Bob Barr

For other people named "Bob Barr" or "Robert Barr", see Robert Barr (disambiguation).
Bob Barr
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by Buddy Darden
Succeeded by John Linder
Personal details
Born Robert Laurence Barr, Jr.
(1948-11-05) November 5, 1948
Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.
Political party Republican (Before 2004, 2011–present)
Independent (2004–2006)
Libertarian (2006–2011)
Spouse(s) First spouse (Divorced 1976)
Gail Barr (1976–1986)
Jeri Dobbin (1986–present)
Children 4
Alma mater University of Southern California
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Religion Methodism

Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr.[1] (born November 5, 1948) is an American former federal prosecutor and a former Congressman.[2] He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003.[2][3] Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.[2] Barr joined the Libertarian Party in 2006[4] and served on its National Committee.[5] He was the Libertarian Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 election.[6]

Early life

Barr was born on November 5, 1948, in Iowa City, Iowa,[2] to Bob and Beatrice Barr.[7] His father, a West Point soldier,[7][8] moved the family to various locations around the world while pursuing his career in civil engineering.[7][9] The second of six children, Bob Jr. spent his boyhood in Malaysia, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Baghdad,[10] and finally Tehran, Iran, where he graduated from Community High School in 1966.[2][7][9]

Barr returned to the United States, attending the University of Southern California and joining the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity in 1967. He held the position of Grand Prytanis on the fraternity's Grand Council from 2013[11] to 2015.[12]

During this time, Barr's mother introduced him to the work of Ayn Rand.[7][9] This fostered a new-found appreciation for conservatism and prompted Barr to join the Young Trojan Republican Club.[7][9] Barr completed his B.A., cum laude,[13] from University of Southern California in 1970.[2] Barr married his first wife while still in college.[7] They divorced in 1976.[14]

Early career

Barr earned a master's degree in International Affairs[15] from George Washington University in 1972, and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center (attending at night)[10] in 1977.[15][2] From 1971 (1970?[2]) to 1978, Barr was employed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as an analyst of Latin American issues.[15][3][10] Barr married his second wife, Gail, in 1976.[14][16][14] They have two children together, both boys, born in 1980[14][17][18] and 1981.[14][17] Gail and Bob Barr divorced in 1986.[14][16]

After leaving the CIA, Barr moved to Georgia, where he practiced law and became active in the Republican Party, serving as county chair.[14][10] Barr made an unsuccessful bid for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1984.[14] In 1986 Barr married his third wife, Jerilyn Dobbins,[14][16] who was later known as Jeri Barr.[19] Bob Barr's web site stated in 2008 that Jeri and he have four children and six grandchildren.[19]

In 1986, Barr was appointed by President Ronald Reagan[3] to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia – a post Barr held until 1990.[2] Barr's office prosecuted state and local officials, members of the Medellin drug cartel, and got a perjury indictment on then-sitting Republican Congressman Pat Swindall,[20] who ultimately served a year in prison on the charges. From 1990 to 1991, Barr was president of the Southeastern Legal Foundation,[2] an Atlanta-based law firm and policy center that litigates in support of "limited government, individual economic freedom, and the free enterprise system".[21]

Congressional career

Further information: Electoral history of Bob Barr
Barr during the 107th Congress (2001–2003)

Barr sought the Republican Party nomination for U.S. Senate in 1992, but lost the primary election to Paul Coverdell.[22] The primary was very close, with Barr losing by fewer than 1,600 votes in a runoff election.[22] Subsequently, Coverdell came in behind incumbent Senator Wyche Fowler in the general election, but the 3% showing by a Libertarian candidate (Jim Hudson) forced a runoff, which Coverdell won.

Barr was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as a Republican, upsetting six-term Democrat Buddy Darden, to represent Georgia's 7th congressional district in the 104th United States Congress. Barr was one of 73 Republican freshmen ushered into Congress in that election.[23] The election became known as the "Republican Revolution" because it resulted in the first Republican House majority in 40 years – since the 1955 adjournment of the 83rd Congress.[24][25]

Barr was later re-elected three times, serving from 1995 to 2003.[2] While in Congress, Barr served as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, as Vice-Chairman of the Government Reform Committee,[3] and as a member of the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Veteran's Affairs.[15][3]

In Congress, Barr became famous for his "dour" image and told constituents, "You don't send me to Washington to smile."[10] He also said in a radio interview "If it's not in the Constitution, I won't smile".[26] He later explained "I don't consider politicians who smile to be worth a heck of a lot... all things considered, it doesn't make a dime's worth of difference if the politicians in Washington smile or not, what matters is how much of your hard-earned dollars they take to spend in pure pork".[27] Barr said in 2010 "I can see a situation where the federal government is going to bring an entire suitcase of San Francisco values to the American family, and while I would love to explain all the things that are wrong with that, the fact is that this is a corrupting, left-leaning, influence on a section of society that so many liberal elites want to see taken out of the 'red state' column. The only solution to this kind of behavior is dour and austere social conservatism, like my own".[26] Adding to his image, Barr has frequently protested about "cult hairstyles", saying "I cannot abide by people who adopt a cult hairstyle, or persistently dress inappropriately for meetings with me".[28]

