Yeomans: Barr Must Not Bury Mueller’s Report

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 31, 2019 – In the latest edition of Yeomans Work, “Barr Thinks DOJ Practice Allows Him to Bury Mueller’s Report: He’s Wrong,” AFJ Senior Justice Fellow Bill Yeomans writes that at his hearing, William Barr, President Trump’s attorney general nominee, did nothing to allay concerns about his handling of the Mueller investigation.

At his hearing, Barr refused to commit to following the advice of career ethics officials regarding recusal from oversight of the Mueller investigation. As for releasing any Mueller report, Barr only committed to follow a regulation that requires the attorney general to notify Congress when the special counsel’s investigation is closed.

While promising transparency, Barr’s answers at his hearing cleared a path “for burying Mueller’s final product,” warned Yeomans. “Senators must demand that Barr put aside traditional DOJ practice and promise to exceed the minimum reporting requirements of the special counsel regulations.  They should demand a commitment to share detailed reporting from Mueller.”

“The country is in an extraordinary posture with an administration subject to substantial criminal and counter-intelligence investigations.  Falling back on regulations and traditional practices that were not formulated with this crisis in mind will disserve the public and thwart the proper functioning of our constitutional structure,” writes Yeomans. “Barr’s failure to acknowledge this crisis will be one more reason to deny him confirmation as attorney general.”

Yeomans Work focuses on the challenges to the justice system in the era of Trump. Bill Yeomans is available for media interviews. Contact Laurie Kinney, Communications Director, at laurie@afj.org or 202-464-7367.