The Senate voted Thursday to confirm President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, William Barr. Barr—who previously served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush—faced vocal opposition from Democrats, who expressed concern that Barr had previously criticized an element of the Mueller probe. During his Senate confirmation hearings, Barr backed the legitimacy of Mueller’s investigation. “I believe it is in the best interest of everyone—the president, Congress, and, most importantly, the American people—that this matter be resolved by allowing the special counsel to complete his work,” he said, adding that he thinks it is “very important” that those results be shared with Congress and the public. Barr will take the reins from acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, who has faced pushback in recent days for his combative attitude towards lawmakers and has been a vocal critic of the Mueller investigation.