Georgia's congressional districts were reorganized by the Democratic-controlled Georgia legislature ahead of the 2002 elections for the 108th Congress.[29] As part of the legislature's effort to get more Democrats elected from the state, Barr's district was renumbered as the 11th District and made significantly more Democratic. A large slice of his base was drawn into the same district as fellow Republican John Linder. The new district was numerically Barr's district – the 7th – but contained most of the territory from Linder's old 11th District. This move profited Democrats by leading to the inevitable defeat of an incumbent Republican (i.e., either Barr or Linder).[30] Recognizing Barr's precarious situation, the Libertarian Party seized on the opportunity to oust one of the federal drug war's most vocal proponents (Barr), and ran TV ads criticizing Barr's opposition to medical marijuana during the Republican primaries.[31] Barr was soundly defeated by a 2-to-1 margin.[31] The extent to which the issue of medical marijuana shaped the election is unclear. Some have argued that Barr's huge loss simply reflected the nature of the new 7th district, which was primarily redrawn from Linder's old 11th district.[29] However, before the medical marijuana ads were aired,[31] the Linder campaign acknowledged the race as being tight;[32] and Pat Gartland, southeastern director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, saw the race as "too close to call".[30]

Barr's defeat was applauded by many Democrats and Libertarians. Rob Kampia of the Marijuana Policy Project called it "glorious news".[33] Ron Crickenberger, producer of the TV ads, was quick to warn other supporters of the War on Drugs:

With this victory, we have fired a warning shot for every drug warrior in Congress to hear. And any member of Congress – Democrat or Republican – who introduces legislation to make federal drug laws even more oppressive could be next on our list.
— Ron Crickenberger, Libertarian Party Political Director, August 2002[31]

However, some individuals within these groups lamented Barr's defeat as a setback for privacy rights[34] and libertarian causes in general.[32] Libertarian J. Bradley Jansen opined:

The LP has a historic opportunity to present itself as a viable alternative to the big parties, instead of spending its money and energy trying to defeat one of libertarianism's few friends in Congress just because they disagree with him on one issue.
— J. Bradley Jansen, vice chair of the Libertarian Party in the District of Columbia, Liberty (August 2002)[32]

Political positions in Congress

During his tenure, Barr was regarded as one of the most conservative members of Congress.[35] In 2002, he was described by Bill Shipp in an OnlineAthens.com article as "the idol of the gun-toting, abortion-fighting, IRS-hating hard right wing of American politics".[30] However, Barr's criticism of the Bush administration's policies on privacy and other civil liberties after the 9/11 attacks was unusual among House Republicans (see Criticism of Bush Administration below).[30] This criticism earned Barr other labels such as "Maverick",[30] "Jekyll-and-Hyde",[36] and "Libertarian".[32]

War on drugs

Barr was originally a strong supporter of the War on Drugs, reflecting his previous experience as an Anti-Drug Coordinator for the United States Department of Justice.[2] While in Congress, he was a member of the Speaker's Task Force for a Drug-Free America.[36] This task force was established in 1998 by then-Speaker Newt Gingrich to "design a World War II-style victory plan to save America's children from illegal drugs."[37] The task force crafted legislation specifically designed to "win the War on Drugs by 2002".[37]

Barr advocated complete federal prohibition of medical marijuana. In 1998, he successfully blocked implementation of Initiative 59[38] – the "Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1998" – which would have legalized medical marijuana in Washington, D.C.[39] The "Barr Amendment" to the 1999 Omnibus spending bill not only blocked implementation of Initiative 59, but also prohibited the vote tally from even being released.[39][40] Nearly a year passed before a lawsuit[41] filed by the American Civil Liberties Union eventually revealed the initiative had received 69 percent of the vote.[42] In response to the judge's ruling,[43] Barr simply attached another "Barr Amendment" to the 2000 Omnibus spending bill that overturned Initiative 59 outright.[44] The Barr Amendment also prohibited future laws that would "decrease the penalties for marijuana or other Schedule I drugs" in Washington, D.C.[45] This preemptively blocked future attempts by Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) to reform marijuana laws in DC via the initiative process.[45] In March 2002, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan struck down this portion of the Barr Amendment as being an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.[45][46] Barr's response to the ruling was defiant:

Clearly, the court today has ignored the constitutional right and responsibility of Congress to pass laws protecting citizens from dangerous and addictive narcotics, and the right of Congress to exert legislative control over the District of Columbia as the nation's capital.
— Bob Barr, March 28, 2002[47]

The federal government later prevailed on appeal,[48] reinstating the Barr Amendment just in time to thwart MPP's initiative 63 – "The Medical Marijuana Initiative of 2002" – which had already qualified for the November 2002 ballot.[49][50] In 2009, both the United States Senate and House of Representatives voted to lift the ban against a medical marijuana initiative, effectively overturning the Barr Amendment.[51]

Barr would later reverse his position on medical marijuana, joining MPP as a lobbyist five years later. In a June 4, 2008, interview with Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report, Barr confirmed that he now supports ending marijuana prohibition, as well as the War on Drugs, for which he once vehemently fought.[52] In 2009, he was hired by the MPP to lobby to successfully overturn the amendment that he had authored.[53]

Same-sex marriage

Barr took a lead in legislative debate concerning same-sex marriage. He authored and sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act, a law enacted in 1996 which states that only marriages that are between a man and a woman can be federally recognized, and individual states may choose not to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in another state.[54] At the 2008 Libertarian National Convention, he apologized for the part of the Defense of Marriage Act which prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.[55]

He now supports same-sex marriage,[56] opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, contending it is a violation of states' rights,[57] and supports the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.[58]

