William Barr's grandson steals spotlight at attorney general confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON – While the nation was watching how Attorney General nominee William Barr would answer questions on his record and views on policies, an 8-year-old boy in the audience seemed to steal the spotlight. 

Barr's grandson, Liam, caught the attention of lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats alike, who offered him snacks, a chance to sit with them and even a bit of career advice. 

Before the hearing began Tuesday morning, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., sat down with the 8-year-old, who donned a green tie and dress shoes, in the chairs of lawmakers and chatted about making snowballs in snow-covered Washington and flying on Air Force One. 

"I had a great conversation with Liam this morning," Kennedy wrote on Twitter. "I’m looking forward to getting to know his grandfather, William Barr, during the Attorney General hearing today."

As William Barr walked into the hearing room to start hours of questioning, he stopped in front of Liam and jokingly tried to take his nose. He started off his testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee by introducing his family. His three daughters are attorneys and both of Liam's parents work as lawyers for the Justice Department.

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Barr, while listing the list of attorneys in his family, introduced Liam as a future Justice Department employee to a crowded room of laughter. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and chair of the committee, interrupted Barr, telling the 8-year-old boy, "Think about medical school, Liam. Somebody needs to make money in the family."

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., gave a little different career advice to Liam, given how many of his relatives had worked in the Justice Department.

“He ought to consider, at least for some balance, being a public defender,” Durbin said.

Lawmakers continued to poke fun at Liam's future throughout the hearing and commended him for sitting patiently through hours of questions about Barr's thoughts on special counsel Robert Mueller, Russia, counter-intelligence investigations, torture, gun policies and President Donald Trump. 

His feet dangling in the air, unable to reach the ground, Liam sat in the front row of the audience and used a pen and notepad to get through the all-day affair.

He wrote a sweet letter to his grandpa, telling him, "I love you so much. You are doing great so far." Liam wrote that he was "having so much fun." 

Liam ended the letter to his grandpa with a misspelled last thought on how things had been going thus far: "P.S. I think Rusha's people are fine. It is the government is the problam." 

After six hours on the Hill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., paused before resuming questioning to say she was sending a “care package” from the dais that included a bag of chips, a Snickers candy bar and a granola bar to Barr’s grandson for making it so far into the hearing.

“He deserves a medal,” Feinstein said.

Those online joked that Liam had become the star of the hearing and more attention was being paid to the 8-year-old boy than to Barr's policy decisions in the past.