Top Senate Democrat opposes AG nominee
over concerns about Russia probe
Send a link to a friend
[January 17, 2019]
By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democratic
leader Charles Schumer said on Wednesday he will oppose President Donald
Trump's attorney general nominee, William Barr, saying he is not
convinced that Barr will protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia
probe or provide Congress with a full report on Mueller's findings.
"We do not have the kind of strong and clear commitments to the report
being issued and there being no interference in the investigation that
are needed, particularly now, with President Trump treating the Justice
Department as he has," Schumer told reporters following a private
meeting with Barr.
Schumer's comments come one day after Barr appeared for his confirmation
hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Barr vowed he would
let Mueller complete his investigation into whether Trump's campaign
colluded with Russia and provide the public with as many details as
possible on Mueller's conclusions.
Trump has denied colluding and has called the investigation a witch
hunt.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Jan/17/images/ads/current/humanesociety_sda022411.png)
Schumer's opposition to Barr's nomination is not likely to prevent the
Senate from confirming him as attorney general.
Barr enjoys broad support from Republicans, who hold 52 Senate seats.
Only a simple majority in the 100-seat chamber is needed to approve a
nomination.
However, Schumer's concerns could signify that Barr will be confirmed
with little or no Democratic support - a similar outcome to former
Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who won confirmation with the support of
only one Democrat.
Democrats raised concerns about Barr's nomination after learning that
Barr had sent a 19-page legal memo to top Justice Department officials
and Trump's lawyers calling Mueller's probe into whether Trump
obstructed justice "fatally misconceived."
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/011719PICS/news_w39.jpg)
William Barr testifies at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on
his nomination to be attorney general of the United States on
Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri
Gripas
![](../images/ads/current/fitzpatrick_lda_SPONSOR_2017.png)
Barr said on Tuesday that the memo was narrowly focused on one
aspect of the law and did not question the rest of Mueller's
investigation.
Schumer came out against Barr's nomination after learning of the
memo, but said he met with Barr on Wednesday in hopes he could be
convinced to change his vote after Barr's "nice words at the
hearing."
The Justice Department's special counsel regulations require Mueller
to provide a confidential report to the attorney general with his
findings, and give the attorney general discretion to release
details publicly.
Barr has pledged to make as much information public as he can by
law.
But Schumer said that is not enough.
"I asked him, Would he issue the full Mueller report with only
redactions if intelligence agencies said it would compromise
sources? ... He would not give that assurance," Schumer said.
Schumer also said Barr declined to promise that he would not block
Mueller from interviewing certain witnesses or pursuing other areas
of investigation.
(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Leslie Adler)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Aug/26/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_062409.png) |