AG nominee William Barr seeks to assure senators he won’t be a Trump loyalist
Vowing “I will not be bullied,” President Donald Trump‘s nominee for attorney general asserted independence from the White House, saying he believed that Russia had tried to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, that the special counsel investigation shadowing Trump is not a witch hunt and that his predecessor was right to recuse himself from the probe. The comments by William Barr at his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday pointedly departed from Trump’s own views and underscored Barr’s efforts to reassure Democrats that he will not be a loyalist to a president who has appeared to demand it from law enforcement. He also repeatedly sought to assuage concerns that he might disturb or upend special counsel Robert Mueller‘s investigation as it reaches its final stages. Some Democrats are concerned about that very possibility, citing 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. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Barr the memo showed “a determined effort, I thought, to undermine Bob Mueller.” The nominee told senators he was merely trying to advise Justice Department officials against “stretching the statute beyond what was intended” to conclude the president had obstructed justice. Though Barr said an attorney general should work in concert with an administration’s policy goals, he broke from some Trump talking points, including the mantra that the Russia probe is a witch hunt, and said he frowned on “Lock Her Up” calls for Hillary Clinton. Trump has equivocated on Russian meddling in the 2016 election and assailed and pushed out his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing because of his work with the Trump campaign. Barr stated without hesitation that it was in the public interest for Mueller to finish his investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin to sway the presidential election. He said he would resist any order by Trump to fire Mueller without cause and called it “unimaginable” that Mueller would do anything to require his termination. “I believe the Russians interfered or attempted to interfere with the election, and I think we have to get to the bottom of it,” Barr said during the nine-hour hearing. He said that, at 68 years old and partially retired, he felt emboldened to “do the right thing and not really care about the consequences.” If a president directs an attorney general to do something illegal, he said, an attorney general must resign. “I will not be bullied into doing anything that I think is wrong by anybody, whether it be editorial boards or Congress or the president,” Barr said. Consumed by the partial government shutdown, Trump remained out of sight at the White House but also kept an eye on the news coverage of the hearing and told aides he was pleased with how Barr was handling himself, said two White House officials and a Republican close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal conversations. On other topics, Barr echoed in part Trump’s hardline immigration stance and said the Justice Department would not go after marijuana companies in states where the drug is legal. He also would not rule out jailing reporters for doing their jobs, saying he could envision circumstances where a journalist could be held in contempt “as a last resort.” Barr’s hearing continues Wednesday with a lineup of character witnesses, including former Attorney General Michael Mukasey. Barr’s confirmation is likely, given that Republicans control the Senate. Even some Democrats have been looking to move on from acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who declined to remove himself the Russia probe and has faced scrutiny over his private dealings. But he nonetheless faced skeptical questions from Democrats over whether he could oversee without bias or interference the remainder of Mueller’s probe. Feinstein said the nominee’s past rhetoric in support of expansive presidential powers “raises a number of serious questions about your views on executive authority and whether the president is, in fact, above the law.” Barr, responding with a more moderate view, said he believed a president who ordered an attorney general to halt an investigation would be committing an “abuse of power” if not necessarily a crime. Barr said under questioning from Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, that he wouldn’t interfere with a Mueller request to subpoena Trump for his testimony “if there was a factual basis.” But he also said he saw no reason to change Justice Department legal opinions that have held that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Barr called Mueller a friend of 30 years and said “it is vitally important” that Mueller be allowed to complete his investigation. “I don’t believe Mr. Mueller would be involved in a witch hunt,” he said when asked by the panel’s Republican chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The special counsel is required to report his findings confidentially to the Justice Department. Barr said he then expected to produce his own report to Congress and said it was his goal to release as much information as possible to the public, though he stopped short of a direct pledge. He also noted the Justice Department does not typically disclose information about people it decides not to prosecute. He disclosed having discussed Mueller with Trump during a meeting in 2017 when Barr declined to join his legal team. He said he and his wife had been “sort of looking forward to a bit of respite and I didn’t want to stick my head into that meat grinder.” Trump wanted to know what Mueller, who worked for Barr when he led the Justice Department between 1991 and 1993, was like. “He was interested in that, wanted to know what I thought about Mueller’s integrity and so forth and so on,” Barr said. “I said Bob is a straight shooter and should be dealt with
Alabama Chief of Staff defends Jeff Sessions in primetime AC360 interview
Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General, is getting some primetime support as he comes under fire by Democrats across the country. William Smith, Chief of Staff to Alabama 6th District Rep. Gary Palmer and former chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is led by Sessions, went on AC360 Wednesday night to defend the Senator against racist allegations from the left. On the CNN show, Smith said that in 20 years he worked with Sessions, he had seen no evidence of racism, telling host Anderson Cooper, “[Sessions] never exhibited any racial behavior.” “There’s no doubt in my mind that Senator Sessions is being smeared,” Williams continued. Watch the interview below:
Luther Strange joins state AGs urging Senate to confirm Jeff Sessions
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange joined 24 other state attorneys general in urging the leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee to confirm the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as United States Attorney General, when the confirmation hearings convene on Jan. 10, 11. “Few positions are more important than our nation’s attorney general,” Attorney General Strange wrote in a joint letter to Senators Chuck Grassley and Patrick Leahy Thursday. “The person who fills that role is not only charged with keeping our streets safe, but upholding the legal principles that are the bedrock of our republic. Senator Sessions has proven over a long and distinguished career that he has the character to serve as United States Attorney General for all Americans. We urge his confirmation.” Attorney General Strange and his colleagues further emphasized Senator Sessions’ unique breadth of experience as a United States Attorney, State Attorney General and more recently as a long-serving U.S. Senator focusing on judicial fairness. “He has faced the challenges of balancing justice with fairness and the rule of law with individual freedom, qualifications that make him well suited to his new role,” they added. “His leadership on important policy matters has been invaluable.” The AGs also detailed how, in 2001, Sessions led the efforts to reduce unfair disparity in drug sentencing. Citing his introduction of the first bipartisan drug sentencing reform act, which ultimately became law that has not only saved the federal government millions of dollars and reduced sentences for non-violent offenders, but also has set a standard for fairness in sentencing. “We need that kind of thoughtfulness, discretion, and leadership at the helm of the Department of Justice,” the AGs opined. “I have known Senator Sessions for more than 20 years and am convinced he possesses the right combination of legal experience and judgment to lead the U.S. Justice Department,” said Attorney General Strange. “I am proud to support his nomination.” Last week, Strange officially threw his hat into the ring to replace Sessions in the U.S. Senate should he vacate the seat to become U.S. Attorney General.
