what day did bill barr become attorney general

by Lily Gaylord 3 min read

Who is Attorney General William Barr?

Mar 03, 2022 · Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr said then-President Donald Trump became furious after Barr told him there was no evidence that the 2020 election was fraudulent.

What is Bill Barr known for?

Apr 14, 2022 · Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he pressured then-Attorney General Bill Barr to pursue bogus voter fraud claims after his …

What did William Barr say to Donald Trump?

Feb 15, 2020 · William Barr, 69 and a veteran of 40 years in Washington, was confirmed one year ago as attorney general, a position with broad influence over the administration of justice and broad sway over ...

Why did Attorney General William Barr decline to recuse himself?

December 23, 2020 2:07 PM ET. Font Size: Now-former Attorney General Bill Barr delivered a farewell message to staff at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on his last day in the role on Wednesday. President Donald Trump announced Barr’s resignation in early December after the pair had disagreement over Trump’s accusations of widespread election fraud.

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Feb 14, 2019 · Barr becomes the second full-fledged attorney general of the Trump administration: the president, upset over his recusal in the Russia investigation, fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions ...

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When was Bill Barr Attorney General?

William BarrOfficial portrait, 201977th and 85th United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 14, 2019 – December 23, 2020PresidentDonald Trump30 more rows

What is William Barr salary as attorney general?

Attorney General is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$221,400, as of January 2021.

Who was the 85 attorney general?

William P. BarrBarr administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on February 14, 2019. Attorney General Barr's wife, Christine, holds the Bible. Today, William P. Barr was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the 85th Attorney General of the United States.Feb 14, 2019

Who was the last US attorney general?

List of U.S. attorneys generalAttorney GeneralYears of serviceMerrick Garland2021-PresentLoretta Lynch2015-2017Eric Holder2009-2015Michael B. Mukasey2007-200982 more rows

Who is William Barr wife?

Christine BarrWilliam Barr / Wife (m. 1973)

Is Bill Barr married?

Christine BarrWilliam Barr / Spouse (m. 1973)

Who was Attorney General after Barr?

Jeffrey A. RosenPreceded byWilliam BarrSucceeded byMonty Wilkinson (acting)38th United States Deputy Attorney GeneralIn office May 22, 2019 – December 23, 202027 more rows

Who is the DOJ now?

Attorney General Merrick B. GarlandMeet the Attorney General Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021.

Who was Obama's Attorney General?

Eric HolderOfficial portrait, 200982nd United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 3, 2009 – April 27, 2015PresidentBarack Obama31 more rows

Who was the 1980s attorney general?

A chronological list of past California attorneys general is below....California Former Attorneys General.Matthew Rodriguez2021 – 2021John K. Van de Kamp1983 – 1991George Deukemejian1979 – 1983Evelle J. Younger1971 – 1979Thomas C. Lynch1964 – 197129 more rows

Who was attorney general under George W Bush?

Alberto GonzalesOfficial portrait, 200580th United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 3, 2005 – September 17, 2007PresidentGeorge W. Bush31 more rows

Who was the first female Attorney General of the United States?

Janet RenoOfficial portrait, c. 1990s78th United States Attorney GeneralIn office March 12, 1993 – January 20, 2001PresidentBill Clinton16 more rows

When was Barr appointed as Attorney General?

In May 1990 , Barr was appointed Deputy Attorney General, the official responsible for day-to-day management of the Department. According to media reports, Barr was generally praised for his professional management of the Department.

Who appointed William Barr?

Upon leaving the DOJ in 1993, Barr was appointed by Virginia Governor George Allen to co-chair a commission to implement tougher criminal justice policies and abolish parole in the state. Barr has been described as a "leader of the parole-abolition campaign" in Virginia.

How much money did Barr give to the NRSC?

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) financially assists Republicans in their Senate election contests; in the seven years from 2009 to 2016, Barr gave six donations to the NRSC totaling $85,400. In a five-month period from October 2018 to February 2019, Barr donated five times (around $10,000 every month) for a total of $51,000. When Barr started donating more frequently to the NRSC, it was uncertain whether then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions would remain in his job. Barr continued donating even after Sessions resigned, and after Trump nominated Barr for Attorney General. The donations stopped after Barr was confirmed by the Senate as Attorney General. NRSC refunded Barr $30,000 before his confirmation. Previously in 2017, Barr had said he felt "prosecutors who make political contributions are identifying fairly strongly with a political party."

