Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Attorney General Bill Barr. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
The Senate voted 54-45 on Thursday to confirm President Trump’s attorney general nominee William Barr.
Why it matters: Barr will oversee special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. In a memo he drafted before he was nominated, Barr argued that "Mueller's theory" that the president may have obstructed justice by firing FBI Director Jim Comey is "fatally misconceived," prompting concerns from Democratic lawmakers about potential conflicts of interest.
Details: The Democrats who voted for Barr's confirmation were Sens. Doug Jones (Ala.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.). The Republican who voted against Barr's confirmation was Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.).
- Barr sought to reassure lawmakers in his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, saying he would work to provide "as much transparency as possible" into Mueller's conclusions, and that it would be "a breach of his constitutional duties" if Trump tried to intervene to protect himself.
- However, Barr also stated that he would not recuse himself from overseeing the probe if he disagreed with ethics officials' recommendations that he do so.
Go deeper: Barr says that Mueller probe is not a "witch hunt" in Senate testimony