Terrorism

He voted for the first USA PATRIOT Act,[59] but only after his amendments adding "sunset clauses" were added to the final bill.[60] Barr played a similar role during the debate over Bill Clinton's Comprehensive Anti-terrorism Act of 1995, crafting pro-civil liberties amendments to the original text.[61] He now publicly regrets[35] his Patriot Act vote.[62]

War in Iraq

In 2002 Barr voted for the Iraq Resolution.[63] He has since called for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, leaving no permanent military bases. A press release from Barr's presidential campaign stated: "The next president should commit to a speedy and complete withdrawal from Iraq, and tell the Iraqi people that the U.S. troops will be going home."[64]

Religious freedom

In Congress, he also proposed that the Pentagon ban the practice of Wicca in the military.[35][65]

Economic freedom

Barr advocates the repeal of the 16th Amendment, which gives the U.S. Congress the power to levy an income tax without apportionment. As an alternative, he proposes a form of consumption tax, such as the FairTax.[66]

He also favors drastic reductions in government spending and the elimination of corporate welfare.[66]

Waco hearings

The National Review described Barr as one of the few people able to "ask effective questions and make clear points" while questioning government witnesses during the 1995 House Waco siege hearings on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation actions against the Branch Davidians in 1993, sponsored by subcomittees of the House Judiciary Committee and Government Reform and Oversight Committee.[67] Barr has written: "The hearing was a farce: a virtual lovefest, during which members of the Clinton Administration responded to softball questions from their colleagues in the House with superficial answers, and Republican queries were ignored or glossed over with disdain, if not outright contempt."[68] Barr called for Congress to reopen investigations, but senior House Republicans refused.[69] In 2003 testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Barr wrote: "[T]here remains time to turn back the constitutional clock and roll back excessive post-9/11 powers before we turn the corner into another Japanese internment or, closer to our own experiences, before we witness a legally sanctioned Ruby Ridge or Waco scenario."[70]

Role in Clinton impeachment

Barr is best known for his role as one of the House managers during the Clinton impeachment trial. It was Barr who first introduced a resolution directing the House Judiciary Committee to inquire into impeachment proceedings[71] – months before the Monica Lewinsky scandal came to light. Foremost among the concerns Barr cited at the time was apparent obstruction of Justice Department investigations into Clinton campaign fundraising from foreign sources, chiefly the People's Republic of China.[72]

After the Lewinsky scandal broke, Barr was the first lawmaker in either chamber to call for Clinton's resignation.[73] During debate on the impeachment resolution on the House floor, Barr argued that Clinton's attempt to interfere with Lewinsky's testimony in the Paula Jones case endangered the Constitution. In doing so, Barr said, Clinton violated what Barr called a "fundamental right" of any American citizen – "the unshakable right each one of us has to walk into a courtroom and demand the righting of a wrong."[74]

Controversies over Barr's personal conduct

In 1999, during Clinton's impeachment trial, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt offered money to anyone who could provide evidence that a prominent Republican had engaged in an extramarital affair. According to the American Journalism Review,[75] investigators for Flynt said that Barr was "guilty of king-size hypocrisy." In accordance with his public offer, Flynt subsequently paid a sum of money to Gail Barr after she had made an affidavit.[10] Investigators reported that Barr had "invoked a legal privilege during his 1985 divorce proceeding so he could refuse to answer questions on whether he'd cheated on his second wife with the woman who is now his third."[76]

In the early 1990s, Barr was photographed at a fundraising event licking whipped cream off a woman.[77] According to the Washington Post "Two people who observed the act say it wasn't exactly a bosom lick but more like a neckline lick, at the sort of event where business and civic leaders perform dares to raise money. 'Not exactly Mr. Effusive,' says Matt Towery, the former chairman of Newt Gingrich's political organization, who observed the brief and awkward licking. 'You can hardly get the guy to smile.'"[78]

Criticism of Bush Administration

“ A man faithful to the Constitution doesn't stop criticizing presidents when the letter after their names change. ”
— Bob Barr, 2007[60]

Since leaving Congress in 2003, Barr has become a vocal opponent of the Patriot Act and has stated that he voted for it reluctantly[10] and regrets voting for it, only agreeing because the Bush administration promised not to attempt to expand the granted powers or use them for non-terrorism purposes, and the administration agreed to report to Congress on their usage.[79] Barr says that the Bush administration promptly ignored these three promises given to Congress and has used the powers granted from the Patriot Act to further erode due process of law even in matters unrelated to terrorism.[79] Barr claims that the Clinton administration did much of the same thing.[35] In 2005 – the year the Patriot Act was due for renewal – Barr helped found an organization called Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances, a bipartisan group dedicated to eliminating aspects of the Patriot Act that could potentially affect law-abiding citizens rather than terrorists, and to "restore traditional checks and balances on government power so the country can effectively fight terror without sacrificing the rights of innocent Americans, rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution."[80] Barr still serves as the group's chairman.

