Since when does the witness get to decide how the hearing will proceed?
William Barr is an attorney of some notable accomplishment. He should know better, and possibly remember that Nixon’s first attorney general, John Mitchell, went to jail (notably after Nixon was out of office and couldn’t pardon him) for his role in obstruction and cover.
Barr is making the absurd, nonsensical argument that if he appears before the House, only House members themselves, and not staff counsel, can ask questions. Surely Barr knows that in many prominent investigations staff counsel has participated in questioning, including Watergate, Iran-Contra, the Clinton inquiries and most notably the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
If Barr honestly has lost his memory of this basic history, then his mental capacity and legal credentials are called into question, though most likely it has more to do about his moral capacity and credentials, which appear to have long since expired.
In most functional organizations the parliamentarian has the influence to correct bias and restore established order. Our system of checks and balances seems to have been completely overturned to terms of the scope and authority of our parliamentarian. Barr. McConnell and the resident are egregious examples being out of order conduct and there is no way to check their obstruction as there must be in a constitutional democratic republic with a dysfunctional parliamentarian.
Turtle is complicit and he knows it. He was obstructing justice when he alone refused to cooperate with a bi-partisan denunciation of Russian interference in summer 2016, he’s been working hard to destroy our democracy for longer than that.
The Democrats are idiots. Instead of fooling around like this, they need to subpoena every person they call from the Trump administration. Maybe then they’ll be ready to respond to “answers” such as “I have no need to answer the question” (Wilbur Ross), by immediately throwing the person into the slammer for contempt of Congress.
The entire Republican Party are willing accomplices in multiple violations of the U.S. Constitution and the law, and they STILL don’t care, as long as it “riles up them durn Libruls’, HAW, HAW!!!”
And they claimed that Obama was trying to act like a “Dictator”…
I’m beginning to see. The “Rule of Law” applies only to those with less than 6-figure incomes, women, gays, lesbians, people of color (any color other than white, except maybe the North Koreans), non-Republicans (meaning anyone who doesn’t strictly toe the party line and makes donations), any business competing with any Trump enterprise, and Hillary Clinton. In short, if you are not a blind silent gun-owning supporter of the current regime, you’re probably a criminal. /s
Everyone wants to impeach Trump. How about we start with this utter disgrace? That might actually pass the Senate since Barr is never running for elected office.
It’s not obstruction: just obfuscation in the service of confusion in support of a Unitary President. Would you like me to send you a copy of my 18 page job application essay. I would have thought you folks already read that before you confirmed me.
The Congress has the legal right to ask ANY questions of ANY person. They gave themselves that right long ago.
The Executive branch has the legal right to refuse to answer some questions on some topics. The SCOTUS gave them that right long ago.
Whatever Barr CHOOSES to share with Congress in re the Mueller Report is totally withing his own discretion. The SC was not appointed by Congress. The report was not intended for Congress. And most of it, if not all of it, does not fall into the oversight duties of Congress.
The report does NOT recommend indictment nor did the Special Counsel take that step. Under all the rules and laws that govern the behavior and actions of prosecutors, the report SHOULD remain completely sealed. That is for the protection of the “accused”, because in legal terms, he has not been accused, not been charged, not been indicted.
If the subject of the investigation was any person other than the POTUS the notion that the any of the report would be made public would be laughed at.
DarthRevan almost 5 years ago
If Trump were really as squeaky-clean as his supporters make him out to be, there shouldn’t be anything to hide.
DD Wiz Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Since when does the witness get to decide how the hearing will proceed?
William Barr is an attorney of some notable accomplishment. He should know better, and possibly remember that Nixon’s first attorney general, John Mitchell, went to jail (notably after Nixon was out of office and couldn’t pardon him) for his role in obstruction and cover.
Barr is making the absurd, nonsensical argument that if he appears before the House, only House members themselves, and not staff counsel, can ask questions. Surely Barr knows that in many prominent investigations staff counsel has participated in questioning, including Watergate, Iran-Contra, the Clinton inquiries and most notably the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
If Barr honestly has lost his memory of this basic history, then his mental capacity and legal credentials are called into question, though most likely it has more to do about his moral capacity and credentials, which appear to have long since expired.
Zev almost 5 years ago
He’s a partisan operative for the Resident, not the head of our law system. He should be removed.
superposition almost 5 years ago
In most functional organizations the parliamentarian has the influence to correct bias and restore established order. Our system of checks and balances seems to have been completely overturned to terms of the scope and authority of our parliamentarian. Barr. McConnell and the resident are egregious examples being out of order conduct and there is no way to check their obstruction as there must be in a constitutional democratic republic with a dysfunctional parliamentarian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentarian_of_the_United_States_Senate
ctb11365 almost 5 years ago
Turtle is complicit and he knows it. He was obstructing justice when he alone refused to cooperate with a bi-partisan denunciation of Russian interference in summer 2016, he’s been working hard to destroy our democracy for longer than that.
