Top Democrats Say Barr’s Special Counsel Appointment Violates Regulations

Top Democrats Say Barr’s Special Counsel Appointment Violates Regulations
Attorney General William Barr speaks in St. Louis, Mo., on Oct. 15, 2020. Jeff Roberson/AP Photo
Zachary Stieber
Updated:

Attorney General William Barr’s appointment of U.S. Attorney John Durham as a special counsel appeared to violate Department of Justice regulations, top Democrats said Tuesday.

“On its face, this appointment appears to violate the Department’s own regulations—which stipulate, among other requirements, that ’the special counsel shall be selected from outside the United States government.' The sitting U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut is simply not eligible for the job,” House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.

Because the appointment isn’t consistent with the law, it could be rescinded by the next attorney general, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) argued during a virtual appearance on MSNBC’s “The Beat.”

“I think the next attorney general will have every opportunity to examine, to repeal, or to allow the investigation to continue if the next attorney general thinks there is anything, any part of it that has any merit,” said Schiff, one of the fiercest defenders of former special counsel Robert Mueller.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters in Washington on July 9, 2020. Behind him are Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.). (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters in Washington on July 9, 2020. Behind him are Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.). Alex Wong/Getty Images

Barr in his order said he made the appointment “by virtue of the authority vested in the attorney general, including 23 U.S.C §§ 509, 510, and 515.” He also referred to 28 CFR, which outlines grounds for appointing a special counsel, jurisdiction for the counsel, and other matters.

The Department of Justice didn’t respond to a request for a response to lawmakers questioning the appointment.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among those defending Barr’s decision.

“Based on hearings we held in the Senate Judiciary Committee, it is obvious the system failed and the FISA court’s rebuke of the Department of Justice and FBI was more than warranted,” he said in a statement, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court’s approval of spy warrants against President Donald Trump’s campaign associate Carter Page, despite the warrants being riddled with errors.

Graham said it would restore credibility to the Department of Justice and FBI to have people held accountable and professed complete confidence in Durham.

“I hope my Democrat colleagues will show special counsel Durham the same respect they showed special counsel Mueller. This important investigation must be allowed to proceed free from political interference. The American people deserve a full accounting of this wrongdoing,” he added.

Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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