Barr has been a vocal opponent of President George W. Bush's claim of authorization to wiretap transnational phone calls without individual judicial license. He has said, "What's wrong with it is several-fold. One, it's bad policy for our government to be spying on American citizens through the National Security Agency. Secondly, it's bad to be spying on Americans without court oversight. And thirdly, it's bad to be spying on Americans apparently in violation of federal laws against doing it without court order."[81]

In 2006, he debated the architect of the Patriot Act, Viet Dinh, on terrorism and privacy issues.[82]

Departure from Republican Party

In the 2004 presidential election, Barr left the Republican Party and publicly endorsed[83] the Libertarian Party presidential nominee Michael Badnarik.[84]

In 2006, he joined the Libertarian Party as a regional representative, then serving on the Libertarian National Committee.[85]

Political associations

Barr sat on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association from 2001 to 2007.[86]

Barr is a commentator on political and social issues and is chairman of the American Conservative Union Foundation's '21st Century Center for Privacy and Freedom'.[87]

In January 2006, to emphasize the bipartisan nature of the event, Barr planned on introducing Al Gore at a speech co-sponsored by the Liberty Coalition and the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy to address what they called the "NSA Spying Scandal", in which Gore compared warrantless wiretapping to the FBI's surveillance of Martin Luther King, Jr.[88]

Libertarian Party

On December 12, 2006, Barr became a regional representative on the Libertarian National Committee, representing the Party's Southeast Region. Barr said: "I'm happy to announce that I am now a proud, card-carrying Libertarian who is committed to helping elect leaders who will strive for smaller government, lower taxes and abundant individual freedom."[5]

Marijuana Policy Project

“ Regarding the drug war, I've been there, done that, and know firsthand our current strategy is not working. Continuing to have the federal government run roughshod over the states, even if the citizens of a state decide they wish to legalize medicinal marijuana, for example, is wrong. ”
— Bob Barr, May 22, 2008[89]

In Congress, Barr's strong stance against medical marijuana put him at odds with marijuana policy reformers such as the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). Despite this historic antagonism, in March 2007, Barr reversed his stance on medical marijuana[90] and began lobbying on behalf of MPP.[91][92] This new partnership saw Barr working to repeal his very own "Barr Amendment"[89] – the amendment[90] that overturned a voter-approved medical marijuana initiative in Washington, D.C.[91] and bars consideration of similar initiatives.[93]

Barr has been careful to note that he isn't pro-drug, but rather against government intrusion.[90] In interviews he has expressed the nuanced position of simultaneously opposing legalization, yet advocating the federalist ideals of State legislation and enforcement over Federal control.[94][95]

Barr's reversal on drug policy surprised many, particularly MPP.[92] His new-found appreciation for harm reduction was heartily welcomed:

It's very rare to find someone who's willing to change their position and then be so public about it. [Barr has] definitely increased the credibility of the Marijuana Policy Project. People have to take us seriously when we walk through the door with Bob Barr.
— Rob Kampia, Executive Director, Marijuana Policy Project, May 2008[89]

American Freedom Agenda

Barr is one of the four founders of the American Freedom Agenda, which is described as "a coalition established to restore checks and balances and civil liberties protections under assault by the executive branch." The American Freedom Agenda has established a 10-point Freedom Pledge for presidential candidates to confirm their commitment to civil liberties.[96] He is also a member of the Constitution Project's bipartisan Liberty and Security Committee.[97]

Liberty Guard

Barr is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Liberty Guard,[98] an IRS 501(c)4 organization, which states its mission is to protect and defend individual liberty.

Other activities

In early 2008, Barr became an adjunct professor at Kennesaw State University and was scheduled to teach a course on privacy rights titled "Privacy and Public Policy in 21st Century Business and Society."[99]

Barr appeared in the mock documentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. He met with "Borat" (portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen) in the United States Capitol where he was given cheese that Borat described as being made from his wife's breast milk.[100]

Barr endorsed the Free State Project on July 22, 2008 saying, "I think it's tremendous!"[101][102]

Barr is listed as the President of the Law Enforcement Education Organization, a non-profit organization with a mission of serving "active-duty and retired law enforcement officers, by educating and assisting law enforcement personnel and agencies meet challenges posed by certain laws and regulations."[103][104]

Publications and commentary

Barr authored the 2004 book The Meaning of Is: The Squandered Impeachment and Wasted Legacy of William Jefferson Clinton (ISBN 978-0974537627).

He briefly wrote a regular column for Creative Loafing (Atlanta), an alternative weekly newspaper serving the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area.[35][105] In 2008, in his column "The Barr Code", he lambasted the new policy of Boston police of allowing warrantless search for firearms in teenagers' homes.[106]

Barr hosted a political talk radio show on Radio America called Bob Barr's Laws of the Universe.[107] He has stated that he plans to write a book with that title.[108]

In August 2008, Barr criticized the United States' response to the conflict between Russia and Georgia as being too emotional and not based on legitimate American national security concerns. He wrote: "The most important American interest is defending America; and intervening on behalf of Georgia against Russia has nothing to do with defending America."[109]

In October 2008, Barr gave a one-hour talk with answers to audience questions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Carnegie Mellon University.

On March 7, 2009, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced that Barr would be a weekly columnist for the paper.[110]

Barr publishes a regular blog known as the Barr code.[111]

Advising former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier

In 2011, Barr traveled to Haiti to lobby on behalf of "former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier."[112] According to Barr, "he is not serving as Duvalier's attorney, but is in Port-au-Prince to consult, assist and be Duvalier's voice to the international community."[112]

2008 presidential campaign

Wikinews has related news: Bob Barr wins the Libertarian Party presidential nomination

In early 2008, rumors circulated that Barr was considering a presidential run under the Libertarian Party banner. Activists began a Facebook group dedicated to drafting Barr into the nomination contest,[113] and Barr later confirmed his interest.[114] He launched a presidential exploratory committee and campaign website[115] on April 5,[116] and formally announced his candidacy[117] for the Libertarian nomination on May 12.[118] His announcement came a mere ten days before the start of the Libertarian Party Convention, where delegates select the presidential candidate.[119]

Bob Barr speaks in October 2008.

Following his announcement, Rasmussen Reports had Barr polling at 6% nationwide against Barack Obama (42%), John McCain (38%), and Ralph Nader (4%).[120] The study identified Barr as the Libertarian candidate, but most voters said they did not know enough about him to have an opinion of him personally.[120] Barr's support in the poll was a net drain on Republicans; he picked up 7% of the Republican vote, 5% of the Democratic vote, and 5% of the unaffiliated vote.[120]

On May 25, 2008, Barr became the 2008 Libertarian presidential nominee after six rounds of voting at the 2008 Libertarian convention. He beat Mary Ruwart in the final round of voting, with 324 delegates to Ruwart's 276, with 26 none-of-the-above votes.[121] Barr had received the endorsement of Wayne Allyn Root, one of his rivals for the nomination, after Root was eliminated following the fifth round of balloting. Barr, in turn, endorsed Root for the party's vice presidential nomination, which he received. Reason magazine senior editor Radley Balko called Barr "the first serious candidate the LP has run since I've been eligible to vote."[122]

On June 4, 2008, Barr invited the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, John McCain, and the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, Barack Obama, to weekly presidential debates through an official press release.[123]

Many opinion leaders predicted that Barr could siphon off conservative votes that would have otherwise gone to McCain. John Linder, who defeated Barr for the Republican nomination in a 2002 congressional race, said that Barr could cause serious problems for McCain in some states.[124] Barr repeatedly rejected this assertion as scapegoating, responding that small-government Republicans would not vote for McCain anyway, nor would civil liberties advocates vote for Obama.[125]

Barr appeared on the ballot in 45 states.[126] In July, he filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma for its unusually restrictive ballot access laws,[127] which he contends are contrary to the First Amendment right to petition one's government for a redress of grievances.[128] In July, a Zogby poll had Barr receiving 6% of the vote nationwide, as well as double digits in several states.[129]

A Zogby poll released on August 15, 2008, indicated that most Republican and Democratic voters wanted Barr to be included in the presidential debates. The poll also indicated that almost 70% of independent voters would have liked to see him included.[130]

On September 17, 2008, Barr filed suit in Texas to remove both McCain and Obama from the ballot. Both political parties failed to file their nominees by the deadline.[131] On September 23, 2008, the Texas Supreme Court rejected the request without giving a reason for its decision.[132]

Among his campaign positions, Barr distinguished himself strongly from Obama and McCain by opposing the financial bailout bill.[133]

On November 4, 2008, Barr received 523,686 votes, <1% of the national vote.[134]

Return to Republican Party

Barr speaking at the 2016 FreedomFest in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Following his statement that he would not challenge the Republican incumbent in the 2012 primary race for Georgia's 14th congressional district, he subsequently indicated his return to the Republican Party and support for 2012 GOP congressional candidates when stating – "Our country is at a serious cross-roads, without question we need new leadership in the White House, and a part of that turnaround in 2012 will be solid GOP majorities in both chambers of Congress." [135]

Aborted 2012 Congressional Campaign

Barr had expressed interest in running for Congress again as a Republican in 2012, challenging incumbent Republican Tom Graves in Georgia's 14th district. The district was previously the 9th, but redistricting added Floyd and Paulding counties to the district. Those two counties were part of the territory Barr represented in his first congressional stint, and make up 38 percent of the 14th's population. Barr has lived in Smyrna, in Cobb County, for many years, but has told several friends he plans to move to Paulding County.[136] Despite strong polling numbers, Barr chose to abandon his plans for running, citing concern on the potential impact it would have on his law firm and family.[135]

Endorsement of Newt Gingrich for President

In an interview with The Daily Caller, he endorsed and encouraged libertarians to support Newt Gingrich's campaign for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, much to the surprise of many minarchist libertarians who assumed he would support Texas Congressman Ron Paul.[137]

2014 Congressional campaign

Barr held a news conference on March 28, 2013 at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna, Georgia where he announced his upcoming run for his old congressional seat, the 11th. The seat had come open after his successor, Phil Gingrey, gave it up to run for Senate.[138] Barr was vying to become the first Georgia Republican to return to the U.S. House after a gap in service.[139] Barr placed second in his six-way House primary with 26% of the vote. State Senator Barry Loudermilk, who was backed by the Senate Conservatives Fund, placed first in the primary with 37%. Since no candidate won at least 50.1% of the vote, a runoff took place on July 22, 2014.[140] Barr lost the runoff to Loudermilk by a nearly 2:1 margin.[141]

References

  1. ↑ "Mr. Robert Laurence Barr Jr.". Member Directory. State Bar of Georgia. May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "BARR, Bob – Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Congress of the United States. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Meet Bob". Barr '08 – Liberty for America. Barr 2008 Presidential Committee. Archived from the original on 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
  4. ↑ Evans, Ben (2006-12-15). "Ex-Rep. Barr Quits GOP for Libertarians". CBS News. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  5. 1 2 "Former Congressman Bob Barr Accepts Leadership Position within the Libertarian Party" (Press release). Libertarian National Committee. 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  6. ↑ "Libertarian Party selects Bob Barr as 2008 presidential nominee" (Press release). Libertarian National Committee. May 25, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Henneberger, Melinda (1998-05-09). "The Georgia Republican Who Uses the I-Word". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  8. ↑ Will, George F. (2008-04-21). "A Libertarian Surge? Bob Barr will be dry-eyed if his candidacy is to John McCain what Ralph Nader's was to Al Gore in 2000.". The Last Word. Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Auchmutey, Jim (1987-12-18). "He's every inch the barrister – U.S. Attorney Barr enjoys 'great job'". The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Khatchadourian, Raffi (2008-10-27). "The Third Man". New Yorker. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
  11. ↑ "TKE News: 2013-2015 Grand Council Elected". Tau Kappa Epsilon. August 14, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ "TKE News: 2015-17 Grand Council Elected". Tau Kappa Epsilon. August 21, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Member Profile Report Archive. 105th Congress. Representative Robert L. Barr R-GA". Congressional Information Service / LexisNexis Congressional. 1999-01-04.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Barr, Gail (1999-01-13). "Affidavit executed January 8, 1999". Washington, D.C.: Hustler Magazine / American Politics Journal. Retrieved 2008-05-27. Items 8 and 12 of this reference have obvious typos of year – should read 1983 and 1984 respectively, not 1963 and 1964.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Barr, Bob (1996). "Congressman Bob Barr". Profiles in Character: The Values That Made America. Members of the 1994 Class of the United States Congress. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. pp. 1–2. ISBN 0-7852-7356-5.
  16. 1 2 3 Kurtz, Howard (1999-01-12). "Flynt Calls Rep. Barr a Hypocrite for Divorce Case Answers". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  17. 1 2 "Barr and Flynt on CNN's Larry King Live, January 12, 1999". CNN. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  18. ↑ Gail Barr's 1999 afffidavit states their eldest son was three years old in March 1983, implying a birthday range of about April 1979 to March 1980. Bob Barr states their eldest son is 18 years old during his January 1999 Larry King Live interview, which implies a birthday range of February 1980 to January 1981. The overlap between these two statements suggests the eldest was born in either February or March 1980.
  19. 1 2 "Meet Jeri Barr". Barr '08 – Liberty for America. Barr 2008 Presidential Committee. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  20. ↑ Congressman Barr lowers the boom Insight on the News
  21. ↑ "About Southeastern Legal Foundation". Southeastern Legal Foundation. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  22. 1 2 Grant, Chris (2006-01-24). "Paul Coverdell (1939–2000)". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council / University of Georgia Press. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  23. ↑ Amer, Mildred (2005-06-16). "Freshmen in the House of Representatives and Senate by Political Party: 1913–2005" (PDF). CRS Report for Congress. The Library of Congress: 1–6. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  24. ↑ Glass, Andrew (2007-11-08). "Congress runs into 'Republican Revolution' Nov. 8, 1994". Politico. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  25. ↑ Lacayo, Richard (1994-11-28). "After the Revolution". Time. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  26. 1 2 Interview on WAYY Radio, Wisconsin
  27. ↑ Interview on WGST radio, Atlanta, Georgia.
  28. ↑ WSB 750AM Radio, Georgia
  29. 1 2 Barone, Michael (2002-08-29). "Lessons from Rep. Cynthia McKinney's defeat". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2002-09-03. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 Shipp, Bill (2002-06-02). "Barr vs. Linder: Great Republican train wreck". Athens Banner-Herald / Online Athens. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
  31. 1 2 3 4 "Medical Marijuana Ads Play Role in Defeat of Barr" (Press release). Libertarian Party. 2002-08-21. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Jansen, J. Bradley (August 2002). "Targeting Bob Barr". Liberty. Liberty Foundation. 16 (8). Archived from the original on 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  33. ↑ "Medical Marijuana Patients Celebrate: Georgia Rep. Bob Barr Defeated in GOP Primary" (Press release). Marijuana Policy Project. 2002-08-20. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  34. ↑ McCullagh, Declan (2002-08-26). "Net privacy loses a voice". Washington: ZDNet News.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 Walker, Jesse (December 2003). "Bob Barr, Civil Libertarian. The right wing of the ACLU". Reason Magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
