William Barr

Born on May 23, 1950, in New York City, William Barr is the current Attorney General of the United States. He was confirmed by the Senate in February 2019, and has since been serving under the Trump administration. Before that, he was the Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush from 1991-1993. In this article, we will take a closer look at the life and career of this prominent figure in American politics.

Early Life and Education

As mentioned earlier, William Barr was born and raised in New York City. His father, Donald Barr, was an educator and writer, while his mother, Mary Margaret, was a homemaker. Barr attended Horace Mann School, a prestigious private school in Riverdale, New York, where he excelled academically and was a member of the school’s varsity football team.

After graduating from Horace Mann, Barr went on to study government and Chinese studies at Columbia University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971, and subsequently pursued a law degree from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., which he earned in 1977.

Career

After completing his law studies, Barr worked as a law clerk for a federal judge before joining the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1973. During his time at the CIA, he worked in several capacities, including as an analyst and legislative counsel. He left the CIA in 1977 and began working at a private law firm in Washington, D.C.

In 1982, Barr was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Director for Legal Policy at the Department of Justice. Four years later, he was appointed as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice to the President and other executive agencies. During his time in this role, Barr was involved in several key legal decisions, including the decision to invade Panama in 1989 to capture former dictator Manuel Noriega.

In 1990, Barr was appointed as the Deputy Attorney General, the second-highest position at the Department of Justice. In this role, he oversaw the day-to-day management of the department and was involved in several high-profile cases, including the investigation into the Savings and Loan crisis.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated Barr to be the Attorney General, and he was confirmed by the Senate. During his tenure as Attorney General, Barr was involved in several controversial issues, including the handling of the investigation into the Iran-Contra affair and the decision to use force against the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas.

After leaving the Department of Justice in 1993, Barr went on to work at a private law firm in Virginia. He also served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Verizon Communications from 2000-2008.

Return to the Department of Justice

In 2019, President Donald Trump nominated Barr to be the Attorney General once again, following the resignation of Jeff Sessions. Barr was confirmed by the Senate in February 2019, and has since been serving in this role.

During his time as Attorney General under Trump’s administration, Barr has been involved in several controversial issues, including the handling of the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the impeachment proceedings against Trump, and the ongoing protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

Conclusion

William Barr has had a long and distinguished career in American politics and law. He has served in several key positions at the Department of Justice and the CIA, and has been involved in several important legal decisions and cases. While his tenure as Attorney General under the Trump administration has been controversial, his legacy as a prominent figure in American politics is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.