FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR ENDORSES JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that William P. Barr, former U.S. Attorney General, has endorsed John McCain for President of the United States. Mr. Barr has held several positions in Republican administrations, including service under Ronald Reagan on the Domestic Policy Council and U.S. Attorney General under George H.W. Bush.

"Even before my days in the Reagan administration, I have been an admirer of John McCain's," said Mr. Barr. "He has been a consistent conservative and he will bring to the White House a firm vision for the judiciary. I believe, as he does, that judges should honor, and not reinterpret the Constitution. As president, I know John McCain will nominate judges who follow in the traditions of strict constructionists. John McCain has been a leader national security, fiscal discipline and conservative values, and I am proud to support him."

John McCain thanked Mr. Barr, stating, "I am grateful to Attorney General Barr for his endorsement of my candidacy. I look forward to working with him to secure a victory in November. He believes, as I do, in a strong national defense, in fiscal responsibility, in the values that have made our nation strong, and in a judiciary where judges should not be in the business of legislating from the bench." William Barr received his law degrees with highest honors in 1977 from George Washington University. From 1973 to 1977, he was employed by the Central Intelligence Agency. Barr was a law clerk to Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1977 through 1978. He served on the Domestic Policy staff at the White House from 1982 to 1983. He was also in private practice for nine years, with the Washington law firm of Shaw, Pitman, Potts, and Trowbridge.

At the Department of Justice, Barr served in the positions of Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel from 1989 to 1990, Deputy Attorney General from May 1990 to August 1991 and Acting Attorney General for three months. He was appointed Attorney General by President Bush in 1991. After resigning as Attorney General, he returned to private practice.