Senate committee delays Barr's AG confirmation vote

Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday delayed its vote on William Barr's attorney general nomination as Democrats raise concerns about special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Democrats are concerned about whether Barr, previously attorney general during George H.W. Bush's administration, would allow Mueller to finish and publicly release the results of his probe, which is also looking into the possibility that President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russian efforts. Committee members postponed voting on Barr's nomination for a week.

Ranking committee member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Tuesday that she is concerned about Barr criticizing Mueller's investigation in a memo he wrote to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last year.

"This memo is of serious concern to me and appears to be seminal in his appointment to his position," Feinstein said. "If this view is applied in the current context there will be little check on the president."

In his testimony and written answers to senators' questions, Barr refused to give senators a guarantee he will publish the report without redaction. He has also not guaranteed he would follow the Justice Department's ethics counsel if asked to recuse himself from the probe.

Despite the delay, Barr is expected to be confirmed next week.