Barr hesitates to answer whether it's okay for a president to accept foreign election assistance


Asked during a congressional hearing on Tuesday whether it's appropriate for a president to solicit foreign election assistance, Attorney General William Barr responded that it isn't — but not right away.
Barr while testifying before Congress on Tuesday was questioned by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) about whether it's "ever appropriate" for a president "to solicit or accept foreign assistance in an election." President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives after pushing Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found that the Trump campaign expected to benefit from Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In response to Cicilline's question about whether soliciting or accepting foreign election assistance is appropriate, Barr first responded, "It depends what kind of assistance."
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.
This prompted Cicilline to ask the question once again, this time emphasizing that he was asking about accepting or soliciting "foreign assistance of any kind," to which Barr gave the answer Cicilline was looking for. "No, it's not appropriate," Barr told him.
"Sorry you had to struggle with that one, Mr. Attorney General," Cicilline shot back. Brendan Morrow
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.
-
August 8 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Friday's political cartoons include a Greenland rebrand, a presidential eye test, and creeping inflation
-
Who owns Gaza? Israel's occupation plans
The Explainer Egypt, Israel and Britain have ruled the beleaguered territory
-
Savages: a tragi-comedy set in a 'quirky handcrafted world'
The Week Recommends This new animated film by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Claude Barras is undeniably political, but it has a hopeful message
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks