House Democrats accused the Trump administration of politically motivated, heavy-handed policing to quell protests this summer and warned of election interference in a pair of hearings Tuesday that featured most of Arizona's delegation.
Attorney General William Barr faced heated questions from the House Judiciary Committee on subjects ranging from the use of unmarked federal agents at protests in Portland, Ore., to his decision to intervene to lower the possible prison sentence for Roger Stone, President Donald Trump's longtime friend and political ally.
Earlier in the day, the House Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., pressed authorities on the use of force to disperse a crowd from Lafayette Square near the White House ahead of Trump posing for photos at a nearby church.
Six of Arizona's nine House members are members of both committees and they helped set the tense tone in both hearings.
In his first appearance before the House during his tenure working under Trump, Barr maintained he was bringing an evenhanded approach to law enforcement that was lacking under former President Barack Obama.
But from the outset, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee hit Barr on several fronts, including what they argued were selective crackdowns on protesters in Portland and federal disinterest in protesters in Michigan who threatened to behead Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over her quarantine lockdown earlier this year.
During his limited chances to speak, Barr noted that the Portland crowds have threatened a federal courthouse, while protesters in Michigan were located at the state's capitol building.
Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., joined other Democrats in painting Barr as acting in Trump's interests rather than the public's.
Citing steps such as photo ID requirements and signature checks that disproportionately reject minority voters, Stanton told Barr the Justice Department has a "lax approach" to enforcing voting rights.
Stanton pressed Barr about what he described as voter-suppression efforts, noting it was a longstanding practice usually denied by those doing it.
"But not Donald Trump," Stanton said. "He didn't even try to keep it a secret. He just blurted it out. He said he will lose the 2020 election if more Americans are able to vote.
"That's one reason why this president needed a fixer at the Department of Justice. From letting Russia off the hook to rewarding Roger Stone, Mr. Barr, you've not proven very willing, but, I have to admit, very able."
Stanton asked Barr to commit that he would not involve the Justice Department in interfering with tallying votes in November. Specifically, Stanton wanted Barr to assure him that the agency would not try to limit counting of ballots only to those tallied on Election Day.
"I'll follow the law," Barr said repeatedly. Stanton called his answer "disappointing."
Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., said the Trump administration was responding to acts that have shaken the nation.
"I have to tell you, you probably know this, my constituents are scared. Americans are scared," she said. "They watch the TV. They see all this rioting and looting going on, statues being torn down. In Arizona, where I'm from, more guns are being sold than ever. I think there's more new gun owners than ever. This has to stop."
Lesko said the unrest cannot stop until people acknowledge the forces behind it. Specifically, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who chairs the Judiciary Committee, denies antifa — those who identify themselves as anti-fascists — even exists, she said.
Lesko mocked remarks by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., insisting her Seattle-based district is peaceful even as a portion of it temporarily became a police-free zone.
"What makes me concerned for the country is this is the first time in my memory that the leaders of one of our great two political parties, the Democratic Party, are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attacks on federal courts," Barr said. "Why can't we just say violence against federal courts has to stop?"
An exchange near the end of the Judiciary Committee's hearing underscored the combative nature of the entire proceeding.
Barr asked Nadler, the chairman, for a five-minute break. Nadler initially denied the request, saying the hearing was nearly over.
An incredulous Barr muttered, "You're a real class act," and noted that he had waited more than 45 minutes for the hearing to begin because Nadler was involved in a car accident.
Nadler relented and permitted the break.
Grijalva's hearing focused on the violent June 1 removal of protesters from the area around the White House, including Lafayette Square, a park across the street.
"As the events have shown, Lafayette Square was a test run for what is an illegal and ongoing crackdown by the Trump administration that is being inflicted on cities across this country," Grijalva said. "President Trump openly says he's sending these forces because they are run by Democratic mayors.
"This raises a crucial question: Was this Park Police-led assault on June 1 motivated by partisan hostility directed from above to those demanding justice for George Floyd and so many other Black men, women and children?"
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., touched on that as well in the Judiciary Committee. He described the people gathered at Lafayette Square as "violent mobs" who disobeyed curfew orders and set fires, including at an adjacent church.
Barr said protesters had injured about 90 police officers during events leading up to June 1, including people who had sustained concussions and at least one who required surgery.
"There was total consensus that we couldn't allow that to happen so close to the White House that kind of rioting," Barr said. That led to a decision to push crowds further away from the White House, he said.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told Gregory Monahan, the acting chief of the U.S. Park Police, there was no need for aggressive crowd dispersal at the park that day, especially shortly before a curfew was about to take effect.
"When I was in the Marine Corps, and I had to clear all these (Iraqi) cities, I had to react to what was happening that day. I may have gotten shot at, thrown at ..." Gallego said. "The next day, I went out on patrol like a professional. On June 1, by your testimony, you have largely peaceful protesters up until the time you actually tried to move them. Your decision-making process should have been based on what was happening on the ground that day."
Monahan insisted there was a basis for clearing the crowd.
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., agreed, noting that there was violence, including fires, that showed the need for action by law enforcement.
"What we're seeing is anarchists. We're seeing desecration and hiding behind people claiming to be for peaceful assembly," Gosar said.