Why did Barr say Hollywood censors its own movies?

In July 2020, Barr condemned large American tech companies, such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple, and Hollywood studios, accusing them of "kowtowing" to the Chinese Communist Party for the sake of profits. He said that "Hollywood now regularly censors its own movies to appease the Chinese Communist Party, the world's most powerful violator of human rights."

Why does Barr support the death penalty?

Barr supports the death penalty, arguing that it reduces crime. He advocated a Bush-backed bill that would have expanded the types of crime that could be punished by execution. In a 1991 op-ed in The New York Times, Barr argued that death row inmates' ability to challenge their sentences should be limited to avoid cases dragging on for years: "This lack of finality devastates the criminal justice system. It diminishes the deterrent effect of state criminal laws, saps state prosecutorial resources and continually reopens the wounds of victims and survivors."

What was Barr's first tenure?

During his first tenure as AG, media characterized Barr as "a staunch conservative who rarely hesitates to put his hardline views into action". He was described as affable with a dry, self-deprecating wit. The New York Times described the "central theme" of his tenure to be "his contention that violent crime can be reduced only by expanding Federal and state prisons to jail habitual violent offenders". In an effort to prioritize violent crime, Barr reassigned three hundred FBI agents from counterintelligence work to investigations of gang violence. The New York Times called this move "the largest single manpower shift in the bureau's history".

Why did Barr advocate for Guantanamo Bay?

He also advocated the use of Guantanamo Bay to prevent Haitian refugees and HIV infected individuals from claiming asylum in the United States. According to Vox in December 2018, Barr supported an aggressive "law and order" agenda on immigration as Attorney General in the Bush Administration.

When was Barr nominated for Attorney General?

Barr’s long career in public life led some justice department veterans to welcome his nomination as attorney general in late 2018, given concerns about who else Trump might pick.

Who is William Barr?

William Barr, 69 and a veteran of 40 years in Washington, was confirmed one year ago as attorney general, a position with broad influence over the administration of justice and broad sway over public faith placed in it.

Why did Barr travel to London?

In July, Barr traveled to London to ask intelligence officials there for help with the investigation. He made a similar trip to Italy in September. Recently, Barr announced the creation of an “intake process” for information gathered by Rudy Giuliani about investigations tied to Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.

What does Barr's actions reflect?

Trump’s actions reflect his belief that he really has, as he said, an absolute right to intervene anywhere. Barr was once seen as a potential check on Trump’s overt desire to take command of the justice department, deploying its investigators and prosecutors at his whim and his will.

What happened to Barr and Stone?

Those developments included Barr’s intervention in a case involving Trump’s friend Roger Stone, prompting the withdrawal of four career prosecutors; the resignation from government of a prominent former US attorney previously sidelined by Barr; and the issuance of a rare public warning by a federal judge about the independence of the courts.

Where did Barr grow up?

Barr grew up in New York City, graduated from George Washington University law school, served in the Reagan administration and was attorney general under George HW Bush, establishing a record as a hardliner on gang violence and immigration and advocating for pardons in the Iran-Contra affair.

When was Barr's coverup?

A cardboard cutout of William Barr is seen as protesters hold signs which read “Barr Coverup,” following the release of the Mueller report on 18 April 2019. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters.

Did Barr quit the presidency?

Barr quit his position on the same day the Electoral College officially called the 46th presidency for President-elect Joe Biden, which Trump continues to dispute. (Barr notably told the Associated Press on Dec. 1 that there was no evidence widespread voter fraud occurred.)

Did Barr resign?

Still, as per CNN, a White House official revealed that Barr "wasn't asked to resign," and that the meeting between Barr and Trump on Dec. 14 was "amicable," which Trump echoed in his announcement of Barr's departure. Sen. Mitt Romney revealed his theory behind Barr's exit, as per NBC.

