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Attorney General William Barr sits in the Oval Office with President George H.W. Bush in 1992.

Attorney general nominee William Barr faces confirmation hearing

Barr, if approved by the Republican-controlled Senate, will replace former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Contributors: Vox Staff

In December, President Donald Trump nominated William Barr, a conservative lawyer and former attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, to be the next attorney general.

Barr served as attorney general about 25 years ago, from 1991 to 1993, and at the time was one of the youngest people ever to hold the position. His ties to a past Republican administration may benefit him in what’s sure to be a bruising confirmation fight.

Lawmakers will likely grill Barr on his opinions about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, especially after the nominee wrote an unsolicited memo last summer blasting the obstruction of justice inquiry into Trump. Barr has made other questionable statements related to the probe in 2017. He’s also likely to face questions about his views on executive power, immigration, and criminal justice.

Barr’s nomination came a month after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned, at Trump’s request, in November.

20 Total Updates Since
Dec 7, 2018, 11:27am EST
  • February 14, 2019

    Attorney general nominee William Barr’s “tough on crime” record, explained

    By German Lopez

    Here’s why Trump’s attorney general nominee worries criminal justice reformers.

  • February 14, 2019

    The Senate confirms Bill Barr as attorney general

    By Li Zhou and Jen Kirby

    There are still outstanding questions about how much of the Mueller report he’s actually willing to share.

  • January 29, 2019

    Bill Barr’s confirmation vote gets postponed by one week amid Democratic opposition

    By Li Zhou

    The Senate Judiciary Committee has delayed its consideration of the attorney general’s nomination.

  • January 28, 2019

    The Trump administration’s crackdown on marijuana legalization might end under Bill Barr

    By German Lopez

    Marijuana legalization: 1. Jeff Sessions: 0.

  • January 16, 2019

    William Barr paved the way for Trump on immigration. Now he might help Trump go even further.

    By Dara Lind

    Barr was building a border wall back in 1991.

  • January 15, 2019

    Watch: biggest moments from Bill Barr’s confirmation hearing

    By Aaron Rupar

    Barr offered standard GOP responses on a variety of topics — with the notable exception of the Russia investigation.

  • January 15, 2019

    Sen. Hirono is asking William Barr — and every other nominee — about sexual misconduct

    By Anna North

    She’s setting a precedent that allegations of sexual harassment and assault matter.

  • January 15, 2019

    Cory Booker presses William Barr on racism and criminal justice

    By Li Zhou

    Barr has previously said that white and black offenders are treated the same by the criminal justice system.

  • January 15, 2019

    Attorney general nominee William Barr doesn’t reject the possibility of jailing journalists

    By Li Zhou

    When Sen. Amy Klobuchar asked about it, he didn’t shut down the option outright.

  • January 15, 2019

    Barr backs Trump on the border wall and government shutdown

    By Emily Stewart

    The remarks came in an exchange with Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

  • January 15, 2019

    6 key takeaways from Bill Barr’s testimony about the Mueller probe so far

    By Andrew Prokop

    Trump’s AG nominee offered some reassurances — but dodged on other questions.

  • January 15, 2019

    The emoluments clause, explained

    By Matthew Yglesias

    A guide for William Barr, who claims not to know what it is.

  • January 15, 2019

    William Barr, Trump’s nominee to serve as attorney general, explained

    By Matthew Yglesias

    A former AG with a record that was Trumpy long before Trump.

  • January 15, 2019

    Lindsey Graham asks about debunked right-wing conspiracies in William Barr hearing

    By Alex Ward

    And President Trump’s attorney general nominee seems worried about some of them.

  • January 15, 2019

    William Barr, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, heads to the Senate on Tuesday

    By Emily Stewart

    Barr’s views on the Mueller probe will be a major point of focus during his confirmation hearing.

  • January 15, 2019

    Mueller’s investigation will dominate Bill Barr’s confirmation hearing

    By Jen Kirby

    Trump’s nominee for attorney general will face questions about his past comments and that memo.

  • January 10, 2019

    Democratic senators weren’t getting meetings with Trump’s AG pick. Republicans realized it was a bad look.

    By Emily Stewart

    William Barr has suddenly found time to meet with Sen. Amy Klobuchar after she complained.

  • December 20, 2018

    Trump’s AG nominee wrote a memo expressing deep suspicion of the Mueller probe

    By Andrew Prokop

    But Bill Barr didn’t have "the actual facts of the case," Rod Rosenstein said Tuesday.

  • December 7, 2018

    William Barr helped establish mass incarceration. Now Trump wants him as attorney general.

    By German Lopez

    As attorney general for George H.W. Bush, Barr was an architect of America’s punitive criminal justice system.

  • December 7, 2018

    Trump nominates William Barr as attorney general

    By Jen Kirby

    The Republican lawyer also served as attorney general during the first Bush administration.