Senate Democrats are calling for Attorney General William P. Barr to recuse himself from all investigations related to Ukraine, suggesting he played a role in President Trump’s alleged efforts to undermine a political opponent with the help of foreign officials.
In a letter sent to the attorney general on Thursday, all 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Mr. Barr to disclose whether he’s consulted with ethics officials at the Justice Department about potentially recusing himself from any investigation into Ukraine matters or probes looking into the origins of the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The Democrats say the transcript detailing the president’s call on July 25 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggests Mr. Barr had personal knowledge or involvement with the president’s wish to pressure Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who sat on a board of a Ukrainian energy company. The president has alleged there were corrupt dealings on behalf of the Bidens.
The Democrats noted in their letter that Mr. Trump mentioned Mr. Barr’s name five times during the call.
“Impartial enforcement of the law is essential to give the American public confidence in the Justice Department’s work. Your personal connection to these matters creates the appearance of a conflict of interest,” their letter read.
“Accordingly, we request that you recuse yourself and identify the appropriate official who will be responsible for these matters,” they added.
A spokesperson for Mr. Barr declined to comment for this story.
Mark Graber, a law professor at the University of Maryland, said Mr. Barr should at least consult with ethics experts at the Justice Department.
“It is a tradition in these cases that there is a potential conflict that, in fact, the attorney general should talk with other people. This is not an attorney general that believes in conflicts of interest,” Mr. Graber said.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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