NOMINATIONS/ROBERT MUELLER/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general moved one step closer to confirmation after winning approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a 12-10 party-line vote, the panel endorsed William Barr’s nomination, which could see a floor vote as soon as next week. Barr, losing no Republican support so far, appears slated to be confirmed. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said Thursday he would support Barr’s nomination, as did Democratic Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.)…Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have voiced concern about how Barr would oversee special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, in light of a memo he wrote last year criticizing the investigation as ‘fatally misconceived.’ Barr defended the memo during his confirmation hearing, saying that he’s weighed in on several legal issues over the years and intended the memo originally to be an op-ed. Barr sought to assure lawmakers that he would allow Mueller to finish his investigation, but Senate Democrats said he did not do enough to convince them that he would make Mueller’s final report public.”
–Marianne Levine, “Trump’s attorney general nominee clears Senate Judiciary Committee,” Politico, February 7, 2019 4:06 pm