William Barr's Reputation

[AGBF]

I have been watching William Barr testify before the Senate this morning and it led me to look up articles on his reputation, which I had been led to believe was good prior to his "audition" for the position of Attorney general for President Trump. Do you believe that he was once a reliable public servant, someone else who is being brought down by Donald Trump, or do you think he was always a "Houdini" with the law?

I find his actions very upsetting. He is supposedly someone in whom the public can place its trust. To see him supporting Trump who just this morning called the Mueller report "treason"; "a coup"; and "a witch hunt" is very disappointing. He is also enpaneling a group to investigate the intelligence services that may have spied on the Trump campaign in 2016.

He will be brought down by this, but first the country will be brought down.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victor...-has-made-a-huge-miscalculation/#72909a452e78

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Yes, the whole sorry affair is troublesome. If Trump or his lawyers have seen the report, which Barr has not denied showing them, this may account for the Trump Comments today. Something is not good in that report. I do believe we are seeing a cover-up. I don't say this lightly or with bias, it just seems that something as significant as this report deserves a public airing.

I have altered my opinion on Mueller. I have to go now. Be back later.

Annette

 

[Calliecake]

I watched some of the Barr hearing yesterday. It’s been widely reported Trump hand picked Barr. I do not think Barr is a reliable public servant. If Trump is innocent and has done nothing wrong why not release the summaries Mueller’s team provided for the public to view? There is something in the report they don’t want the public to know about.

I’m interested in hearing how Annette’s opinion of Mueller has changed. I’m happy to see you back here @smitcompton . You’ve been missed!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I have a hard time reconciling what we, the public, have seen of Trump trying to obstruct this investigation and the investigation not yielding a definitive answer on the obstruction charge. I hold Mueller responsible for that. To throw that decision back to Congress appears to me to be an abdication of what Mueller was asked to find out. Did he or didn't he obstruct. Mueller knew that the report goes to the AG, and the AG can decide what to do with it. He displaced the power he was given and turned it over to the AG. That is a weak man IMO. If he could not find the criminal evidence, then he must have used a very high standard indeed for at every turn Trump tried to impede the investigation.

If Mueller had found evidence for obstruction and decided that this belonged in the Political arena he should have objected to the release of the 4 page summary that Barr released when he was asked to make comments before the release. He declined.

Of course we still don't know what is in the report. But, I feel Mueller let us down. Barr is a Trump guy and see his view as the correct one. Mueller is the impartial one. I hope he is asked to testify before Congress. I will believe what he says under oath.

More waiting. Annette

 

[Dancing Fire]

Of course we still don't know what is in the report. But, I feel Mueller let us down. Barr is a Trump guy and see his view as the correct one. Mueller is the impartial one. I hope he is asked to testify before Congress. I will believe what he says under oath.

More waiting. Annette

Yes he let the Dems. down big time. Mueller found no Russian collusion which would have been the Dem's ticket towards impeachment. Mueller was supposedly be the D's Savior. The Ds betted the farm on Mueller and loss, so get over it liberals!. Time for Barr to investigate the investigators.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I watched some of the Barr hearing yesterday. It’s been widely reported Trump hand picked Barr.

FYI, All Cabinet members are nominated by the President.

 

[AGBF]

Yes he let the Dems. down big time. Mueller found no Russian collusion which would have been the Dem's ticket towards impeachment. Mueller was supposedly be the D's Savior. The Ds betted the farm on Mueller and loss, so get over it liberals!. Time for Barr to investigate the investigators.

I hate to bring this thread down to a juvenile level by giving you a civics lesson. The alternative is to allow your remarks, which are based on an incorrect understanding of how the American government works, to stand unchallenged, however.

Congress did not need Robert Mueller to find "collusion", or more accurately, conspiracy, between Trump and the Russians in order for Congress to impeach him. Congress does not have to find that the president committed a crime in order to impeach him. Whatever Congress decides to be "high crimes and misdemeanors" are impeachable offenses. Congress, not the courts, define what is an impeachable offense.

 

[AGBF]

This is an example of how Barr's reputation is suffering.

"On MSNBC’s 'Hardball' with Chris Matthews on Wednesday, former federal prosecutor Cynthia Alksne laid into Attorney General William Barr for saying he thinks the FBI was spying on the Trump campaign.

Barr, said Alksne, is way too smart to fall for the right-wing talking points about FBI 'Deep State' plots.

'The attorney general is supposed to represent the people of the United States of America, and he is not doing so,” said Alksne. 'Today he was completely irresponsible in the "spying’"comment, and knows full well that that investigation began when George Papadopoulos was drunk in a bar and was talking about Russian emails.'

