dagblog - Comments for "Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe""

James Comey:

artappraiser — Sat, 18 May 2019 05:53:43 +0000

In reply to Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe"

James Comey:

The AG should stop sliming his own Department. If there are bad facts, show us, or search for them professionally and then tell us what you found. An AG must act like the leader of the Department of Justice, an organization based on truth. Donald Trump has enough spokespeople.
— James Comey (@Comey) May 18, 2019

and John Dean retweeted this Weds.

The example set by FBI Director Wray, who has refused to support Trump’s narrative of law enforcement spying, versus AG Barr, highlights the distinction between integrity & unacceptable behavior.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) May 17, 2019

David Frum @ The Atlantic is

artappraiser — Thu, 02 May 2019 15:11:49 +0000

In reply to I am grateful that the

David Frum @ The Atlantic is on your points.

I am grateful that the

moat — Thu, 02 May 2019 11:45:08 +0000

In reply to I just read Katyal's just

I am grateful that the process to oppose the thugs is underway.

It would be nice to see the home team put more points on the board.

I worry about how long the stalling of the game will go on.

I just read Katyal's just

artappraiser — Thu, 02 May 2019 01:18:14 +0000

In reply to Hopefully you right.

I just read Katyal's just published NYTimes op-ed and he sort of addresses your question about turbo charging, moat. He designed the damn thing and basically is saying it's going a bit slow but it's working, turbo charging not possible. (And yes of course he has a vested interest in defending his product:). I will just note that the last innings of a baseball game can go on for a very long time!

Why Barr Can’t Whitewash the Mueller Report

We have a system in place for our government to uncover evidence against a sitting president. And it’s working.

By Neal K. Katyal Mr. Katyal drafted the special counsel regulations under which Robert Mueller was appointed.

Many who watched Attorney General William Barr’s testimony on Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which followed the revelation that the special counsel Robert Mueller had expressed misgivings about Mr. Barr’s characterization of his report, are despairing about the rule of law. I am not among them. I think the system is working, and inching, however slowly, toward justice.

When it comes to investigating a president, the special counsel regulations I had the privilege of drafting in 1998-99 say that such inquiries have one ultimate destination: Congress. That is where this process is going, and has to go. We are in the fifth inning, and we should celebrate a system in which our own government can uncover so much evidence against a sitting president.

Some commentators have attacked the special counsel regulations as giving the attorney general the power to close a case against the president, as Mr. Barr did with the obstruction of justice investigation into Donald Trump. But the critics’ complaint here is not with the regulations but with the Constitution itself. Article II gives the executive branch control over prosecutions, so there isn’t an easy way to remove the attorney general from the process.

Instead, the idea behind the regulations was to say, “We recognize the constitutional reality that the attorney general controls the prosecution power, so what else can we do?” My colleagues and I (which included many career officials at the Justice Department as well as bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate) settled on two things. First, provide a mechanism to enable an independent investigation, and thereby generate public confidence in the outcome of that investigation. Second, design that mechanism so that if the attorney general interferes with the special counsel’s inquiry, that interference would be reported to Congress and ultimately become public [....]

Hopefully you right.

moat — Thu, 02 May 2019 00:24:19 +0000

In reply to Seems to be hanging himself

Hopefully you right.

Klobuchar does a good job of slicing and dicing him on obstruction. Patterns versus being able to explain away particular events. Barr's response is indistinguishable from a defense lawyer's response to the evidence. But charging him with obstruction is another hundred days on top of the others needed to address this mess.

Is there a way to turbo-charge the reaction?

Back in 1992, NYTimes

artappraiser — Thu, 02 May 2019 00:11:09 +0000

In reply to Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe"

Back in 1992, NYTimes columnist Bill Safire nicknamed Bill Barr "General Coverup" :

Nearly three decades ago, William Safire had Barr’s number. The former Nixon speechwriter turned author and columnist wrote devastating critiques of Barr’s first turn as attorney general, labelling him repeatedly as “General Coverup.” https://t.co/BzVg7S6A9J via @BulwarkOnline
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) May 1, 2019

Eric Holder:

artappraiser — Wed, 01 May 2019 23:59:59 +0000

In reply to Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe"

Eric Holder:

The conduct of AG Barr over the last few weeks and in the hearing today has been shown to be unacceptable. I thought he was an institutionalist, committed to both the rule of law and his role as the lawyer for the American people. I was very wrong. He is protecting the President.
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) May 1, 2019

some comments on Comey's op

artappraiser — Wed, 01 May 2019 23:21:27 +0000

In reply to James Comey @ NYTimes.com op

some comments on Comey's op-ed:

This @Comey article is the most insightful analysis I've read of how Trumpism corrupts. https://t.co/F5q5rxl6MS
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) May 1, 2019

McMullin is Executive Director @StandUpRepublicw/@mindyfinn. Former CIA ops officer, GOP policy director, independent presidential candidate, and also tweeted this about an hour ago:

Someone should remind Attorney General Barr that the House represents the people and his decision not to appear before his committee of jurisdiction because he dislikes the hearing format it selected is an affront not just to Congress, but to Americans everywhere. https://t.co/j1QxVpAcT9
— Evan McMullin (@EvanMcMullin) May 1, 2019

smart smart smart story https

artappraiser — Wed, 01 May 2019 23:08:52 +0000

In reply to Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe"

smart smart smart story https://t.co/jqzUBulRAQ
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) May 1, 2019

from the Acting Solicitor

artappraiser — Wed, 01 May 2019 23:06:25 +0000

In reply to Barr Testimony thread, starting with "Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe"

from the Acting Solicitor General of the United States from May 2010 until June 2011*:

Got a lil' @nytimes piece coming out about Barr and Mueller soon...
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) May 1, 2019

*wikipedia says he did some other stuff too,. i.e....in 1999 he drafted special counsel regulations, which have guided the Mueller investigation of the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.[10] He also served as Vice-President Al Gore's co-counsel in Bush v. Gore of 2000....