  36. 1 2 "While Reformers Brood, Politicos Make Drug-Terror Connection". Drug War Chronicle. StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network. 2001-09-28. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  37. 1 2 "Speaker's Task Force Focuses on Supply Side Initiatives During "Drug-Free Borders Week"" (Press release). U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA). 1998-05-13. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  38. ↑ "Text of Initiative 59". Prop1.org. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  39. 1 2 Twomey, Steve (1998-11-23). "On the Hill, Barring Democracy". Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  40. ↑ Slevin, Peter; Caryle Murphy (1998-11-04). "Marijuana Vote Results Kept Secret". Washington Post. p. A37. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  41. ↑ "Turner v. DC Board of Elections, ACLU Complaint | American Civil Liberties Union". Aclu.org. 1998-10-30. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  42. ↑ "DC Medical Marijuana Initiative 59 – Landslide Win" (Press release). ACT UP-DC. 1999-09-21. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  43. ↑ "Turner v. DC Board of Elections, Court Decision | American Civil Liberties Union". Aclu.org. 1999-09-17. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  44. ↑ "Democracy Held Hostage". ACLU Drug Law Reform Project. American Civil Liberties Union. 2000-12-31. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  45. 1 2 3 "Battle Over Medical Marijuana in D.C. Moves to Appeals Court" (Press release). Marijuana Policy Project. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  46. ↑ Marijuana Policy Project v. D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (United States District Court for the District of Columbia 2002-03-22). Text
  47. ↑ "Barr to Continue Fight Against Drug Legalization" (Press release). U.S. Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA). 2002-03-28. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  48. ↑ Marijuana Policy Project v. United States of America (United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 2002-09-19). Text
  49. ↑ "D.C. Medical Marijuana Initiative". District of Columbia Legislation. Marijuana Policy Project. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  50. ↑ "Timeline of Initiative Events". District of Columbia Legislation. Marijuana Policy Project. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  51. ↑ "Congress Lifts Ban on Medical Marijuana for Nation's Capitol". Federal Advocacy Project. Americans for Safe Access. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  52. ↑ "Video:Bob Barr on the Colbert Report". Barr '08 – Liberty for America. Barr 2008 Presidential Committee. Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
  53. ↑ "Victory! Congress lifts ban on Washington, D.C.'s medical marijuana law". Stop the Drug War. Stop the DRug War. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  54. ↑ The Defense of Marriage Act PBS
  55. ↑ Bob Barr Nomination Speech, May 25, 2008, Libertarian National Convention, Denver, Colorado.
  56. ↑ "Bob Barr on DOMA". Advocate.com. May 3, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2013. 'Absolutely." to the question "So do you believe that gays and lesbians should have the fundamental right to marry?"
  57. ↑ "Testimony". Judiciary.senate.gov. 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  58. ↑ "The Respect for Marriage Act Garners Support of President Clinton and Former Rep. Bob Barr, DOMA's Original Author" (Press release). United States House of Representatives. 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  59. ↑ Testimony of Bob Barr on Senate Judiciary Committee, September 22, 2004
  60. 1 2 Vlahos, Kelley Beaucar (2007-04-18). "Bob Barr, Unlikely Leader But Possible Third Party Warrior". FOXNews.com. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  61. ↑ Congressional Record
  62. ↑ Dana Milbank (2006-02-11). "Bob Barr:Bane of the Right?". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  63. ↑ "US House Roll Call Vote 455". Thomas. Library of Congress. 2002-10-10. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  64. ↑ Press Releases: Tell Iraqis No Permanent Bases, Says Bob Barr, Bob Barr 208 campaign site, June 3, 2008.
  65. ↑ The "Burning Times Award" given to U.S. Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia
  66. 1 2 "Issues". Barr '08 – Liberty for America. Barr 2008 Presidential Committee. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  67. ↑ Ramesh Ponnuru, Hearing impaired – hearings on Whitewater and Waco, National Review, August 28, 1995.
  68. ↑ NSA Kabuki Theatre: Though Same-Party Oversight Led to Weak Hearings on NSA Wiretapping, Some Important Facts Did Come Through, Bob Barr, February 9, 2006.
  69. ↑ James Bovard, The Fires of Waco Are Still Burning Archived August 18, 2002, at the Wayback Machine., March 1998.
  70. ↑ Testimony Submitted to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Post-9/11: Freedoms Preserved or Freedoms Lost by Bob Barr, 21st Century Liberties Chair for Freedom and Privacy at the American Conservative Union, November 18, 2003.
  71. ↑ House Resolution 304, 105th Congress
  72. ↑ Congressman Barr lowers the boom Insight on the News
  73. ↑ McCaffrey, Shannon. Will Bob Barr be the Ralph Nader of '08? Associated Press (via CBS News), 2008-06-22.
  74. ↑ Congressional Record of Clinton impeachment debate
  75. ↑ "Gatekeepers Without Gates" by Alicia C. Shepard, AJR, March 1999.
  76. ↑ "Gail Barr Affidavit" "Gatekeepers Without Gates". American Journalism Review.
  77. ↑ "Raising the Barr" The Economist 2008-05-29. Retrieved on 2008-06-13.
  78. ↑ Bob Barr, the Master of a Curious Universe, Monday, August 18, 2008; p. C01
  79. 1 2 Bob Barr speech, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, October 28, 2008
  80. ↑ www.checkbalances.org
  81. ↑ "Transcript of Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room from December 16, 2005". CNN. 2005-12-16. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  82. ↑ Milbank, Dana (2006-02-11). "Bob Barr, Bane of the Right?". Washington Post. pp. A02. Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  83. ↑ "Across the Divide; Bob Barr supports Badnarik for President. October 28, 2004". Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  84. ↑ "An agonizing choice, October 10, 2004". Creative Loafing (Atlanta). Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  85. ↑ Weigel, David (November 2008). "Bob Barr Talks". Reason. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  86. ↑ NRA 2007 Official Ballot, up for re-election of a three year term
  87. ↑ Future of Freedom Foundation:Restoring the Republic:Foreign Policy & Civil Liberties/Speakers:Bob Barr, Accessed 2008-05-13
