Barr able to put his stamp on executive power as Trump's AG

Gared in small assembly hall in Little Rock, Arkansas, ir chairs d 6 feet (1.83 meters) apart, business leers listen miringly to nation’s chief law enforcement official.

y ask Attorney General William Barr about elder fraud and or subjects. Each thanks Barr for his devotion and service, praising him as a patriot who is working tirelessly to protect America and restore order.

But re are those who disagree. Outside, Black Lives Matter protesters approach doors, screaming, chanting and banging on windows. business leers strain to be heard over din.

“We’ve been here an hour and w we all understand what you go through every day,” a middle- banker tells Barr, “so thank you.”

Barr can expect this kind of praise when he appears Tuesday for first time before House Judiciary Committee — but only from its Republicans. To m, he is a conservative stalwart, an unflappable foe of left and its excesses, and — most importantly — a staunch defender of President Donald Trump.

reception from Democrats will be closer to hostility of Little Rock’s demonstrators.

In course of roughly 18 months in office, 70-year-old Barr has become inexorably linked to a rm-busting president with sagging popularity and uncertain reelection prospects.

His actions, including investigation he launched into Russia probe, have deepened criticism of him as Trump’s faithful protector. Democrats have suggested he should be impeached, and are holding hearings into what y say is politicization of Justice Department under his watch.

He came to job with reputation of an establishment Republican, and expectation, by some, that he would temper behavior of an impulsive and icoclastic president. He has t, leing some to believe he has tailored his principles to conform with Trump’s views on politics and law.

In fact, for deces Barr has me secret of his commitment to law and order and his support for expansive presidential power. Those views have married neatly with a president who has repeatedly tested limits of executive authority, a pairing that has benefited both men and perhaps allowed Barr to let down his hair more than ever before.

people who kw him insist that Barr is just being Barr — that he is t motivated by ambition or anything or than opportunity to put his heartfelt beliefs into practice.

“He doesn’t have anything to prove from a professional or career standpoint,” said his longtime colleague and friend, attorney Chuck Cooper. “He’s been at apex of legal profession for a long time. And so, in that respect, he’s unlike any or attorney general. He’s alrey ascended to that pinnacle once before.”

Only one or attorney general has served two n-consecutive terms — John J. Crittenden, who held job under presidents John Tyler and Millard Fillmore in 19th century. Barr’s first stint was from 1991 to 1993, under President George H.W. Bush.

n he left government work for a string of lucrative private-sector legal jobs until he answered Donald Trump’s call to replace Jeff Sessions, and was seen as a reasonable choice to restore rmalcy to an ncy riven with tumult.

Despite early indications of an askance view of Russia investigation — he authored a memo months before his mination critical of special counsel Robert Mueller’s efforts — he struck a soothing te at his confirmation hearing. He was confirmed 54-45, mostly along party lines.

But that support began to erode a month later after he cleared Trump of obstruction of justice allegations even when Mueller and his team h pointedly declined to do same, and after he produced a summary letter of Mueller’s investigation that painted a more flattering portrait for president than special counsel h done.

He’s since initiated an investigation of Russia probe that Trump supporters have embraced, but that Democrats see as vindictive and backward-looking.

He sought leniency in sentencing of Trump ally Roger Stone — his idea alone, he insists, and a “righteous decision based on merits.” move promoted angry dissent in Justice Department and swift resignation of a well-regarded prosecutor, and though judge did impose a sentence shorter than what trial team h sought, Trump commuted sentence anyway.

He also moved to dismiss prosecution of former Trump ministration national security viser Michael Flynn, a request Justice Department expected would be simple but that has inste produced a pitched fight before a federal appeals court.

Trump and Barr have broken on occasion: Trump wanted a full-on prosecution of players in Russia probe, like Andrew McCabe, and bristled when Barr asked him to stop tweeting about Roger Stone, saying that tweets were making it impossible to do his job.

But largely, Barr has delivered, Trump has told confidants, including when he moved to drop charges against Flynn.

Democrats on Capitol Hill have accused Barr of acting more like Trump’s personal lawyer than America’s chief law enforcement officer. For Barr, that’s a criticism easily shrugged off.

“I dismiss it because like many or talking points se days, re’s never any actual particular matter presented to support it, so I igre it as just part of general background ise,” Barr said in a recent interview with Associated Press.

At end of day, Barr insists his most controversial decisions have been right and just.

“I think only way to handle this kind of job, especially in kind of environment we are in, is to just put one foot in front of or, and every time a decision is brought to you, you make a decision and walk away with a clear conscience,” Barr said.

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Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.