[2] In 1972, the couple moved to Washington, D.C. where he clerked for Supreme Court justice Byron White (succeeding David E. Kendall) and his wife became a news-desk editor at the CBS News bureau.
[2] After his one-year clerkship, he accepted a position as aide to Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale who assigned him the task of soliciting support for legislation to curb filibusters.
[3] In 1984, Barnett helped to prep Mondale's running mate, Geraldine Ferraro, for her debate against George H. W. Bush; and defended her from accusations about her husband's alleged Mob affiliations and questionable tax returns.
[3] He also expanded into representing television news people in contract negotiations including at one point his wife, Rita Braver, Chris Wallace, Andrea Mitchell, Brit Hume, Wolf Blitzer, Sanjay Gupta, Lesley Stahl, and Brian Williams.
[3] He secured multimillion-dollar book deals for Tim Russert; Edward Kennedy; Karl Rove (purchased by former client Mary Maitlin); and in 2004, Barack Obama with the reissuance of Dreams From My Father and sell The Audacity of Hope and Change We Can Believe In.
[3] Barnett prided himself on representing clients regardless of political affiliation and also assisted outgoing Republican officials Henry Paulson, George W. Bush, and other serving candidates.