POOL

Washington, DC - 28 July 2020

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1. Mid of Attorney General William Barr

2. Wide of House Judiciary Committee hearing

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, (D) New York, Judiciary Committee Chair:

"Have you discussed the president's reelection campaign with the president or with any White House official or any surrogate of the president?

(Barr: Well, I'm not going to get into my discussions with the president.)  

Well, have you discussed that topic with him yes, or no? (Barr: Not in relation to this program.)

I didn't ask that. I asked if you'd discussed that..."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I'm a member of the cabinet and there's an election going on, obviously the topic comes up.

(Nadler: So, the answer is yes.)

The topic comes up in cabinet meetings and other things. It shouldn't be a surprise that the topic of the election comes up.

(Nadler: I didn't say I was surprised. I just asked if you'd done that.)"

5. Wide of committee hearing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, (D) New York, Judiciary Committee Chair:

"Have you ever discussed the current or future deployment of federal law enforcement?"

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"As I say I'm not going to get into my discussions with the president, but I've made it clear that I would like to pick the cities based on law enforcement need and based on neutral criteria.

(Nadler: But you can't tell me whether you discussed.)

No, I'm not going to discuss what I discuss with the president."

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D) New York, Judiciary Committee Chair:

"Can you commit today that the department will not use federal law enforcement as a prop in the president's reelection campaign?

(Barr: We are not using federal law enforcment.)

I just want to close with this thought. You really can't hide behind legal fictions this time, Mr. Barr. It's all out in the open where the people can see what you are doing for themselves. The president wants footage for his campaign ads and you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered. In most of these cities, the protest had begun to wind down before you marched in and confronted the protesters. And the protesters aren't mobs. They are mothers and veterans, mayors. In this moment, real leadership would entail de-escalation, collaboration and looking for ways to peacefully resolve our differences. Instead, you used pepper spray and truncheons of American citizens. You did it here in Washington. You did it Lafayette Square. You expanded to Portland. And now you are projecting fear and violence nationwide in pursuit of obvious political objectives. Shame on you, Mr. Barr.

(Barr: Can I just say Mr...)

Shame on you. My time is expired."

9. Wide of committee hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I just reject the idea that the department is flooded anywhere and attempted to suppress demonstrators. We make a clear distinction between demonstrators...

(Nadler: The facts speak for themselves.)

I'm answering. The fact of the matter is, if you take Portland, the courthouse is under attack."

11. Wide of committee hearing

Attorney General William Barr clashed with the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee over the federal response to unrest in U.S. cities, with Rep. Jerrold Nadler asking whether the deployment of federal agents is tied to President Donald Trump's re-election campaign, and Barr rebuffing Nadler's questions.

"Have you discussed the president's reelection campaign with the president or with any White House official or any surrogate of the president?" Nadler asked.

"I'm not going to get into my discussions with the president," Barr responded.

"But I've made it clear that I would like to pick the cities based on law enforcement need and based on neutral criteria," he said.  

The hearing marks Barr’s first appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, bringing him face-to-face with a panel that voted last year to hold him in contempt and is holding hearings on what Democrats allege is politicization of the Justice Department under his watch.

It comes during a tumultuous stretch in which Barr has taken actions cheered by President Donald Trump but condemned by Democrats and other critics.

Nadler also excoriated Barr and the Justice Department for turning a blind eye to necessary reforms to police departments, for dismissing Black Lives Matter protests and for flooding streets with federal agents to stop protesters.

Republicans hit back hard in defense of Barr and Trump's administration.