What law firm does Barr work for?

In 2017, Barr signed on to work with the law firm Kirkland & Ellis, which has an unusual connection to the Trump administration. The firm pays an estimated $8.4 million in annual rent to lease part of a San Francisco skyscraper in which President Trump owns a 30% stake.

When did Barr retire?

The biggest benefit, however, came upon retirement. Barr stepped down from the company at the end of 2008, receiving a $17.1 million distribution from Verizon’s income deferral plan, according to an SEC filing. On top of that, company documents also detail an additional $10.4 million separation payment for Barr.

How much did Barr disclose about the merger?

That deal was lucrative for Barr—he disclosed $1.7 million of income related to it on his financial disclosure report. But the merger was troubling to Trump, whose Justice Department tried to block it. During his confirmation hearing, Barr promised to recuse himself from the case as attorney general.

How much did Barr make in 2007?

From 2001 to 2007, he raked in an average of $1.7 million in annual salary and bonuses, according to documents filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Barr also received valuable stock options, some of which he traded while at the company, collecting an estimated $3 million after taxes from 2003 to 2007.

How much is Barr worth?

Today Barr, who did not comment for this story, has an estimated net worth of $40 million, after accounting for taxes, personal spending and modest investment returns.

Did Barr leave Verizon?

Retiring did not mean Barr was done working. The year after he left Verizon, he joined the boards of two publicly traded companies, Dominion Resources and Time Warner. From 2009 to 2018, Dominion paid Barr $1.2 million in cash and granted him another $1.1 million in stock awards, according to SEC filings.

Did Barr resign?

Attorney General William Barr has resigned with a little more than a month left in President Donald Trump’s administration. This seems to suggest that Barr thinks what happens in the next five weeks could irretrievably tarnish his legacy. If so, that’s pretty stunning, considering how much Barr has already diminished his reputation and that of the Justice Department with his pro-Trump shenanigans.

Did Barr pardon Iran?

Barr knows all about late-term pardons. He made his own reputation at the end of George H.W. Bush’s administration by recommending pardons for Iran-Contra figures. Those pardons effectively ended the investigation into the scandal -- and insulated Bush, who might have been implicated had the investigation continued.

Can the President issue pardons without the Attorney General?

The president can issue pardons without the attorney general or the Department of Justice. The Constitution gives the pardon power to the chief executive alone. But there is a pardon office in Justice, and a president who entirely ignores or sidesteps its recommendations could taint his attorney general.

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Overview

Career

Barr worked for the CIA from 1971 to 1977 while attending graduate school and law school. He was first hired as a summer intern for two years. During his law school years he was an analyst in the Intelligence Directorate division from 1973 to 1975, and then transitioning to an assistant in the Office of Legislative Counsel and an agency liaison to Congress from 1975 to 1977.

Early life and education

Barr was born in New York City in 1950. His father, Donald Barr, taught English literature at Columbia University before becoming headmaster of the Dalton School in Manhattan and later the Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York, both members of the Ivy Preparatory School League. Barr's mother, Mary Margaret (née Ahern), also taught at Columbia. Barr's father was Jewish and raised in Judaism but later converted to Christianity and joined the Catholic Church. His mother is of Iri…

Political positions

A lifelong Republican, Barr takes an expansive view of executive powers and supports "law and order" policies. Considered an establishment Republican at the time of his confirmation, Barr gained a reputation as someone loyal to Trump and his policies during his second tenure as Attorney General. His efforts to support the sitting president politically during his DOJ office tenure have be…

Personal life

Barr has been married to Christine Moynihan Barr since 1973. She holds a master's degree in library science, and together they have three daughters: Mary Barr Daly, Patricia Barr Straughn, and Margaret (Meg) Barr. Their eldest daughter, Mary, born 1977/1978, was a senior Justice Department official who oversaw the department's anti-opioid and addiction efforts; Patricia, born 1981/1982, was counsel for the House Agriculture Committee; and Meg, born 1984/1985, is a fo…

Honors

In 1992, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) by George Washington University.

See also

• Russian interference in the 2020 United States elections
• Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (January–June 2018)
• Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (2019)