Trump asked “Where’s my Roy Cohn?” (the corrupt, cutthroat attorney who represented Trump family interests [father and son] in the 1980’s, before finally getting disbarred for ruthless tactics that finally crossed too many lines.
Trump asked “Where’s my Roy Cohn?” and William Barr said, “Here I am!”
Barr, who has made such a career of helping cover up Republican scandals that even conservative opinion writer William Safire, who had earlier been a NIXON speech writer called him “General Cover-up” in a 1992 column during his first stint as Attorney General for George HW Bush for his role in helping cover up Bush ties to drug running Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and covering up the Iran-Contra scandal.
The biggest irony is that Barr — the new “Roy Cohn” — has refused to testify before the House committees because he said it was “unprecedented” for questions to be asked by legal staff.
Unprecedented? Staff has routinely helped ask questions of witnesses. Bobby Kennedy, while a staff attorney, helped question Jimmy Hoffa. Staff attorneys took key roles in the Watergate, Iran-Contra, Clinton impeachment and even Brett Kavanaugh hearings.
And that big irony? Roy Cohn himself, whose filthy shoes Barr now fills, first became famous for his brutal, cruel questioning of witnesses as staff attorney for Joseph “Tailgunner Joe” McCarthy — the brutality and cruelty of which led to the term “McCarthyism.”
Barr’s efforts in Tiny’s behalf should earn him a lifetime dues free membership in the Trump chain of country clubs. Seems fair – trading what’s left of a questionable reputation for greens fees.
Americans could be a unified nation with an exceptional cooperative compromising Congress of representatives serving we the people or have a business-friendly older, much wealthier than average Congress of “representatives’” that deliberately divide the country into ideological “tribes” to effectively divert their efforts from we the people to serving the businesses of America. Simply put, we can have justice or we can have partisanship … but apparently not both at the same time.
We should by now realize that partisanship does not build unity but is like a car with two opposing engines and tow steering wheels. As the decision to work for Ameria rather than for the Democratic/Republican party will not come from the politician, it must come from the voters … from we the people who want the United States to have equal justice for all, not just the businesses. We can continue the insane tug of war or work together for common goals while respecting each other’s personal values and not attempt to codify any particular (minority) set of personal values into law of the land.
If we cannot learn from the current examples of failed justice and make permanent corrections, we are doomed and the American experiment of rule by we the people will end and the rich and powerful will have turned us into just another trophy. The fact that in about six decades the two “major” parties have traded values (on education, segregation, etc) should be sufficient evidence that they are not working for a strong unified country but a weak divided country.
Perhaps.. impeaching the president is a stretch (NOT) but putting fat Barr’s butt in jail for contempt should be goal number one. Either you have a nation of laws.. equally applied or you admit to having a dictatorial government.
Imagine if Democratic politicians found a spine, and began following a “tit for tat” policy. I suspect they would find that a majority of the populace would support them enthusiastically. Too bad that the only time they find a spine is when a progressive shows up to the party; they get ferocious in defending their territory then.
Yikes – thanks for the tedious reframing of history. The “big irony” is simply that today’s left is using McCarthyite tactics to smear anyone on the right — and to accuse American citizens of conspiring with “Russia!” just the way McCarthyites did in ’50s.
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich: Presidents before Trump occasionally have argued that complying with a particular subpoena for a particular person or document would infringe upon confidential deliberations within the executive branch.But no president before Trump has used “executive privilege” as a blanket refusal to cooperate.“If Mr. Barr does not show up,” the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Sunday, “we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena.”What could the Committee do? Hold Barr in contempt of Congress—under Congress’s inherent power to get the information it needs to carry out its constitutional duties. Congress cannot function without this power.Under this inherent power, the House can order its own sergeant-at-arms to arrest the offender, subject him to a trial before the full House, and, if judged to be in contempt, jail that person until he appears before the House and brings whatever documentation the House has subpoenaed.When President Richard Nixon tried to stop key aides from testifying in the Senate Watergate hearings, in 1973, Senator Sam Ervin, chairman of the Watergate select committee, threatened to jail anyone who refused to appear.Congress hasn’t actually carried through on the threat since 1935—but it could.
[note from Godfreydaniel: Not only could, not only should, but MUST, if we are to keep our democracy.]
DD Wiz Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Trump asked “Where’s my Roy Cohn?” (the corrupt, cutthroat attorney who represented Trump family interests [father and son] in the 1980’s, before finally getting disbarred for ruthless tactics that finally crossed too many lines.
Trump asked “Where’s my Roy Cohn?” and William Barr said, “Here I am!”
Barr, who has made such a career of helping cover up Republican scandals that even conservative opinion writer William Safire, who had earlier been a NIXON speech writer called him “General Cover-up” in a 1992 column during his first stint as Attorney General for George HW Bush for his role in helping cover up Bush ties to drug running Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and covering up the Iran-Contra scandal.
The biggest irony is that Barr — the new “Roy Cohn” — has refused to testify before the House committees because he said it was “unprecedented” for questions to be asked by legal staff.
Unprecedented? Staff has routinely helped ask questions of witnesses. Bobby Kennedy, while a staff attorney, helped question Jimmy Hoffa. Staff attorneys took key roles in the Watergate, Iran-Contra, Clinton impeachment and even Brett Kavanaugh hearings.
