Three Senators, all women, weren’t about to tiptoe around the elephant in the room at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. They came prepared, laser-focused to question Attorney General Bill Barr. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said something a lot of people have been thinking, but something no one else on the Senate Committee had touched. Barr didn’t seem to be operating on behalf of the country, but rather on behalf of one individual:
“The American people know that you are no different from Rudy Giuliani or Kellyanne Conway or any of the other people who sacrificed their once decent reputation for the grifter and liar who sits in the Oval Office.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono to Attorney General William Barr: "Now we know more about your deep involvement in trying to cover up for Donald Trump … America deserves better. You should resign" https://t.co/UyviQ1DWt6 pic.twitter.com/jOqsQv5uXT
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 1, 2019
This questioning not only seemed to get under Barr’s skin, but it also caused Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham to jump to Barr’s defense. It is a moment some are describing as mansplaining:
Sen. Lindsey Graham: “You slandered this man from top to bottom, so if you want more of this you’re not going to get it. If you want to ask him questions you can.”
“I do not think that I am slandering anyone,” Sen. Mazie Hirono says of AG William Barr https://t.co/TfPZTJm7SH pic.twitter.com/cjFfuFZ5VZ
— ABC News (@ABC) May 1, 2019
Senator Kamala Harris also sparred with Barr. Clearly putting her cross-examination skills to work, Harris wouldn’t let Barr dance around her pointed questions. And after the hearing, she agreed Barr should resign.
14/ @KamalaHarris just established that neither Barr or his staff read the underlying evidence and yet he decided that evidence wasn't sufficient. WOW!! Good for her. Also, got Barr to refuse to say he'd consult DOJ ethics re recusing from pending cases bec of bias he's shown.
— Jill Wine-Banks (@JillWineBanks) May 1, 2019
Here is the complete exchange, via CSPAN, between Kamala Harris and Bill Barr — including the part where Barr couldn't say whether Trump or anyone in the White House has ever suggested that he open an investigation into anyone. It's worth a watch. pic.twitter.com/wJOdSFR7JR
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 1, 2019
After questioning William Barr @senkamalaharris: "This Attorney General lacks all credibility and has I think compromised the American public's ability to believe that he is a purveyor of justice."
Q: "Should he resign?"
Harris: "Yes." pic.twitter.com/hh8rBVHBjj
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 1, 2019
Another presidential candidate, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also rendered Barr speechless at points.
Under questioning from @amyklobuchar, AG Barr doesn’t say one way or the other whether the president’s conduct comports with his oath of office to faithfully execute laws and uphold the Constitution
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) May 1, 2019
.@amyklobuchar reminds Barr that he said during his confirmation hearing that if the president directed someone to change their testimony, that’d be obstruction of justice. Barr flatly denies that Trump’s actions as detailed in the Mueller report meet the threshold. pic.twitter.com/cL4gzy3bjc
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 1, 2019
No matter what you think of their 2020 chances, this series of high profile Senate Judiciary Committee hearings have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar are 2 of the savviest and best questioners in the party
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) May 1, 2019
This post contains opinion and commentary
