Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said Thursday that William Barr, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, gave a memo criticizing the special counsel investigation to the White House “almost as an attempt to solicit” the position.
Warner added during an interview on CNN that “it appears the No. 1 qualification” President Trump is looking for in an attorney general is someone who will work to undermine Robert Mueller’s probe.
“I’m thinking it’s more than a little bizarre that a private attorney, Mr. Barr, would write this kind of memo and then in effect give it, my understanding, to officials in the White House almost as an attempt to solicit this position,” Warner said. “To say, ‘Hey, Mr. Trump, don’t worry. I’ll have your back on the Mueller investigation.’”
{mosads}The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Barr in June sent the Department of Justice a spontaneous memo criticizing the probe into Russian election meddling and any possible coordination with the Trump campaign.
Barr also gave the memo to an attorney representing the White House in the investigation, the Journal reported. Barr reportedly wrote in the memo that the investigation is built on a “fatally misconceived” theory.
Warner on Thursday said the memo disqualifies Barr from leading the Justice Department, where he would oversee Mueller’s investigation.
“I will listen to any explanation, but when he starts out with a belief that the president is in effect above the law, I think that is not the appropriate legal precedent. I think it is not the appropriate approach,” Warner said.
“The almost tacky way that he has used this memo to almost solicit this position is at the very least unseemly,” he added.