University Daily Kansan / Thursday, October 17, 1991
11
Bush nominates Barr as attorney general
As acting AG, he helped foil prison hostage crisis; Ashcroft and others were in running
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General William P. Barr, praised by President Bush for his cool handling of a prison hostage crisis during the summer, was picked yesterday to fill the job on a permanent basis.
Bush made the surprise announcement that he was nominating Barr to be attorney general just a day after the White House won a bitter Senate confirmation fight about Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court nomination.
Barr was deputy attorney general when he took control in August as acting head of the Justice Department after Attorney General Dick Thornburgh resigned to run for the Senate from Pennsylvania.
If confirmed, Barr, 41, would be the youngest attorney general since Ramsey Clark, who served for Lyndon Johnson.
Barr was called to the White House an hour before Bush announced the nomination at a Rose Garden ceremony honoring two Justice Department officials who tracked the assault that killed a federal judge and a civil rights lawyer.
Bush said Barr had been tested by
fire when he directed the Aug. 31 rescue of nine hostages held for 10 days at a federal prison in Talladega, Ala., by armed Cubans facing deportation.
the hostages were rescued without injury by an FBI hostage-rescue team that Barr deployed after days of careful planning.
The president "just felt it was professionally handled from start to finish," said Marlin Fitzwater, White House representative.
Barr said, "What makes it a particular honor is the opportunity to serve a president who is such a strong supporter of law enforcement."
Barr wont the job over several politically prominent candidates, notably Transportation Secretary Samuel Skinner, Missouri Gov. John Ascrob and former California Gov. George Deukmejian.
Fitzwater called Barr the leading candidate all along and said Bush did not expect any problem in winning confirmation.
In contrast to Thornburgh, Barr is well liked by members of both parties.
The Senate Judiciary Committee probably will not hold hearings for about a month, the source said.
"I know of no obstacle to confirmation at this point," said a Democratic Senate note who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
One possible area of controversy will be the Justice Department's role in digging up information to discredit Anita Hill, the Oklahoma law professor who made sexual harassment allegations against Thomas. The source said.
Democrats on the panel are bitter about the way the FBI was used to help discredit Hill, the source said. Barr is likely to be asked about his role in that effort, the source said.
But Barr generally has received high marks on Capitol Hill.
During Senate debate in June about the crime bill, Barr won the respect and trust of lawmakers in both parties by personally participating in negotiations to get the bill passed, the Democratic source said.
"He is very straight. He has got a lot of integrity," the source said.
A senior Justice Department official for the past three years, Barr has been a Bush administration troubleshooter in other times of crisis.
He wrote legal opinions that justi-
fied the arrest of Pamaniandictator
Manuel Noriega during the 1989 invasion
of Panama.
He joined the Justice Department in 1969 as an assistant attorney general
in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel.
Barr wrote a controversial opinion that authorized FBI agents to make arrests overseas without the permission of foreign governments. The Justice Department is embroiled in a dispute with the House Judiciary Committee, which is demanding a copy of Barr's opinion.
In 1990, Barr was promoted to deputy attorney general in a staff shakeup in which two of Thornburgh's top aides were demoted.
Barr quickly took control of the day-to-day operation of the department and is generally credited with helping to end the political slide that Thornburgh had been suffering.
He moved to restore relations with the press and Congress, which had been frayed by Thornburgh's dealings with both journalists and lawmakers.
Barr also has won high marks from federal law enforcement officials, who complained privately that Thornhill was guilty of negligence in difficult situations.
Barr worked in the White House during the Reagan administration on the Domestic Policy Council staff before returning to private law practice.
He worked on Bush's 1988 campaign and transition team.
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