The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Attorney General nominee William Barr is underway and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, as noted by the Washington Post’s Aaron Blake, is already lying:
Feinstein said Barr has said a president can "direct" DOJ to open a probe into political opponents
What Barr actually said: "There is nothing inherently wrong about a president calling for an investigation,” but it "shouldn’t be launched just because a president wants it."
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 15, 2019
Full Feinstein quote here:
FEINSTEIN: "In Nov of 2017, you suggested it would be permissible for POTUS to direct the DOJ to open an investigation into his political opponents. This is notable in light of Trump's repeated calls for the investigation of Hillary Clinton and others who disagree with him." pic.twitter.com/bJI0K4AUft
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2019
As for Dems saying that President Trump chose Barr to end the Mueller investigation, that narrative took a pretty big hit during his opening testimony where he pledged to allow “Bob” — his good friend — to finish his work:
AG nominee Barr: "Bob will be allowed to finish his work."
— Jack Kuenzie (@JKuenzie) January 15, 2019
Barr's opening message all aimed at reassuring skeptics: He'll allow Mueller probe to proceed, give Mueller time to finish, err on side of transparency in releasing the report, says he has given Trump no assurances on how he'll handle overseeing Mueller probe
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 15, 2019
Barr went on to say that it’s “vitally important” that Mueller finish the investigation:
Trump attorney general nominee Bill Barr says he thinks it’s “vitally important” that special counsel Robert Mueller finish his Russia investigation https://t.co/wYGwFu75Ca pic.twitter.com/wqYbSQZbkg
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 15, 2019
And Barr testified that Trump “has sought no assurances, promises or commitments from me of any kind, either expressed or implied, and I have not given him any, other than I would run the department with professionalism and integrity”:
AG nominee William Barr: "President Trump has sought no assurances, promises or commitments from me of any kind, either expressed or implied, and I have not given him any, other than I would run the department with professionalism and integrity" https://t.co/kR11APTjiL pic.twitter.com/ECTuZVaJZ5
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 15, 2019
More Barr: “I don’t believe Mr. Mueller would be involved in a witch hunt.”
AG nom Bill Barr tells Graham and Senate Judiciary Cmtee that he & Robert Mueller were "good friends," and that Mueller would be fair to the president in any investigation.
"I don't believe Mr. Mueller would be involved in a witch hunt."— Michael Mathes (@MichaelMathes) January 15, 2019
Barr also thinks Jeff Sessions did the right thing by recusing himself:
"I don't believe Mr. Mueller to be involved in a witch hunt," says Bill Barr, breaking with President Trump.
Barr also breaks from Trump by discussing Jeff Sessions' recusal: "I think he probably did the right thing."
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 15, 2019
And he has a “very high opinion of Rod Rosenstein”:
Bill Barr: "I have very high opinion of Rod Rosenstein"
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) January 15, 2019
Tell us again why Dems don’t like this guy?
“On my watch, Bob will be allowed to finish his work,” Trump attorney general pick Bill Barr says of the special counsel’s ongoing Russia investigation https://t.co/zQf2tihB9k pic.twitter.com/KjMvF7ZxyA
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) January 15, 2019
***
Related:
ICYMI==> HAHAHAHA! ABC's Jonathan Karl serves up a giant scoop of BUZZKILL over what he's hearing about the Mueller report https://t.co/bbcf1NT7DP
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 14, 2019
'Americans deserve to know what happened': Byron York calls for 'radical transparency' when Mueller report released https://t.co/husQzXo71k
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 14, 2019
Place your bets: Apparently Robert Mueller’s stack of evidence now includes a ‘nude selfie’ https://t.co/CzczeIM7ff
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 27, 2018
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