Two ethics groups call on House to begin impeachment inquiry against Barr

Two ethics groups are calling on the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against Attorney General William Barr, alleging he has used the role for political reasons to support President Trump. 

According to Reuters, the two groups are the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law and the Washington-based Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

The groups wrote in a 267-page research paper that Barr has an “authoritarian worldview” that “makes him see himself as entitled to ignore laws, ethics, and historical practices” as the attorney general. The report also called on House lawmakers to begin an impeachment inquiry into Barr.

The report from the group points to Barr’s involvement in the release of the final findings of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, among other actions. 

It’s not the first time Barr has faced calls to be impeached. Earlier this year, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), an outspoken progressive on the House Judiciary Committee, called for Barr to be impeached, alleging violations of the law.

“We should pursue impeachment of Bill Barr because he is reigning terror on the rule of law,” Cohen said in June.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threw cold water on the idea, saying that voters will be able to make that decision at the ballot box in November. 

“He is contemptible. There’s no question about that. But at this point, let’s solve our problems by going to the polls and voting on Election Day,” Pelosi said at the time.