Alksne addressed the common GOP accusation that the FBI lied or misrepresented the evidence to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

'Just so people understand, to get a FISA warrant is a lot of work,' said Alksne. 'There is a lot of oversight in the FBI. Then it goes to the DOJ. This warrant then goes to the FISA judges. If you think of federal judges, they’re all really smart. The smartest ones, the most wonky, the most detailed, those are the ones who become the FISA judges. The Carter warrant, FISA warrant, was not only given once, but three times it was renewed.'

'This was not spying, this was not irresponsible by law enforcement of the United States, and for the attorney general to say so is a stain on his reputation,' Alksne added. 'I frankly don’t even recognize the guy anymore. I am outraged he would do that to the law enforcement and to the criminal justice system in the United States of America.'"

https://www.salon.com/2019/04/11/fo...-dont-even-recognize-the-guy-anymore_partner/

 

[Dancing Fire]

Whatever Congress decides to be "high crimes and misdemeanors" are impeachable offenses. Congress, not the courts, define what is an impeachable offense.

Dems. should impeach Trump for eating Russian caviar. That is the Russian collusion.

 

[Calliecake]

Barr is SCUM.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Barr is SCUM.

The SCUM is going to investigate the investigators/leakers. . As of now there are probably like 10 very nervous people who used to work for the DOJ,FBI, National Intelligence and CIA ...

 

[AGBF]

The SCUM is going to investigate the investigators/leakers. .

Don't think no one noticed, Dancing Fire. Joe Scarborough, who was a Republican congressman and a member of the Freedom Caucus when he served (he was a true conservative, not a Trump care-for-nobody) has spoken out about that. He has said that due to William Barr and his perfidy, there may be a movement not to let presidents pick their own Attorneys General. William Barr's failure to do his job, to stand up for the American people, shows that allowing a president to appoint his own Attorney General leads to a breakdown of checks and balances. It leads to a corrupt president having a corrupt Attorney General investigating all the president's enemies. Trump and Barr have brought this country low.



"Joe Scarborough: Barr Will Never Get His Reputation Back, "Bizarre" That Presidents Can Pick Their Own Attorney General"
Posted By Tim Hains
On Date April 18, 2019

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough continued his criticism of Attorney General William Barr on Thursday morning's edition of "Morning Joe," saying that Barr's behavior with regard to the Mueller report may make him "the person responsible for a change in the way we choose our attorney generals."

"It seems bizarre at this point that a president should be able to select their own attorney general," Scarborough said. "Who can decide how the investigations are run against them, who can decide which political enemies gets prosecuted, who can decide which political allies don't get prosecuted, can decide what corporations don't get prosecuted. I mean, the fact that -- I mean, Donald Trump has shown us actually a flaw, a significant flaw in our constitutional system of checks and balances. This is not the way America is supposed to run."

 

[Dancing Fire]

William Barr's failure to do his job, to stand up for the American people, shows that allowing a president to appoint his own Attorney General leads to a breakdown of checks and balances. It leads to a corrupt president having a corrupt Attorney General investigating all the president's enemies. Trump and Barr have brought this country low.

Deb, So your telling me that Obama didn't hand picked his own AGs?

You mean like Obama and Loretta Lynch? "Let's just call it a matter"...

 

[AGBF]

Deb, So your telling me that Obama didn't hand picked his own AGs?

You mean like Obama and Loretta Lynch? "Let's just call it a matter"...

In answer to the first of your questions, President Obama picked his own Attorney General because all presidents to date have picked their own Attorneys General. It is only Trump and his corruption that may put an end to this practice.

In answer to the second of your questions, yes, I am telling you that now everybody uses the Clinton and Loretta Lynch story as an example of innocence to highlight what real corruption looks like in Trump, Dancing Fire. If there was a whiff of impropriety on the tarmac when Clinton and Loretta Lynch met well after his presidency had ended, there is a stench of it so powerful now that everyone has had to don gas masks.

AGBF

 

[redwood66]

The AG and the DOJ fall under the Executive Branch of government so it is entirely appropriate that the President appoint his or her choice to the post. To allow the position to be appointed by Congress or any other group is against the separation of powers laid out in the Constitution. To suggest it is ridiculous just because people hate Trump. Voting him out is the proper course of action. One does not get to change 200+ years of government because they don't like the outcome of an election.

 

[Dancing Fire]

The AG and the DOJ fall under the Executive Branch of government so it is entirely appropriate that the President appoint his or her choice to the post. To allow the position to be appointed by Congress or any other group is against the separation of powers laid out in the Constitution. To suggest it is ridiculous just because people hate Trump. Voting him out is the proper course of action. One does not get to change 200+ years of government because they don't like the outcome of an election.

