Barr fends off Democrats' attacks over protests
In a contentious hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr defended himself against Democrats' accusations that he has abused his power - denying claims he is doing President Trump's bidding by intervening in high-profile cases and sending federal agents into U.S. cities.
It was the first time the Justice Department chief had appeared before the House Judiciary Committee - whose Chairman, Democrat Jerrold Nadler, came out swinging.
"Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the Department's professional core in an apparent effort to secure favors for the president."
Barr pushed back by saying he feels he has "complete freedom" to do what he feels is right.
That would appear to include his intervention in several high-profile criminal cases involving people close to Trump, including that of Trump's longtime friend Roger Stone, who was convicted last year of lying under oath to lawmakers.
Barr in February moved to scale back the Justice Department's sentencing recommendation for Stone, prompting four career prosecutors to withdraw. Trump later commuted Stone's sentence - something Barr was pressed about Tuesday by Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell.
"Americans from both parties are concerned that in Donald Trump's America there's two systems of justice - one for Mr. Trump and his cronies, and another for the rest of us. But that can only happen if you enable it. Now Mr. Barr, are you investigating Trump for commuting the prison sentence of his longtime friend and political advisor Roger Stone?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Why should I?"
Barr stressed that Stone, at 67, was a first-time offender with no record of violence.
"I agree the President's friends don't deserve special breaks, but they also don't deserve to be treated more harshly than other people - and sometimes that's a difficult decision to make, especially when you know you're going to be castigated."
Barr was also taken to task by Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal for condoning the use of tear gas and brutality by federal forces against mostly peaceful anti-racism protesters - while allowing hundreds of other protesters, some armed, to storm Michigan's state Capitol in April in opposition Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus.
"Are you aware that these protesters called for the Governor to be lynched, shot and beheaded?"
"No."
"You were not aware of that?"
"I was not aware of that."
"Major protests in Michigan, you're the attorney general, and you didn't know that the protesters called for the governor to be lynched, shot and beheaded? So obviously you couldn't be concerned about that -"
"Well, there are a lot of protests around the United States, and…"
[crosstalk]
"Excuse me Mr. Barr, this is my time and I control it! You are aware of certain kinds of protesters, but in Michigan - when protesters carry guns and Confederate flags and swastikas and call for the governor of Michigan to be beheaded and shot and lynched - somehow you're not aware of that. Somehow you didn't know about it, so you didn't send federal agents in to do to the president's supporters what you did to the president's protesters."
The Justice Department's internal watchdog launched probes last week into federal involvement in Portland and Washington, D.C., protests.
