General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMimi Rocha:"I was one of several alumni of the DOJ inclined to give Barr the benefit of the doubt."
https://www.thedailybeast.com/barr-looks-like-hes-trying-to-protect-trump-not-get-out-the-mueller-reportI was one of several alumni of the Department of Justice who was inclined to give Barr the benefit of the doubt. In my experience, people like Barr who have worked for decades within the DOJ understand the unique importance of its independence and integrity and the need for the public to have faith that decisions made at DOJ are based on facts, evidence, and law and not political considerations. In my experience, the pull of DOJ is to make sure people, in the words of my former boss and friend Preet Bharara, do the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons. And so it is with some sadness that I say, Barr did absolutely the wrong thing, in the wrong way, and one can certainly infer bad reasons in his handling so far of the special counsel's report.
SNIP
At this point, whatever Barrs intentionsand I am no longer inclined to give him the benefit of the doubtin order to salvage what is left if the integrity of the process, he must immediately release the Mueller-prepared summaries rand work with Congress to ensure that the whole report is turned over to Congress, and as much as legally and safely possible to the American public.
This is Barr's final chance to salvage his reputation and, more importantly, the integrity of the Justice Department he claims to hold so dear.
brush
(53,784 posts)IMO he's not to be trusted. Thank God the Mueller team members are speaking out and not letting him get away with burying a critical investigation for the second time.
alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)MyOwnPeace
(16,927 posts)appointing him and voting for him would give a shit anyhow?
They're ALL scum!!!
alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)pnwmom
(108,980 posts)wouldn't have sent that letter.
UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)and doubt is fast creeping in. Days still passing looking worse and worse.
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)in what venue. Would you happen to know?
ancianita
(36,065 posts)His actions have to be defined as one of four causes.
https://www.quora.com/Can-Congress-impeach-an-Attorney-General
alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)LiberalFighter
(50,943 posts)kairos12
(12,862 posts)spanone
(135,844 posts)MyOwnPeace
(16,927 posts)REAL FAST!!!
His downfall may be at a record speed.
BigmanPigman
(51,608 posts)With HIS backgeound she still supported him?
Polly Hennessey
(6,798 posts)like Mimi Rocha. Always willing to give each other the benefit of the doubt at the countrys expense. Mr. Barrs intentions have been known for decades. Was never a fan of Ms. Rocha when she started showing up on MSNBC. Now I know why. Would rather hear Jill Wine-Banks, Joyce Vance, or Barbara McQuade.
Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)Just as I see the federal judge who sentenced Manafort's point.
Aside from being a career criminal his entire life ... Paul Manafort has lived an otherwise blameless life.
alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)Great review of his history here by those who know:
What Has Bill Barr Done to Earn the Benefit of the Doubt?
by Luppe Luppen
April 4, 2019
Link: https://www.justsecurity.org/63510/what-has-bill-barr-done-to-earn-the-benefit-of-the-doubt/
(snips)
Barr has been implicated in high level cover-ups before. In Barrs first stint as Attorney General, he recommended that President George H.W. Bush grant full pardons to six former officials from the Reagan administration who were caught up in the Iran-Contra scandal, including Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. There were some people arguing just for Weinberger, Barr later recounted, and I said, No, in for a penny, in for a pound. President Bushs pardons brought the long-running scandal to an end just as many observers believed it was about to reach the presidents doorstep. In response, independent counsel Lawrence Walsh bitterly remarked that the Iran-contra cover-up, which has continued for more than six years, has now been completed.
Barr has both a body of writings that suggest he has prejudged matters under his purview as Attorney General and significant conflicts of interest. In the Spring of 2017, Barr penned an op-ed supporting the Presidents firing Comey. Comeys removal simply has no relevance to the integrity of the Russian investigation as it moves ahead, he wrote. In June 2017, Barr told The Hill that the obstruction investigation was asinine and warned that Mueller risked taking on the look of an entirely political operation to overthrow the president. That same month, Barr met with Trump about becoming the presidents personal defense lawyer for the Mueller investigation, before turning down the overture for that job. In late 2017, Barr wrote to the New York Times supporting the Presidents call for further investigations of his past political opponent, Hillary Clinton. I have long believed that the predicate for investigating the uranium deal, as well as the foundation, is far stronger than any basis for investigating so-called collusion, he wrote to the New York Times Peter Baker, suggesting that the Uranium One conspiracy theory (which had by that time been repeatedly debunked) had more grounding than the Muellers investigation (which had not). Before Trump nominated him to be attorney general, Barr also notoriously wrote an unsolicited 19-page advisory memo to Rod Rosenstein criticizing the obstruction component of Muellers investigation as fatally misconceived. The memos criticisms proceeded from Barrs long-held and extreme, absolutist view of executive power, and the memos reasoning has been skewered by an ideologically diverse group of legal observers, including Wittes.
(read more at the link above)
We need to better understand how people like Barr are ever allowed anywhere near our Government in the first place....
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)uponit7771
(90,347 posts)... do with the Barr Summary's.
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)She was adamant about her support for Barr as a good man who would do the right thing.
Haven't seen her since the sh#t has hit the fan.
Vinca
(50,276 posts)For whatever reason, he seems to be one of the higher ranking cult members. The whole thing stinks of cover-up.
ScratchCat
(1,990 posts)Right now, the reason why Barr is doing what he is doing is still a complete mystery. Yes, there are theories regarding his kids, but couldn't his kids get great jobs simply based upon who their father is? I'd think so. Further, some people including I have entertained the idea he is just "protecting the GOP brand", trying to destroy the possibility of impeachment. But that is still a stretch, as he is protecting a man who doesn't give two shits about the GOP. The unsolicited letter was bizarre; how it came about would answer everything.
Cosmocat
(14,565 posts)he was a proven political hack who was 100% going to do the dirt for 45 ...
The whole "he is an establishment republican, so we can trust him ..." meme was the usual media MO to slag Ds/prop up Rs because they are so horrible, a cycle we have been on since the 70s at least ...
FakeNoose
(32,644 posts)From the OP:
I was one of several alumni of the Department of Justice who was inclined to give Barr the benefit of the doubt. In my experience, people like Barr who have worked for decades within the DOJ understand the unique importance of its independence and integrity and the need for the public to have faith that decisions made at DOJ are based on facts, evidence, and law and not political considerations. In my experience, the pull of DOJ helps ensure that people, in the words of my former boss and friend Preet Bharara, do the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons. And so it is with some sadness that I say, Barr did absolutely the wrong thing, in the wrong way, and one can certainly infer bad reasons in his handling so far of the special counsel's report.
One could never equate Bill Barr with Preet Bharara, even though both men worked in the DoJ. Bharara is a man of upstanding courage and conviction, while Barr is a slimy political hack. The evidence is in their past deeds. Barr should never get the benefit of the doubt. He has already proved he doesn't deserve it.
FM123
(10,053 posts)Substitute the name Barr with any one of trumpys minions and it still rings true, it must be in their DNA to always choose wrong over right.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Can't figure out why he is willing to fall on his sword for the likes of drumpf.
Ninga
(8,275 posts)Grandpa Barr.
Has Chuck explained himself?