And that big irony? Roy Cohn himself, whose filthy shoes Barr now fills, first became famous for his brutal, cruel questioning of witnesses as staff attorney for Joseph “Tailgunner Joe” McCarthy — the brutality and cruelty of which led to the term “McCarthyism.”
Dtroutma almost 5 years ago
The Iran/Contra criminals, like North, had judges to kick them loose, criminal partisanship isn’t all that new with GOPers.
Meh~tdology, fka Pepelaputr almost 5 years ago
What Donald Trump Learned From Joseph McCarthy’s Right-Hand Man
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/politics/donald-trump-roy-cohn.html
brwydave Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Barr’s efforts in Tiny’s behalf should earn him a lifetime dues free membership in the Trump chain of country clubs. Seems fair – trading what’s left of a questionable reputation for greens fees.
braindead Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Barr auditioned for and won the job of Trump fixer, filling the position that Michael Cohen vacated.
imagenesis almost 5 years ago
Dear Tom, please warn us next time before posting such nakedness, I just had dinner! ๏̯̃๏
Ontman almost 5 years ago
The scales of injustice.
Dani Rice almost 5 years ago
Weighed and found wanting . . .
superposition almost 5 years ago
Americans could be a unified nation with an exceptional cooperative compromising Congress of representatives serving we the people or have a business-friendly older, much wealthier than average Congress of “representatives’” that deliberately divide the country into ideological “tribes” to effectively divert their efforts from we the people to serving the businesses of America. Simply put, we can have justice or we can have partisanship … but apparently not both at the same time.
We should by now realize that partisanship does not build unity but is like a car with two opposing engines and tow steering wheels. As the decision to work for Ameria rather than for the Democratic/Republican party will not come from the politician, it must come from the voters … from we the people who want the United States to have equal justice for all, not just the businesses. We can continue the insane tug of war or work together for common goals while respecting each other’s personal values and not attempt to codify any particular (minority) set of personal values into law of the land.
If we cannot learn from the current examples of failed justice and make permanent corrections, we are doomed and the American experiment of rule by we the people will end and the rich and powerful will have turned us into just another trophy. The fact that in about six decades the two “major” parties have traded values (on education, segregation, etc) should be sufficient evidence that they are not working for a strong unified country but a weak divided country.
Alberta Oil Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Perhaps.. impeaching the president is a stretch (NOT) but putting fat Barr’s butt in jail for contempt should be goal number one. Either you have a nation of laws.. equally applied or you admit to having a dictatorial government.
Cerabooge almost 5 years ago
Imagine if Democratic politicians found a spine, and began following a “tit for tat” policy. I suspect they would find that a majority of the populace would support them enthusiastically. Too bad that the only time they find a spine is when a progressive shows up to the party; they get ferocious in defending their territory then.
Kip W almost 5 years ago
You should have seen Justice go flying when Trump jumped in that! It’s over Nebraska somewhere by now.
Radish the wordsmith almost 5 years ago
Jabba the Mutt
retpost almost 5 years ago
The scales are tilted in Trump`s favor; the way he has stacked the courts it may be hard to get justice foe a long time.
Bookworm almost 5 years ago
“With liberty and justice for all” becomes lie number 10,001.
newyorkslim almost 5 years ago
Yikes – thanks for the tedious reframing of history. The “big irony” is simply that today’s left is using McCarthyite tactics to smear anyone on the right — and to accuse American citizens of conspiring with “Russia!” just the way McCarthyites did in ’50s.
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I keep waiting for some political cartoonist to do a pun on being disBARRed, but so far nada.
Godfreydaniel almost 5 years ago
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich: Presidents before Trump occasionally have argued that complying with a particular subpoena for a particular person or document would infringe upon confidential deliberations within the executive branch.But no president before Trump has used “executive privilege” as a blanket refusal to cooperate.“If Mr. Barr does not show up,” the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Sunday, “we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena.”What could the Committee do? Hold Barr in contempt of Congress—under Congress’s inherent power to get the information it needs to carry out its constitutional duties. Congress cannot function without this power.Under this inherent power, the House can order its own sergeant-at-arms to arrest the offender, subject him to a trial before the full House, and, if judged to be in contempt, jail that person until he appears before the House and brings whatever documentation the House has subpoenaed.When President Richard Nixon tried to stop key aides from testifying in the Senate Watergate hearings, in 1973, Senator Sam Ervin, chairman of the Watergate select committee, threatened to jail anyone who refused to appear.Congress hasn’t actually carried through on the threat since 1935—but it could.
[note from Godfreydaniel: Not only could, not only should, but MUST, if we are to keep our democracy.]
Retired engineer almost 5 years ago
Love it! Another 10, Tom!
Redd Panda almost 5 years ago
Barr…another pitiful creature, who has had his soul devoured by trump. Serves him right.
Redd Panda almost 5 years ago
Ms Nancy was on the telly talking about barr lying, she looked so pist, thought she might throw the F-Bomb. But, no, Ms Nancy is a lady.
mr_sherman Premium Member almost 5 years ago
If anyone ever has the balls to throw Barr’s ass in jail, it won’t be a guy.