Background

• Bob Barr was born in Iowa City, Iowa but spent much of his young life in Iran as his parents were in the military.
• B.A., University of Southern California, 1970
• M.A., George Washington University, 1972.
• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1977.
• Barr worked for the CIA from 1970 to 1978.
• Barr was described by the Georgia newspaper Athans Banner-Harald described as "the idol of the gun-toting, abortion-fighting, IRS-hating hard right wing of American politics." (Source: Athans Online)
• He is known for leading the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. and denouncing the Bush administration's post 9/11 policies regarding privacy and civil liberties.
• Barr abandoned the Republican Party and publicly endorsed the presidential ticket of the Libertarian Party in the 2004 Presidential election.
• On 12 May 2008, Barr joined the 2008 Presidential race as a Libertarian candidate.

Professional Positions

• Appointed by President Reaganas U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, 1986-1990.
• President of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, 1990-1991.
• Barr unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for US Senate in 1992.
• US House of Representatives, Georgia's 7th district, 1995-2003. Barr was one of the 73 freshman representatives that brought about the "Republican Revolution", the first Republican House majority in 40 years. He was reelected 3 times and served as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, as Vice-chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and as a member of the Committee of Financial Services.
• Co-founded the organization Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances in 2005, a bipartisan group whose mission is to restore civil liberties that were removed by the Patriot Act." As of 2008, Barr serves as the chairman.
• National Rifle Association, Board of Directors, 2001-2007.
• American Civil Liberties Union, consultant on privacy issues.
• Barr is a regional representative for the Libertarian National Committee, 2006-present. He is also a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project, having rescinded his opposition to medical marijuana.
• Co-foundered the American Freedom Agenda, "a coalition established to restore checks and balances and civil liberties protections under assault by the executive branch." The AFA seeks to get presidential candidates to publicly commit to protecting civil liberties.
• Liberty Strategies LLC consulting firm, Principal.

Accomplishments

Publications

• July 2004, The Meaning of Is: The Squandered Impeachment and Wasted Legacy of William Jefferson Clinton. Stroud & Hall Publishers. ISBN 978-0974537627.

Criticism

• In 1999, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt began an investigation into extra-marital affairs of prominent Republicans so to point out the hypocrisies of the Clinton impeachment trial. Flynt's investigation found that Barr, a fierce opponent of abortion, and his then-wife had an abortion in 1983. During his 1985 divorce proceedings, he invoked a legal statute allowing Barr to abstain from questions regarding extra-marital affairs during his second marriage. (Source: American Journalism Review)
• Barr was criticized for his role in bringing about President Clinton's impeachment. Many believe the impeachment was used to provoke a partisan reaction at a time when Clinton held a high approval rating. Barr declared his only motive was to restore public trust and honor to the office of the President. (Source: Bnet)

Additional Information

Biography Links

• Wikipedia
• Bob Barr 2008
• Bob Barr Blog