US Attorney General William Barr denies abusing power to boost Donald Trump’s re-election hopes
- Lawmakers grill top justice official over dispersing of George Floyd protesters in Portland and Washington, accuse him of securing ‘favours’ for president
- Barr has intervened in several high-profile cases involving people close to Trump, including long-time friend Roger Stone and former adviser Michael Flynn
US Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday defended himself in front of a Democratic-led House of Representative committee, denying accusations that he abused his power to help President Donald Trump’s associates and boost Trump’s re-election hopes.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler opened the hearing with scathing remarks, telling Barr: “Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the [Justice] Department’s professional core in an apparent effort to secure favours for the president.”
Barr pushed back, saying, “I feel complete freedom to do what I feel is right.”
The hearing marks Barr’s first testimony before the House Judiciary Committee since he took office in February 2019, and comes as the Justice Department faces criticism for sending federal officers to forcibly disperse protesters in Portland and Washington.
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Barr rejected a claim by Nadler that the deployment of federal agents to US cities was an effort to boost Trump’s re-election campaign. Barr also denied taking actions to help Trump’s associates, saying they do not deserve special breaks but also should not be treated more harshly than other defendants.