What is William Barr's Net Worth?
William Barr is an American lawyer and government official with a net worth of $50 million. He is notable for serving as the 77th and 85th United States Attorney General under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump.
Wealth Details
Barr's Federal asset disclosure reported assets between $25 and $75 million. He amassed his wealth working in the private sector, notably at Verizon, where he retired with a $10 million annual salary and a $17 million pension fund.
Early Life
Barr was born on May 23, 1950, in New York City to professors Donald and Mary Margaret Barr. Raised in a Catholic household, he grew up on the Upper West Side with his three brothers. He attended Horace Mann School and later Columbia University, earning a B.A. in government in 1971 and an M.A. in government and Chinese studies in 1973. During his studies, he interned at the CIA and continued working there as an intelligence agent while attending George Washington University Law School, graduating with a J.D. in 1977.
Career
After law school, Barr clerked for a U.S. Court of Appeals judge and then worked at Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge from 1978 to 1989. He briefly served as Deputy Assistant Director for Legal Policy at the Reagan White House from 1982 to 1983.
In 1989, Barr was appointed Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel by President George H. W. Bush. He later became Deputy Attorney General and then Acting Attorney General. In 1991, Barr was confirmed as Attorney General by a unanimous Senate vote. During his tenure, he advocated for increased incarceration rates, launched a controversial phone surveillance program, and advised pardoning former defense secretary Caspar Weinberger.
After Bush's presidency, Barr became Executive Vice President and General Counsel for GTE Corporation, playing a significant role in its merger with Bell Atlantic, forming Verizon Communications. He retired from Verizon in 2008.
Barr worked at Kirkland & Ellis in 2009 and advised corporations on regulatory matters until 2017 before rejoining Kirkland & Ellis.
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Barr supported President Donald Trump, criticizing investigations into Trump's presidency. In June 2018, he sent an unsolicited memo opposing the Special Counsel's investigation, which some saw as a bid for the Attorney General position. Trump nominated him to succeed Jeff Sessions, and Barr was confirmed in February 2019.
As Attorney General under Trump, Barr defended Trump's policies, faced criticism for handling the Mueller report, intervened in convictions of Trump advisors like Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, and reinstated federal executions. Barr resigned in December 2020, with observers noting his alignment of the Justice Department with the White House.
Personal Life
Barr married Christine Moynihan in 1973. They have three daughters, Mary, Patricia, and Margaret, all of whom have pursued careers in government. In 1992, Barr received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from George Washington University. He is a member of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast and served on the Catholic Information Center's board from 2014 to 2017. An avid bagpiper since age eight, Barr performed competitively in his youth and was part of the City of Washington Pipe Band.
