New York City Bar Calls for US AG William Barr's Recusal in Ukraine Matter
If Barr does not recuse himself, the bar association's statement said, "he should resign or, failing that, be subject to sanctions, including possible removal, by Congress."
October 23, 2019 at 12:13 PM
3 minute read
The original version of this story was published on New York Law Journal
U.S. Attorney General William Barr (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)
The New York City Bar Association in a statement Wednesday called on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to stand aside in any ongoing or future review by the Department of Justice of issues stemming from the Trump administration's dealings with Ukraine, in which Barr has allegedly involved.
If Barr does not recuse himself, the bar association's statement said, "he should resign or, failing that, be subject to sanctions, including possible removal, by Congress."
A Department of Justice spokeswoman declined to comment on the demand.
The New York City Bar's statement said that Barr has been mentioned, most notably, in a whistleblower report of a July 25, 2019 telephone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In that call Trump, according to the whistleblower, said Barr would be in touch with Zelensky to follow up on his request that Ukraine initiate an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, who was on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company.
The bar association took no position on the legality of the phone call or merits of the whistleblower's complaint. But it said the mention of Barr's name was enough to require his recusal from the probe.
"We do, however, believe it was, and is, incumbent on the Attorney General to recuse himself from any participation, direct or indirect, in DOJ's review of the whistleblower complaint," the New York City Bar statement said. "Regardless of whether Mr. Barr was in fact aware of or part of the President's plans, either before, at the time of, or after the July 25, 2019 telephone call, it is clear that Mr. Barr was obligated to recuse himself from any involvement in DOJ's review of either the whistleblower complaint or the substance of the President's actions once the President offered Mr. Barr's services to President Zelensky. "
The statement noted that Barr himself has recused in two instances–one in 1993 during his term as attorney general during the George H.W. Bush administration and the other earlier this year in the matter of Jeffrey Epstein–and that the step is not rare.
READ MORE:
AG Barr Warns Jeffrey Epstein Co-Conspirators Investigations Will Continue
William Barr Has Reached That Point Where House Dems Explore 'All of the Options'
William Barr Won't Commit to Recusing From Russia Investigation
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