Good to see some semblance of the Justice System working. Hope it is enough to save our Democracy from this lawless administration.
I’m a litigator and have read more opinions than I can count. In layman’s terms, Judge Gleason is saying the government is completely full of sh-t and this is so bad I’m going to put my own legal scholarship reputation on the line and mock the stupidity. It is rare for this type of language to be used because most litigants care and try not to argue stupid things that are an insult to the intelligence of the court.
I have no idea what Barr was thinking I am not a laywer and thought this was clear overreach, do you think they were feeling thier oats or was it all just a show for Flynn?
My non-legal, but political guess was that the cabinet had orders from Trump to issue a pardon, and Barr talked Trump out of it believing it would be politically stupid, and decided to drop on the grenade for him which is very Trump-like to make someone else pay for his crimes. I doubt Barr thought Sullivan would go this route, and the grenade is much bigger than he might have initially thought. I've seen a growing arrogance coming from Barr lately where the guy is really giving zero F-cks. That arrogance is leading to sloppiness, and sloppiness in a role like AG can get someone put in jail. If Trump loses, I would put money on AG Barr facing potential Obstruction of Justice or Obstruction of Evidence charges because we all know that he's more than likely manipulating evidence, and documents within the DOJ to protect Trump and his allies. Point being.... Trump should have just issued a pardon. I unfortunately don't believe the voters he'll rely on for re-election don't really care about corrupt pardons.
Yeah That's the way I look at it. It still amazes me the length that usually smart people go too appease Trump, them checks must be good or is power that intoxicating?
Barr has his hands on basically every major Republican scandal coverup since Iran Contra where he devised the scheme to save Bush sr. and Reagan. The guy is a career GOP gun for hire, and has always been. Why he's doing this now is probably related to a combination of factors, but I think he has family coming up the ranks of the GOP on the legal side so there's a Barr legacy that he's likely solidifying. But in the end, I believe he actually believes in autocracy, and ruling with a strongman. He's one of those hard-right Catholics that believe in more hard line autocratic forms of society, and when you pair him with the odd marriage of the evangelical hard right, you have alot of belief in that office that they are re-inventing the country's government to look more like an monarchy that has no separation of church & state. Just go read his letter he wrote the White House when he was auditioning for the job. The guy's view on a belief in autocracy is damn scary. So I think it's a true believer with legacy/monetary ambitions for his family that'll live on long after he's gone.
That's interesting but even with that he has to know that he is damaging his legacy by overreaching but then again maybe he has no choice. He has to know that this is temporary no matter how much he implements or maybe he is just that fanatical? Something like this is on the historical record and its a huge stain for Barr.
So was Iran Contra, and he still managed to keep a reputation despite that obvious cover up. In Republican circles though, it actually makes him more appealing that he's a gun for hire they can rely on to always put party first, and is smart enough to devise cover ups. But as I alluded to I think he's got arrogant, and sloppy. I can't get in his head, but my suspicion is he's smirking thinking I "won" during Iran Contra, I "won" during the Mueller report cover up, and i'll "win" again. He see's himself as a gun for hire. Not a politician who needs to be popular with all Americans. I think every Republican that becomes president after Trump who gets in a legal bind will have Barr on speed dial because if him and/or Trump end up NOT in jail, he'll hold the reputation for decades as the guy who saved Trump from getting kicked out of office, and put in handcuffs.
This makes a lot of sense. Arrogant and Sloppy should be the Republicans slogan. I think they have been drunk on power since McConnell blocked the supreme court nomination. Chickens do come home to roost.
I may be wrong, but I believe Billy Barr helped Bush Sr. with the pardons in the Iran Contra affair. Or is that what you are already saying... he 'won' during Iran Contra?
Yes, the Iran Contra pardons where the independent counsel investigating Iran-Contra, issued this statement: “President Bush’s pardon…undermines the principle that no man is above the law. It demonstrates that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office—deliberately abusing the public trust without consequence." Bill Barr was the legal advisor to H.W. who advised this cover up via pardons to shut down the special counsel.
My prediction: Sullivan sentences him. Trump pardons. Captain Obvious here. He can't hold him in contempt or add another charge for lying in the plea deal. That would be disastrous. Who would sign a plea deal to a lesser charge if there's a chance you could be prosecuted for lying in the lesser plea deal?
Interesting...both were scheduled to represent Michael Flynn in 31 hours Solicitor General Noel Francisco Expected to Step Down Mr. Francisco has represented the Trump administration before the Supreme Court, including in controversial cases like the travel ban against predominantly Muslim countries. Justice Department’s Criminal Division Chief to Step Down Brian Benczkowski helped supervised the prosecution of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and an investigation into Goldman Sachs’s role in a Malaysian embezzlement scheme
I also think Flynn or someone (maybe his son) is running the Qanon thing for Trump. Flynn’s expertise is in cyber and he knows how the Intel Community works. Just a theory.