Exactly!. Don't understand why the Dems are wasting so much time on talking about impeachment.

. We all know that ain't gonna happen.

 

[AGBF]

The AG and the DOJ fall under the Executive Branch of government so it is entirely appropriate that the President appoint his or her choice to the post. To allow the position to be appointed by Congress or any other group is against the separation of powers laid out in the Constitution. To suggest it is ridiculous just because people hate Trump. Voting him out is the proper course of action. One does not get to change 200+ years of government because they don't like the outcome of an election.

You're ignoring a bit of Trump's criminal behavior when you act as if those of us who want to guard the law are trying to rein him in because we simply "didn't want him elected". Would you defend John, the Black Prince (that's King Richard The Lion Heart's wicked brother, the one who kept England from naming another King "John" ever since his reign) by saying we simply didn't like the birth order of the royalty that made him king? Trump is as wicked as you can get without being The Black Prince!

 

[redwood66]

You're ignoring a bit of Trump's criminal behavior when you act as if those of us who want to guard the law are trying to rein him in because we simply "didn't want him elected". Would you defend John, the Black Prince (that's King Richard The Lion Heart's wicked brother, the one who kept England from naming another King "John" ever since his reign) by saying we simply didn't like the birth order of the royalty that made him king? Trump is as wicked as you can get without being The Black Prince!

It's not your place to decide criminal behavior on the part of the President. If Congress wants to go for impeachment that is within their purview.

My point was to your statement:

In answer to the first of your questions, President Obama picked his own Attorney General because all presidents to date have picked their own Attorneys General. It is only Trump and his corruption that may put an end to this practice.

There are plenty of actions by both the "wingman" Holder, and Lynch, that are suspect, but I would never suggest to change the appointments clause because of them. I understand it is appropriate that a President be able to nominate whom he chooses, even if I don't agree or feel they are crooked liars. Elections have consequences.

 

[Tekate]

before I read all the answers to this (been busy with the new grand baby Deb) I will say Barr's reputation preceded him as to his truthfulness and lack of it. He's a tool

 

[AGBF]

It's not your place to decide criminal behavior on the part of the President.

Please don't tell me what it is my "place" to decide. It sounds as if the lady of the manor is directing an underling. I am sure you have heard the phrase, "die gedanken sind frei", translated to "thoughts are free". I believe it is "my place" to decide whatever I wish. It may not be my place to utter my thoughts anywhere I please at any time, but the rendering of my decision is certainly my place.

 

[Tekate]

It's not your place to decide criminal behavior on the part of the President. If Congress wants to go for impeachment that is within their purview.

As Americans we can decide whatever we wish Red.. I can read, I can read the law and I can understand intent, Trump is a slime ball, but I knew this back in hte 70s.. when I was over to my long time best friend who grew up not too far from where I did she said this to my husband: "Look Kate and I know Trump because we grew up on Trump" and that is true, I was reading about his escapades LONG before he won the electoral college but lost the popular vote. I have read about all this Trump Hotel shenanigans.. I had an opinion on him in the late 70s. His intent has always been clear, it's about Trump and money. So I judged him a criminal waay before his election.

We can all judge him to be a slime and doing illegal things.. but you are correct it is up to Congress to indict him, in that we should all call, write, call, call call and write to our congress person that we want Trump to be truthful and honest and that Barr is incompetent and then vote every republican out of office

 

[AGBF]

before I read all the answers to this (been busy with the new grand baby Deb)

I liked this because I wanted to say congratulations on your new grand baby, Kate. At Easter my first cousin and his wife showed photos of their first grandchild who arrived on St. Patrick's Day. My brother and his wife await the birth of their first grandchild any day. Their daughter's due date is April 27.

 

[Karl_K]

(been busy with the new grand baby Deb)

Congrates!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[redwood66]

Please don't tell me what it is my "place" to decide. It sounds as if the lady of the manor is directing an underling. I am sure you have heard the phrase, "die gedanken sind frei", translated to "thoughts are free". I believe it is "my place" to decide whatever I wish. It may not be my place to utter my thoughts anywhere I please at any time, but the rendering of my decision is certainly my place.

It's not your place to decide criminal behavior on the part of the President. If Congress wants to go for impeachment that is within their purview.

