Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 30 SepteMber 2019
Trump blurs lines between personal lawyer, attorney general

By MICHAEL BALSAMO embrace the president's
Associated Press political agenda. That's in
WASHINGTON (AP) — As stark contrast to Trump's
Washington plunges into relationship with his first at-
impeachment, Attorney torney general, Jeff Ses-
General William Barr finds sions, whom the president
himself engulfed in the po- repeatedly harangued in
litical firestorm, facing ques- public.
tions about his role in Presi- Trump's frustration with Ses-
dent Donald Trump's out- sions made clear how the
reach to Ukraine and the president views the Justice
administration's attempts Department — as a law
to keep a whistleblower enforcement agency that
complaint from Congress. exists to carry out his wishes
Trump repeatedly told and protect him. Despite
Ukraine's president in a a close relationship during
telephone call that Barr the 2016 campaign, Trump
and Trump personal lawyer never forgave Sessions for
Rudy Giuliani could help withdrawing from the gov-
investigate Trump's Demo- ernment's investigation into
cratic rival Joe Biden, ac- 2016 election interference,
cording to a rough tran- a move that ultimately
script of that summertime cleared the way for Muel-
conversation. Justice De- In this Sept. 9, 2019 file photo, President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Attorney General ler's investigation.
partment officials insist Barr William Barr, right, as he takes the podium to present the Medal of Valor to six police officers for Barr has come under the
was unaware of Trump's stopping a mass shooter in Dayton, Ohio, and Heroic Commendations to five civilians for their scrutiny of congressional
comments at the time of heroism during the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, in the East Room of the White House in Wash- Democrats who have ac-
ington.
the July 25 call. Associated Press cused him of acting on
When Barr did learn of that Trump's personal behalf
call a few weeks later, he and spoke on condition of tion in the U.S. government, has a modicum of inde- more than for the justice
was "surprised and angry" anonymity. raising questions about why pendence from the White system. Democrats have
to discover he had been Giuliani, a former New York he would be conducting House. also called on Barr to step
lumped in with Giuliani, a City mayor, often appears outreach to Ukrainian of- Yet to Trump, there often aside from decisions on the
person familiar with Barr's in rambling television inter- ficials. appears to be little differ- Ukraine matter. Those close
thinking told The Associ- views as a vocal defender Barr is the nation's top law ence between the two to Barr, however, have ar-
ated Press. This person was of the president. Giuliani enforcement officer and lawyers. gued there would be no
not authorized to speak represents Trump's personal leads a Cabinet depart- "I will have Mr. Giuliani give reason to do so because
about the matter publicly interests and holds no posi- ment that traditionally you a call and I am also he was unaware of the
going to have Attorney Trump-Zelenskiy conversa-
General Barr call and we tion.
will get to the bottom of it," The department insists Barr
Trump told Ukrainian Presi- wasn't made aware of the
dent Volodymyr Zelenskiy, call with Zelenskiy until at
according to the memo of least mid-August.
the call that was released Barr has not spoken with
by the White House this Trump about investigating
past week. Biden or Biden's son Hunter,
Since becoming attorney and Trump has not asked
general in February, Barr Barr to contact Ukranian
has been one of Trump's officials about the matter,
staunchest defenders. He the department said. Barr
framed special counsel has also not spoken with
Robert Mueller's report in Giuliani about anything re-
favorable terms for the lated to Ukraine, officials
president in a news con- have said.
ference this year, even Trump has sought, without
though Mueller said he did evidence, to implicate the
not exonerate Trump. Bidens in the kind of corrup-
Kathleen Clark, a legal eth- tion that has long plagued
ics professor at Washington Ukraine. Hunter Biden
University School of Law in served on the board of a
St. Louis, said Trump is treat- Ukrainian gas company at
ing the country's attorney the same time then-Vice
general as if he's just anoth- President Joe Biden was
er personal lawyer. leading the Obama admin-
"I think it represents a larg- istration's diplomatic deal-
er problem with President ings with Ukraine. Though
Trump," she said. "To him, it the timing raised concerns
appears Giuliani and Barr among anti-corruption ad-
both have the same job." vocates, there has been no
Trump has frequently laud- evidence of wrongdoing
ed Barr and his efforts to by either Biden. q