Head of NATO talks to Donald Trump
The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump‘s transition activities (all times EST): 2:15 p.m. — NATO says its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg spoke with President-elect Donald Trump for the first time to congratulate the businessman on his election victory. The military alliance says both leaders agreed during a telephone call on Friday that progress has been made on making sure member countries are sharing the defense burden, but that there is more to do. NATO became a debated part of the presidential election after Trump suggested that the U.S. might abandon its NATO treaty commitments and pull out of the alliance if other countries don’t contribute more. The alliance statement says Stoltenberg looks forward to welcoming Trump to Brussels for next year’s NATO summit. 1:20 p.m. — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says last week’s election could be called “the revenge of flyover country.” In his speech at the conservative Federalist Society Friday, the Republican senator said the “utter astonishment” of Democrats is a result of not listening to the American people. He said voices were crying, “leave us alone.” Cruz lost the GOP primary to President-elect Donald Trump, and didn’t endorse him until late in the race. Without mentioning Trump by name, Cruz said Republicans should move forward by being honest and trustworthy and remembering they serve a cause greater than themselves. When asked if he might be a candidate for the Supreme Court’s open seat, Cruz said “history is long and can take unexpected paths,” but he looks forward to continuing his time in the Senate. 12:40 p.m. — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says Donald Trump won election as president by running against both political parties. Haley is telling conservative lawyers who are meeting in Washington Friday that Trump’s victory offers Republicans a chance to regain the public’s trust, but only if the party restrains spending and returns power to the states. Haley says voters rejected “the political class of all stripes, Republicans included.” She says now Republican control of the White House and Congress offers the party a rare opportunity, and that it’s important that Trump and Republican leaders in Congress take action quickly and “we don’t stop.” Haley acknowledges that she was not Trump’s “biggest cheerleader.” But she said she voted for him and was thrilled that he won. 12:30 p.m. — Among the people meeting with the president-elect this weekend: the man who marshalled more outside money than anyone else to help Donald Trump win the White House. Todd Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, helped raise at least $66 million for outside groups called Future 45 and the 45 Committee – a nod the incoming 45th president. Ricketts is emblematic of what a topsy-turvy election it has been. Before helping Trump, Ricketts was part of a super PAC that spent more than any other trying to stop him from winning the Republican nomination. Ricketts lives in Chicago and is a small business owner and board member of TD Ameritrade, which his billionaire father founded. Trump’s team is turning its attention to economic positions in the administration, including the Department of Commerce. 11:55 a.m. — Donald Trump is stoking speculation about his future cabinet picks as he continues holding meetings behind closed doors. Trump aides say the president-elect will be meeting Saturday with retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis. Mattis is a potential contender to serve as Trump’s defense secretary. Trump is also meeting with Michelle Rhee and Betsy DeVos, two well-known education activists. Trump aides have cautioned that not everyone meeting with the president-elect is under consideration for an administration position. They say Trump is meeting with experts to hear their thoughts and advice. Also expected to sit down with Trump on Saturday are 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts, anti-poverty advocate Bob Woodson, and restaurant executive Andy Puzder. 11:20 a.m. — A Democratic House member says attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions is the right pick “if you have nostalgia for the days when blacks kept quiet, gays were in the closet, immigrants were invisible and women stayed in the kitchen.” Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., says no senator has fought harder “against the hopes and aspirations” of Latinos, immigrants and people of color. Gutierrez is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. While the Senate, not the House, will decide if Sessions should be confirmed, the comments by Gutierrez suggest the process will likely be contentious. Sen. Sessions, R-Ala., is one of the more conservative members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and has said the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division should not be used as a “sword” to promote political agendas. The Senate denied him a federal judgeship in 1986 after he was accused of making racially charged remarks while U.S. attorney in Alabama. 10:50 a.m. — Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley says he is confident his panel would approve the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Sessions would still face a vote by the full Senate, but a committee endorsement would be a critical first step. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, says Sessions is a respected colleague who “has worked across the aisle on major legislation.” Grassley added that as a former U.S. attorney, Sessions has the right background. 10:40 a.m. — Mike Pompeo, a conservative Republican congressman from Kansas, says he accepts President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to nominate him to lead the CIA. In a statement on Friday, he said that while he has loved representing Kansans in Congress, the opportunity to lead a top U.S. intelligence agency is a call to service he can’t ignore. Pompeo still must be confirmed by the Senate. The 52-year-old was elected to Congress during the tea party wave of 2010. Pompeo has been a harsh critic of the Obama administration. He denounced the Iran deal, which granted Tehran sanctions relief for rolling back its nuclear weapons program, and was a member of the congressional committee that blasted Hillary Clinton over the attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya.
