P. Barr could be just what is needed right now to lead the nation\u2019s premier law enforcement agency. Decent, sane and highly qualified, Barr appears to be a solid and surprisingly conventional choice. He has demonstrated a commitment to the rule of law at a time when Trump has put that principle at risk.
Barr, 68, was one of the young, conservative Republicans who apprenticed in Ronald Reagan\u2019s White House and then won key assignments from the president who succeeded him. In 1989, Barr joined the Justice Department to head the office that was in the thick of every major legal issue the administration tackled. He became deputy attorney general and then was nominated as attorney general in 1991.
While Democrats backed then vehemently disagreed with Barr on issues such as abortion \u2014 at confirmation hearings, Barr said that the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion was wrongly decided \u2014 Senate Democrats did not even seek a roll call, and Barr was confirmed by a voice vote.
This time around, Barr should be and will be carefully vetted by the Senate. He is a staunch law-and-order conservative who has worked in the corporate world since leaving the Bush administration.
The issues that deserve the most scrutiny are his belief in expansive executive powers and his agreement with several Trump actions. Barr saw no problem with the president firing then-FBI director James Comey, an issue now part of special counsel Robert Mueller\u2019s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Barr has suggested that Mueller\u2019s hiring of prosecutors who had donated to Democratic campaigns might taint the inquiry. And he asserted that \u201cthere is nothing inherently wrong about a president calling for an investigation\u201d of a political rival, as Trump has repeatedly done of Hillary Clinton. Importantly, Barr added, \u201can investigation shouldn\u2019t be launched just because a president wants it.\u201d
With a handful of Democrats already lambasting Barr, his confirmation hearing is likely to be tumultuous. But Democrats should keep their eye on the long game.
There is no comparison between Barr and current acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, whose chief qualification is his open hostility to Mueller\u2019s investigation.
The Senate should get confirmation hearings going quickly. Barr should be asked tough questions. But Democrats should keep in mind the alternative. The sooner Whitaker is replaced, the better.<\/p>\n