As Americans we can decide whatever we wish Red.. I can read, I can read the law and I can understand intent, Trump is a slime ball, but I knew this back in hte 70s.. when I was over to my long time best friend who grew up not too far from where I did she said this to my husband: "Look Kate and I know Trump because we grew up on Trump" and that is true, I was reading about his escapades LONG before he won the electoral college but lost the popular vote. I have read about all this Trump Hotel shenanigans.. I had an opinion on him in the late 70s. His intent has always been clear, it's about Trump and money. So I judged him a criminal waay before his election.

We can all judge him to be a slime and doing illegal things.. but you are correct it is up to Congress to indict him, in that we should all call, write, call, call call and write to our congress person that we want Trump to be truthful and honest and that Barr is incompetent and then vote every republican out of office

I am sorry you both misunderstood my meaning. It is not your place to decide criminality, that is for Congress or Mueller (which he didn't). Of course you both can make up your minds as you please, which will have no bearing on anything. That was my point. I would never tell you what you can or cannot do.

Congratulations on the grandbaby @Tekate!!!!!

 

[AGBF]

From today's edition of "The New York Times". William Barr is threatening to refuse to testify before the House Judiciary Committee because they want to use professional counsel to question witnesses as was done during The Watergate hearings and hearings into other presidents during their impeachments and as the Republicans did when they questioned Christine Blasey Ford during Brett Kananaugh's confirmation hearings for The Supreme Court.

In my opinion, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. He also has no legal right to defy a congressional subpoena.

"April 28, 2019

WASHINGTON — Attorney General William P. Barr, who is scheduled to appear Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee to testify about the special counsel’s report, is threatening to skip the session because he objects to the proposed format for questioning, a spokesman for Representative Jerrold Nadler, the committee chairman, said Sunday.

The committee will hold the hearing with or without Mr. Barr, said the spokesman, Daniel Schwarz.

In addition to allowing each member of the committee to question Mr. Barr for five minutes, Mr. Nadler, Democrat of New York, has proposed a second round of questioning for Democrats and Republicans. However, he has also proposed that staff lawyers for both sides be included in that round, which Mr. Barr opposes."


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/28/us/politics/william-barr-testify-congress.html

 

[AGBF]

I watched much of William Barr's incredible performance before The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. (As a side note, I have to say that I believe his performance was equaled by that of Senator Lindsey Graham. His assumption of the stupidity of the American people and their inability to comprehend what was being examined in that hearing was amazing to behold.) Barr's attempt to keep the truth from coming out was pitiful and maddening at the same time. This comedy routine by Trevor Noah at least added a few moments of levity to my day today. I hope it does the same for some of you as well.

 

[AGBF]

For those of you who need more than one comedy to lift your spirits when Trump and Barr are colluding, here is Stephen Colbert.

 

[redwood66]

Please tell me how he was hiding something when the entire report, sans legally required redactions and no executive privilege claimed, is now out for all to read? Which he was not required to do btw, and had said he would release as much as possible before even receiving it.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/05/bill-barr-robert-mueller-letter-dumb-scandal/

https://thefederalist.com/2019/05/02/the-real-reason-democrats-hate-bill-barr/

Democrats should get on with the impeachment if they are going to do it.

 

[soxfan]

Lindsey Graham didn't even read the report. Barr tried to blame the media for Mueller's scathing letter, and then refused to show up today.

There is no more rule of law or checks and balances. Trump runs the show. The only thing that can be done is to vote him out in 2020. I hope people have seen enough bullshit from him to wise up and vote him out.

This is embarrassment on the Global scale. He retweeted over 60 tweets yesterday. SIXTY. And one was from a "**** Trump" account. He's so stupid that he retweeted it. He has no business representing the United States of America. He makes me SICK.

 

[Tekate]

One has to love this quote from NR:

Strangely enough, this process has become an obsession for Democrats and the press and the focus of endless conspiracy theories.

Benghazi! comes to my mind, I mean define obsession, yet this was okay by republicans and now the NR thinks Barr lying thru his teeth isn't worth pressing on? Ha! hypocrisy at its best.

We have had and seems will continue to have "Hillary's emails" and "Benghazi" ad infinitum I don't know why in hell NR and the Federalist (of which I cannot really bear to read for any length of time no offense to you, we all read what supports our opinions).

I say we keep this going till the cows come home.

Please tell me how he was hiding something when the entire report, sans legally required redactions and no executive privilege claimed, is now out for all to read? Which he was not required to do btw, and had said he would release as much as possible before even receiving it.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/05/bill-barr-robert-mueller-letter-dumb-scandal/

https://thefederalist.com/2019/05/02/the-real-reason-democrats-hate-bill-barr/

Democrats should get on with the impeachment if they are going to do it.