  88. ↑ "In Martin Luther King Day address, Gore compares wiretapping of Americans to surveillance of King". RawStory.com. 2006-01-16. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  89. 1 2 3 Richardson, Valerie (2008-05-23). "Marijuana project parties with Barr". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  90. 1 2 3 Frates, Chris (2007-03-28). "Bob Barr Flip-Flops on Pot". Politico. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  91. 1 2 Evans, Ben (2007-03-30). "Former Georgia Rep. Lobbies for Marijuana Group". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  92. 1 2 Newmyer, Tory; Kate Ackley; Roll Call Staff (2007-03-28). "Up in Smoke". Roll Call. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  93. ↑ "State-By-State Medical Marijuana Laws" (PDF). Marijuana Policy Project. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  94. ↑ "Bob Barr". Hannity & Colmeshttp://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/bob_barr_on_hannity_colmes.html |transcripturl= missing title (help). 2008-04-10.
  95. ↑ For example, see Federalist No. 45.
  96. ↑ Charlie Savage: Disaffected conservatives set a litmus test for '08. In Boston Globe, June 12, 2007.
  97. ↑ Liberty And Security Initiative:Members, www.constitutionproject.org
  98. ↑ "Liberty Guard". 2010. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  99. ↑ "Former Congressman Bob Barr joins KSU as adjunct professor", January 10, 2008
  100. ↑ Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Sequence 0:23:30 to 0:24:00
  101. ↑ "Bob Barr on the Free State Project". YouTube. July 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  102. ↑ "Bob Barr's endorsement of the Free State Project". July 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  103. ↑ "Mission Statement"
  104. ↑ "About"
  105. ↑ "Creative Loafing Atlanta Archives, Bob Barr". Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  106. ↑ Barr, Bob. Boston police jump gun with ‘Safe Homes’. February 27, 2008.
  107. ↑ Bob Barr Biography, www.americanfreedomagenda.org
  108. ↑ Copeland, Libby (2008-08-18) "Bob Barr, the Master of a Curious Universe", Washington Post.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-11
  109. ↑ BARR: No war for Georgia Washington Times August 21, 2008
  110. ↑ Wallace, Julia. "AJC Changes". March 7, 2008.
  111. ↑ "Bob Barr Blog - The Barr Code | ajc.com". Blogs.ajc.com. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  112. 1 2 Former U.S. lawmaker assisting Duvalier, CNN
  113. ↑ Hallow, Ralph (2008-03-20). "Libertarians seek Barr candidacy". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  114. ↑ "Bob Barr thinking 'very serious' thoughts about a presidential race, Iraq, and torture". Atlanta Journal Constitution. 2008-03-26.
  115. ↑ "Bob Barr 2008 campaign site". Bob Barr.
  116. ↑ "The Weekend Political Thread: Bob Barr Edition". Reason Magazine. 2008-04-05.
  117. ↑ "Former Republican announces plans to run as Libertarian candidate". Fox News. 2008-05-12.
  118. ↑ "Barr announces Libertarian White House bid". MSNBC. 2008-05-12.
  119. ↑ "2008 Libertarian National Convention Guide". Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  120. 1 2 3 "Will Third Party Candidates Tip the Presidential Race?". Rasmussen Reports. 2008-05-18. Archived from the original on 2008-05-19. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  121. ↑ "Presidential and VP Vote Totals – Updated Live!". LP.org. 2008-05-25. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  122. ↑ Who's Getting Your Vote?, Reason
  123. ↑ Bob Barr Welcomes Election Contest With Barack Obama and John McCain – Urges Weekly Debates Yahoo News
  124. ↑ Weigel, David (2008-06-23). "Won't You Be My Nader?". ReasonOnline.com. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  125. ↑ CBN News Bob Barr to Brody File: McCain is a "Big Government Republican" July 8, 2008 Archived August 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  126. ↑ Recio, Maria (2008-11-04). "Presidential ballot has a bunch of third-party candidates to choose from". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
  127. ↑ Winger, Richard (2008-07-17). "Barr Files Ballot Access Lawsuit Against Oklahoma". Ballot Access News. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  128. ↑ "Libertarian Presidential Candidate Will File Lawsuit Against Oklahoma". KSBI-TV.com. 2008-07-15. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  129. ↑ Zogby International Poll
  130. ↑ Zogby Poll: Majority Want Libertarian Bob Barr Included in Presidential Debates Archived November 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine., www.zogby.com
  131. ↑ , Bob Barr Files Suit in Texas to Remove McCain, Obama from Ballot www.bobbarr08.com
  132. ↑ (2008-09-23) "Texas Supreme Court rejects Barr request", Dallas News.com
  133. ↑ Barr, Bob (2008-10-02) No more government guarantees: "Solutions to the bailout's lessons learned", Washington Times.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-02
  134. ↑ "2008 official presidential general election results" (PDF). FEC. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
  135. 1 2 Barr, Bob (December 14, 2011). "Barr Will Not Seek 14th District Congressional Seat". BobBarr.org. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  136. ↑ Galloway, Jim (October 14, 2011). "Bob Barr contemplating a run against Tom Graves – and a return to Congress?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  137. ↑ Nelson, Steven (February 27, 2012). "Bob Barr: Libertarians should vote for Gingrich". Daily Caller. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  138. ↑ "Back to the future for Bob Barr?.". CNN. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  139. ↑ Ostermeier, Eric (April 1, 2013). "Bob Barr Seeks Rare Return to Congress from Georgia". Smart Politics.
  140. ↑ Bob Barr Heads to GOP Runoff to Win House Seat
  141. ↑ Sullivan, Sean (July 22, 2014). "Former congressman Bob Barr loses in Georgia runoff". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2014.

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Congress
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United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Buddy Darden		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 7th congressional district
1995–2003 		Succeeded by
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Party political offices
Preceded by
Michael Badnarik		 Libertarian nominee for President of the United States
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