BARR/TRUMP BULLSHIT: DOJ cites Dems' mixed-up impeachment messages to undercut House probe

[spanone]

The Justice Department on Friday flatly rejected House Democrats’ claim that they’re in the midst of an “impeachment investigation” into President Donald Trump, pointing to the scattershot messaging by Democratic leaders in recent days — even citing Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reluctance to use the term at a news conference just a day ago.

In a new court filing on Friday, Justice Department lawyers argued that the House Judiciary Committee’s effort to obtain former special counsel Robert Mueller’s most sensitive secrets — evidence and testimony collected by a grand jury — should be denied, in part because House Democrats can’t agree on what to call their investigation.

“Most prominently, the speaker of the House has been emphatic that the investigation is not a true impeachment proceeding,” the lawyers wrote, citing Pelosi’s June statement that Democrats were “not even close” to such a move.

House Democrats’ attempt to access Mueller’s grand-jury information hinges on the courts acknowledging that they are conducting an impeachment investigation. The Judiciary Committee argued in late July that their impeachment investigation satisfies one of the exceptions to federal grand jury secrecy rules: that the House is engaged in an “impeachment investigation” and therefore is taking an action preliminary to a “judicial proceeding” — the Senate’s trial on whether to remove Trump from office.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/13/justice-department-impeachment-house-1494621

[democratisphere]

1. Obstruction, Obstruction and more Obstruction!

Can't wait till Barr is also indicted on multiple counts of Obstruction.

[HiloHatti]

3. By Whom?

They’ve packed the Courts with sycophants and cultists. McTurtle’s gift to save his own compromised rear from the Russian Kompromat they have on him.

[Iliyah]

2. Shithole and his lovely yes men/women

know they have the United States Supreme Court in their pockets.

[StarfishSaver]

4. The whole pleading is crap - this argument is just one part of the bs

The primary and more important argument they make is that Congress cannot obtain grand jury materials under FRCrP 6(e) because impeachment isn't a "judicial proceeding" or even a procedure preliminary to a judicial procedure.

They go on to argue, in the alternative, that even if impeachment is a judicial proceeding, the Democrats aren't really conducting an impeachment inquiry because the public messaging hasn't been clear.

Not only are both of these arguments ba, the first one particularly is very troubling since they're arguing that Congress can NEVER get grand jury materials, despite decades of precedent.

[Takket]

5. chicken and the egg....

we can't hold impeachment proceedings without the proof but we can't have the proof unless it is an impeachment proceeding......

[triron]

6. We need an ironclad case. Sarcasm.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. If one says they are waiting for ironclad it automatically

Implies that there is nothing ironclad already.

[Iliyah]

7. GOPers stole it in 2016 . . .

proof is there.