Congressman Cohen Calls for Impeachment of Attorney General Barr

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today questioned whistleblowers and expert witnesses at an oversight hearing on the politicization of the Department of Justice, and called for Attorney General William Barr's impeachment.

In his remarks at the hearing, Congressman Cohen, noting today's 2-1 panel ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissing the case against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, said the entire appellate court should review the ruling. Congressman Cohen also said the unusual withdrawal of the Government's sentencing recommendations for convicted longtime Trump strategist Roger Stone was "a travesty" and "another case where politics is overcoming the rule of law and destroying America."

Congressman Cohen called for the impeachment of Attorney General William Barr for his politicization of the department. At one point, Congressman Cohen said:

"Even if the ultimate trier of the Senate is impotent to see the truth and to exercise discretion in keeping with the American public and the rule of law, we should pursue impeachment of Bill Barr because he is reigning terror on the rule of law."

Congressman Cohen also asked about testimony that Attorney General Barr corruptly used the power of the Justice Department by initiate politically motivated antitrust investigations into cannabis industry mergers without a legitimate rationale. He asked Department of Justice trial attorney John W. Elias whether the department's actions constituted "harassment by Bill Barr of an industry he didn't like." Elias said, "that's a fair way to characterize it, yes."

In closing, Congressman Cohen said:

"And ironically…, it all comes down to one place. Barr doesn't like marijuana. Marijuana (laws are) seven times more likely to be enforced against young African Americans…That's one of the breeding grounds of discontent and distrust between African Americans and the police. It's very unfortunate."

See Congressman Cohen's entire exchange with the witnesses here.

On Thursday, the House is expected to debate and vote on the Justice in Policing Act which Congressman Cohen and the Judiciary Committee voted to advance to the House floor last week.

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