Trump’s pick for attorney general might be as bad as Jeff Sessions

President Trump confirmed he will nominate William Barr as attorney general. Barr was previously attorney general under George H.W. Bush – and he has an appalling record as an aggressive supporter of mass incarceration and punitive drug policies.

It’s hard to imagine an attorney general as bad as Jeff Sessions when it comes to criminal justice and the drug war, but Trump seems to have found one.

Urge your Senators to oppose William Barr and ensure the next attorney general is committed to defending basic rights and moving away from failed drug war policies.

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Dear Senator,

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President Donald Trump confirmed he will nominate William Barr as attorney general. Barr was previously attorney general under George H.W. Bush – and he has an appalling record as an aggressive supporter of mass incarceration and punitive drug policies. He has indicated support for the extrajudicial killing of drug traffickers, as well as harsh mandatory minimums that have fueled the country’s ongoing crisis of mass incarceration.

I urge you to oppose William Barr for attorney general and instead make sure the next attorney general is committed to defending basic human rights and moving away from failed drug war policies.

Despite remarkably strong bipartisan support for criminal justice reform – both in U.S. public opinion and in Congress – Barr opposes even modest reforms. In 2015, Barr signed a letter to then-Senate leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) urging them not to bring up a sentencing reform bill: “Our system of justice is not broken. Mandatory minimums and proactive law enforcement measures have caused a dramatic reduction in crime over the past 25 years, an achievement we cannot afford to give back,” the letter read.

Barr’s daughter, Mary Daly, was tapped in February by Jeff Sessions to be the Justice Department’s point person on opioids. Daly supported rolling back Obama administration policies that encouraged more leniency when it comes to low-level drug offenses.

It’s hard to imagine an attorney general as bad as Jeff Sessions when it comes to criminal justice and the drug war, but Trump seems to have found one. Nominating Barr totally undermines Trump’s recent endorsement of sentencing reform.

William Barr is a disastrous choice. The vast majority of Americans believe the war on drugs needs to be replaced with a health-centered approach. It is critically important that you and rest of the Senate ensure the next attorney general is committed to defending basic rights and moving away from failed drug war policies.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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