From Wikipedia
In late 1992, Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh, who had been chosen to investigate the Iran–Contra affair, found documents in the possession of Reagan's former defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger, which Walsh said was "evidence of a conspiracy among the highest-ranking Reagan Administration officials to lie to Congress and the American public."[41] Weinberger was set to stand trial and was preparing to testify that President George H. W. Bush knew about, and even participated in the events leading up to the Iran-Contra scandal.[42]
On December 24, 1992, during his final month in office, Bush, on the advice of Barr, pardoned Weinberger,[43] who had not yet come to trial, along with five other administration officials, who had been found guilty on charges relating to the Iran–Contra affair.[44][45][41] Barr was consulted extensively regarding the pardons, and especially advocated for pardoning Weinberger.[46]
Walsh complained about the move insinuating that Bush on Barr's advice had used the pardons to avoid testifying and stating that: "The Iran-contra cover-up, which has continued for more than six years, has now been completed."[47] In 2003, he wrote an account of the investigation in his book, Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up.
Because of this and Barr's unwillingness to appoint an independent counsel to look into a second scandal known as Iraqgate, New York Times writer William Safire began to refer to Barr as "Coverup-General Barr."[48] Barr, however, responded that he believed Bush had made the right decision regarding that and he felt people in the case had been treated unfairly.[49] Barr said that Walsh was a "head-hunter" who "had completely lost perspective."[50]
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