Robert L. (Bob) Barr, Jr. (born November 5, 1948) is an attorney and a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia. Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia, from 1995 to 2003.

Barr, a member of the Republican Party, is an adamant proponent of the War on Drugs. Prior to his work in Congress, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. He served from 1986 until 1990. Despite being an ardent drug warrior, Barr opposed the RAVE Act.

While Congressman Barr supported and voted for the USA PATRIOT Act, he was one of the chief architects of the 'sunset clause' which requires most new powers granted to the government under the act to be renewed by Congress in 2005. Since leaving Congress in 2003, he has become a vocal opponent of the Patriot Act and has stated that he regrets voting for it, and opposes any attempt by Congress to renew many of its provisions in 2005.

He is also a staunch supporter of the right to bear arms. He achieved the most fame as one of the leaders of the effort that resulted in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton (who was later spared removal from office).

Due to redistricting his constituency was divided into two new districts. He decided to run in the half against another Republican incumbent and lost. During the campaign he accidentally fired a gun at a gun show, a major blow to his credibility.

More recently Barr has become one of the more prominent members of the American Civil Liberties Union, sometimes doing paid consulting on privacy issues. In the 2004 Presidential election, Barr abandoned the Republican Party and publicly endorsed the presidential ticket of the United States Libertarian Party .

Barr was succeeded by Rep. John Linder (R).

External link

• Barr's Official Website
• The FBI's Pre-Emptive Interrogations Of "Possible" Demonstrators - Article by Barr on Findlaw.com