Former U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr spent Thursday at Grove City College.
Barr was the guest speaker at the 14th annual Ronald Reagan Lecture hosted by The Institute for Faith & Freedom (IFF) at Grove City College. The lecture features prominent guests with a connection to the nation’s 40th president. Barr worked as a staff attorney in Reagan’s White House.
In front of a receptive audience, Barr talked about his life and career in government, which included two tours of duty as U.S. Attorney General, first under President George W. Bush and, most recently, under President Donald J. Trump.
In an onstage conversation with College President Paul J. McNulty and Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of Political Science and IFF’s chief academic fellow, the conservative legal icon discussed his work with four U.S. presidents and major events during his years of public service
Earlier in the day, Barr discussed the presidency and fielded questions from a student audience before posing for photos with a long line of undergraduates. Barr also recorded a podcast with IFF Student Fellow Libby Krieger ’22. A Political Science and Communication Arts double major from Delmont, Pa., Krieger said the interview was “a highlight of my career thus far.”
"We talked about his extensive career experience and what advice he would give to students looking to pursue law, policy, or government. His advice was to be flexible with your future career path, allowing doors to open and doors to close,” she said. “Because of the negative media coverage that Barr received over the last few years from both liberals and conservatives, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. I left my interactions with him very impressed at his humility, conviction, wisdom, and personability – along with his incredible career experiences.”
Barr spent much of the day with his former colleague McNulty, who worked under Barr at the Department of Justice during the first Bush administration. McNulty hailed Barr as “a force in the law” for decades and said he was “the most impactful mentor in my life.”
Barr’s visit to Grove City College precedes the release next month of his much-anticipated memoir, entitled “One Damn Thing After Another.”