Senate confirms Barr as US attorney general

William Barr has received approval from the Senate to be the next US attorney general. Though Democrats opposed his nomination in committee last week, at least one crossed the aisle to vote in favor of his confirmation on Thursday, offsetting Senator Ron Paul (R-Kentucky) who objected to Barr’s positions on privacy. The final vote was 54-45 in favor of confirmation. Barr was nominated by President Donald Trump in December to replace Jeff Sessions. He previously served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, from November 1991 to January 1993.