Top Judiciary Democrat: Vote to confirm Barr hinges on commitment to release final Mueller report

[DonViejo]

Source: USA Today



Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY Published 10:52 a.m. ET Jan. 16, 2019 | Updated 10:54 a.m. ET Jan. 16, 2019

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat signaled Wednesday that she would vote to confirm William Barr as attorney general if the nominee provided greater assurances that he would make public the final report of Russia special counsel Robert Mueller.

A day after Barr promised the committee that he would allow the special counsel to complete his investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, Feinstein said that she had become increasingly "concerned" about whether the nominee would be willing to share Mueller's work in full.

Feinstein, during the second day of Senate confirmation hearings, characterized Barr's daylong testimony as "good" overall. But she said that his commitment to make Mueller's final conclusions public became more "confusing" as the day wore on, at one point indicating that any report submitted to the Justice Department at the end of the inquiry would be confidential.

"This is a big report," Feinstein said. "I don't think there should be very much redaction at all. My vote depends on that." Because Republicans control the Senate, Barr is likely to be confirmed, though the top Democrat's consideration of the nomination represented a departure in a deeply polarized political environment.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/16/feinstein-barr-vote-hinges-mueller-report-release/2591477002/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatodaycomwashington-topstories

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Barr has said he will not interfere with Russia investigation. What he has avoided saying is....

Barr has said several times that he will not interfere with the Russia investigation. What he has avoided saying in his carefully worded responses is that he will not shut down ancillary lines of investigation. He must recuse from the investigation.

Link to tweet

[Bettie]

2. He can say anything he wants to in his confirmation hearings

it isn't as though he can be held to anything he says.

He. Is. Lying. They all do and he's been nominated for one purpose only: to protect AgentOrange.

[dalton99a]

3. Barr has already sold his soul to Trump

He'll lie and say anything to get the job

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Barr on 1/15: "If you're not going to indict someone, you don't ... unload negative information...."

Barr on 1/15: “If you’re not going to indict someone, you don’t . . . unload negative information about the person. That’s not the way the department does business.” Problem: Barr thinks you CAN’T indict a sitting president. So he’s saying (in code) he’ll bury the Mueller report!

Link to tweet

[duforsure]

5. They shouldn't vote for anything

Appointments or legislation until the government is reopened up by McConnell and trump.

[madville]

8. The Senate doesn't need any Democratic votes to confirm nominees

So he is getting confirmed at McConnell's leisure either way.

[olegramps]

6. Their support should be contingent on this requirement without any reservation or omissions.

We, the people, should not tolerate the diversion of classifying the document in part or totally to prevent disclosure. I am, for one, tied of redacted documents that look like a ink blotter to conceal the truth.

[niyad]

7. barr is slime, his word cannot be trusted.