'I am recused from that matter because one of the law firms that represented Epstein long ago was a firm I subsequently joined for a period of time,' Barr told reporters on Monday.
During his confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Ben Sasse asked Barr whether he would conduct a"full and thorough investigation" into the Justice Department's handling of Epstein's case, in particular, the non-prosecution agreement from 2008.
"Senator, I have to recuse myself from Kirkland & Ellis matters, I am told," Barr said at the time."And I think Kirkland & Ellis was maybe involved in that case, so I need to sort out exactly what my role can be. I will say that if I'm confirmed I'll make sure your questions are answered on this case."
According to Law and Crime, Kirkland & Ellis were involved in the Epstein case and the firm's senior partner Jay Lefkowitz is among the list of notable attorneys, which also includes Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who have once represented the billionaire. In 2008, the federal investigation into Epstein came to an end after he struck a controversial deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to two Florida state prostitution charges, despite being accused of sexually abusing more than 30 minors. His possible life sentence was watered down to 13-months in Palm Beach County Jail, financial settlements to multiple victims and a requirement he register as a sex offender. The deal also granted immunity to Epstein's co-conspirators.
President Donald Trump's Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, reportedly oversaw the deal and has since defended the agreement as appropriate under the circumstances. In February, a federal judgeU.S. Attorney General William Barr delivers remarks during the National Police Week 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall May 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. Barr on Monday said he has been recused from the Jeffrey Epstein case due to legal conflicts.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Barr Sees a Path to Legally Add Census Citizenship QuestionAttorney General William Barr said he expects to find a legal way to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, less than a week after the Justice Department said it would drop the attempt in the wake of a Supreme Court decision blocking it.
Read more »
Barr says he sees a legal path for census citizenship queryAttorney General William Barr told the AP that he sees a legal pathway to adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census, despite a Supreme Court ruling that blocked its inclusion, at least temporarily.
Read more »
A New Team of Government Lawyers Will Take Over Census FightA new team of government lawyers will be taking charge of the census fight, as the Trump administration searches for a legally acceptable way to include a citizenship question in the 2020 survey despite a Supreme Court decision barring it.
Read more »
William Barr says DOJ will support Robert Mueller if he 'doesn't want to' testify before Congress, despite a subpoenaThe nation's top law enforcement official on Monday suggested that the former special counsel did not need to comply with a congressional subpoena.
Read more »
Defense Attorneys Vow To Present Irrefutable Evidence Proving Jeffrey Epstein BillionaireNEW YORK—Addressing the “gross injustice” behind their client’s recent arrest, defense attorneys told reporters Monday that they vow to present irrefutable evidence proving that Jeffrey Epstein is a billionaire. “Frankly, it’s disgusting for anyone to assume that Mr. Epstein would have a net worth of anything less than a billion dollars,” said attorney Martin Weinberg, adding that he and his legal team will present dozens of witnesses who can corroborate Epstein’s bank balance, along with tax documents and stock certificates that would absolve the financier of having such a heinously low amount of money. “The authorities are treating my client, a man who has shown himself to be nothing but an affluent citizen of his wealthy community, like a common millionaire. I am confident that after the jury is given all the facts, they will find the defendant very, very rich.” At press time, Epstein’s legal team released numerous photographs of a private 70-acre island that they say would completely exonerate their client.
Read more »
What You Need to Know About the Jeffrey Epstein CaseEverything you need to know about the multimillionaire's alleged 'sexual pyramid scheme.'
Read more »