Barr cleared by Senate for att’y general

The Senate confirmed William Barr as attorney general Thursday, putting him in charge of Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation at a time when lawmakers are pushing for the special counsel’s findings to be made public.

Barr, who served as AG in the first Bush administration and was picked by President Trump to permanently replace Jeff Sessions, was predictably approved on a mostly party-line vote of 54-45.

The 68-year-old lawman takes over supervision of Mueller’s probe from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who has overseen the it since Sessions recused himself in March 2017.

Sessions’s recusal wrecked his relationship with the President, whose campaign is being probed over the possibility that it colluded or participated in Russia’s pro-Trump attack on the 2016 election.

Democrats overwhelmingly voted against Barr over concerns he didn’t commit himself to publicly releasing Mueller’s findings.

They also raised alarm about Barr’s view of presidential powers and needled a controversial memo he penned ahead of his nomination that argued Trump couldn’t have obstructed justice by firing former FBI Director James Comey — a central part of Mueller’s investigation.

Barr, who has the power to release or redact Mueller’s findings, insisted during his confirmation hearings he will be as transparent as possible while adhering to Justice Department regulations. Democrats said that wasn’t enough.

“Mr. Barr’s views about the power of the President are especially troubling in light of his refusal to commit to making the special counsel’s findings and the report publicly available,” said California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, following the vote.

Rosenstein, who has faced Trump’s ire for his oversight of Mueller’s probe, will resign from the Justice Department when Barr takes office.

Matthew Whitaker, the acting AG handpicked by Trump, will also step down.