Ontman almost 5 years ago
IF he testifies he won’t say anything that would reflect badly on his benefactor and chief.
Cerabooge almost 5 years ago
The Democrats are idiots. Instead of fooling around like this, they need to subpoena every person they call from the Trump administration. Maybe then they’ll be ready to respond to “answers” such as “I have no need to answer the question” (Wilbur Ross), by immediately throwing the person into the slammer for contempt of Congress.
Alberta Oil Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Can Barr be charged with obstructing justice? Seems if there ever was a case…
Masterskrain Premium Member almost 5 years ago
The entire Republican Party are willing accomplices in multiple violations of the U.S. Constitution and the law, and they STILL don’t care, as long as it “riles up them durn Libruls’, HAW, HAW!!!”
And they claimed that Obama was trying to act like a “Dictator”…ForALaugh Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Looks like treason.
retpost almost 5 years ago
Barr only has this position because he always supports Trump. Move along. nothing else to see here.
stealth694 almost 5 years ago
LOL after the Brett M. Kavanaugh inquisition, who can blame Barr???
Radish the wordsmith almost 5 years ago
Barr is a rat, just like everyone in the Trump admin.
Bookworm almost 5 years ago
I’m beginning to see. The “Rule of Law” applies only to those with less than 6-figure incomes, women, gays, lesbians, people of color (any color other than white, except maybe the North Koreans), non-Republicans (meaning anyone who doesn’t strictly toe the party line and makes donations), any business competing with any Trump enterprise, and Hillary Clinton. In short, if you are not a blind silent gun-owning supporter of the current regime, you’re probably a criminal. /s
Godfreydaniel almost 5 years ago
I would hope that even the Perjuring Putz would know that the Constitution not only kinda likes checks and balances, it DEMANDS them.
smartman almost 5 years ago
Everyone wants to impeach Trump. How about we start with this utter disgrace? That might actually pass the Senate since Barr is never running for elected office.
DrDon1 almost 5 years ago
Just remember that Barr actively campaigned to become the Liar-in-Chief’s ‘junkyard dog!’
jvscanlan Premium Member almost 5 years ago
If Barr understood the law (he does by the way), the Congress can ask him ANYTHING they want to
Masterskrain Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Amazing. A republican MORE REPREHENSIBLE then Yertle The Turtle McConshell, or RUSSIAN AGENT ORANGE himself!!
robnvon Premium Member almost 5 years ago
It’s not obstruction: just obfuscation in the service of confusion in support of a Unitary President. Would you like me to send you a copy of my 18 page job application essay. I would have thought you folks already read that before you confirmed me.
SukieCrandall Premium Member almost 5 years ago
NEWS ALERT! I just got a news alert saying it is a developing story and reading:
QUOTE
Mueller told the attorney general that the depiction of his findings failed to capture ‘context, nature, and substance’ of probe
END QUOTE
Follow your news sources on this!
Radish the wordsmith almost 5 years ago
Mueller is calling Barr a liar.
Andylit Premium Member almost 5 years ago
The Congress has the legal right to ask ANY questions of ANY person. They gave themselves that right long ago.
The Executive branch has the legal right to refuse to answer some questions on some topics. The SCOTUS gave them that right long ago.
Whatever Barr CHOOSES to share with Congress in re the Mueller Report is totally withing his own discretion. The SC was not appointed by Congress. The report was not intended for Congress. And most of it, if not all of it, does not fall into the oversight duties of Congress.
The report does NOT recommend indictment nor did the Special Counsel take that step. Under all the rules and laws that govern the behavior and actions of prosecutors, the report SHOULD remain completely sealed. That is for the protection of the “accused”, because in legal terms, he has not been accused, not been charged, not been indicted.
If the subject of the investigation was any person other than the POTUS the notion that the any of the report would be made public would be laughed at.
Radish the wordsmith almost 5 years ago
We will see how toady Lindsey fluffs up the cushions for Barr at the Senate hearing tomorrow.
After all, Lindsey has already dismissed the Mueller report and calls for another investigation of Hillary.
Egomaniac Republicans have absolutely zero self conscious introspection, just like every narcissistic psychopath.
Besides, Lindsey doesn’t want to go to jail for taking Russian money while subverting American democracy.