The Latest on William Barr’s nomination to be attorney general (all times local):
1 p.m.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved President Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general.
William Barr’s nomination was approved along party lines Thursday. It now heads to the Senate floor, where Barr is expected to be confirmed.
Barr, who served as attorney general between 1991 and 1993, would succeed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was pushed out by Trump last year.
Democrats have largely opposed Barr’s nomination, saying they want a stronger commitment from him to fully release special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report. Barr says he will release as much as he can under the law.
Opponents have also cited a memo Barr wrote to the Justice Department before his nomination in which he criticized Mueller’s investigation for the way it was presumably looking into whether Trump had obstructed justice.
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12:12 a.m.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to approve William Barr’s nomination to be attorney general, a vote that is likely to be mostly along party lines as Democrats have questioned how transparent Barr will be once special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation concludes.
Once the committee approves the nomination Thursday, it will head to the full Senate, where Barr is expected to be confirmed. That vote could come as soon as next week.
Barr would replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was pushed out by Trump last year. Barr previously served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993.
Democrats and many Republicans have said Mueller’s final report should be fully released. Barr has said he will be as transparent as possible under Justice Department regulations, but many Democrats are skeptical.
Republished with permission from the Associated Press
