Democratic senator says Barr misled Congress and must resign
As some of Attorney General William Barr's previous statements to Congress come under scrutiny, one Democratic senator is calling for his resignation.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller in March wrote a letter to Barr expressing frustration that Barr's four-page memo to Congress "did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance" of his investigation, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
After Mueller sent this letter, Barr testified before Congress, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) asked him, "Did Bob Mueller support your conclusion?" Barr responded, "I don't know whether Bob Mueller supported my conclusion."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In light of Tuesday's report, the Democratic senator resurfaced this video, writing that Barr "totally misled me, the Congress, and the public" and that he "must resign."
Van Hollen subsequently spoke with the Post and said that Barr's statement is "totally inconsistent with what he knew at the time," although he said he wanted to go over the full letter before determining if Barr lied to Congress.
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday also flagged this exchange, while other Democrats pointed to Barr suggesting he didn't know anything about reports of the special counsel's frustrations with his summary. Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro also said that Barr should resign "or face an impeachment inquiry immediately."
The Justice Department on Tuesday told the Post that Mueller didn't claim anything in Barr's letter was "inaccurate or misleading" but that he was frustrated with the "lack of context and the resulting media coverage regarding the Special Counsel's obstruction analysis."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 27, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - natural gas, fundraising with Ted Cruz, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Aid to Ukraine: too little, too late?
Talking Point House of Representatives finally 'met the moment' but some say it came too late
By The Week UK Published
-
5 generously funny cartoons on the $60 billion foreign aid package
Cartoons Artists take on Republican opposition, aid to Ukraine, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Israel proposes two-month pause in Gaza war in exchange for all Hamas hostages
Speed Read Deal doesn't include an agreement to end war, but might be 'the only path that could lead to a ceasefire', said US officials
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Nato official warns of all-out war with Russia in next 20 years
Speed Read Civilians must prepare for life-changing conflict and mass mobilisation, says military chief
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak visits Kyiv to announce £2.5 billion in military support for Ukraine
Speed Read Surprise trip comes amid increased Russian bombardment and escalation of Middle East crisis
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Israel preparing to flood Hamas tunnels with seawater
Speed Read IDF pumps could drive out terrorists but critics warn of danger to hostages and Gaza water supply
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published