President Donald Trump says he will nominate former U.S. Attorney General William Barr to replace Jeff Sessions, who was fired earlier this year. Barr served under President George H.W. Bush and has a broad view of presidential powers. He also previously supervised special prosecutor Robert Mueller.
Whether Maine’s two senators will support his confirmation remains to be seen. Both say they’re looking for assurance that he won’t interfere with Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Barr, who served as attorney general during the first Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, has not yet formally been nominated by Trump, so confirmation hearings have not yet been scheduled. But both of Maine’s two senators say Barr’s testimony at those hearings will be crucial in their decision to confirm him.
A conservative who has extensive government and private practice experience, Barr is known as staunch supporter of Trump’s immigration policies. Some Republican senators have already said they will support him. Some Democrats have said they will oppose him. Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine says it’s too early to make a decision.
“Well, I am in neither of those camps. I would never announce a vote one way or another until I know more about the nominee. I will probably try to attend the hearings, even though I am not on the Judiciary Committee,” he says.
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is also not prepared to weigh in just yet. She says it is clear to her that Barr is qualified to hold the post. In addition to serving as attorney general he has also served in several high-level positions in the Justice Department, including as head of the Office of Legal Counsel.
Both King and Collins say Barr will have to convince them and others that he will protect Mueller’s ongoing investigation.
“I would want to hear from him a commitment that he would ensure that Mr. Mueller’s investigation is allowed to be completed, unimpeded,” she says.
Collins says there is bipartisan support in the Senate for allowing Mueller to complete his work, which has already resulted in several indictments and guilty pleas by several former Trump campaign associates.
“Republicans and Democrats have made clear that Mr. Mueller does need to be allowed complete his investigation,” she says.
Barr has already been critical of Mueller’s hiring decisions, telling the Washington Post that they appear to be “mostly left-wing Democrats.” Members of the Judiciary Committee who will handle Barr’s confirmation hearing have not been finalized.
