Wednesday, February 12, 2020

"A resignation can set off an alarm bell for an institution whose failings an official might be unable to bring to light in no other way, or as effectively. It upholds rule-of-law norms in the very act of signaling that they are failing."


Trump publicly implicates William Barr. This makes the House Judicary Committee’s work a little easier.


Wow. @Jim_Jordan accused of trying to orchestrate a coverup of the scandal.


He’s so scared. How did Bob Mueller lie to Congress?


Inbox: House Judiciary Chair Nadler sent a letter confirming Attorney General Barr will testify before the Committee on March 31st to address "numerous concerns regarding his leadership of the Department of Justice and the President's improper influence over the Department."


Convince me that what Trump has done since the impeachment vote isn’t worse than what he did to warrant impeachment. Like we warned, acquittal has turned out to be a green light for him to take a wrecking ball to democracy.


Weirdly enough this wasn’t the economic picture Secretary Mnuchin painted in his hearing today.


Russia has learned from Iran—using proxy actors, unbeholden to any higher power, to carry out nefarious activities while claiming plausible deniability. Our US-Libya strategy must address Russia’s use of mercenaries to achieve their malicious foreign policy goals.


The Trump administration is invoking a clear double standard when it comes to congressional investigations. Refusing to cooperate with lawmakers just because you don't agree with their politics isn't an option. Steve Mnuchin is stonewalling about stonewalling.


President Trump ran a campaign against the “swamp” in Washington. What is more swampy, what is more fetid and stinking, than the most powerful person in our country literally changing the rules to benefit a crony guilty of breaking the law?


Trump Wants Pentagon to Review Army Lt. Col. Vindman's Conduct


You know, the executive controlling all the branches of government, as the Founders intended.


Sen. Ron Wyden is demanding Mike Pompeo hand over documents on Ukraine from the Obama and Trump admins and records on people connected to Ukraine, including Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. It's part of an effort to push back on GOP doc requests


"That Catholic Charities has been replaced by Hookers for Jesus says much about Barr’s Justice Department. Friends of Trump are rewarded. Opponents of Trump are punished. And the nation’s law enforcement apparatus becomes Trump’s personal plaything."


Bill Barr’s DOJ replaced Catholic Charities with Hookers for Jesus.


Adam DiSabato, former OSU wrestling captain, said Jim Jordan called him repeatedly in July 2018, "crying, groveling… begging me to go against my brother." “He’s throwing us under the bus, all of us. He’s a coward.”


To Aaron and Adam, Jonathan and Michael: I am sorry for the agony you are about to endure, and for the pain & betrayal you will feel at the hands of your beloved Dept. Know that you are on the right side of history & that we are so very proud of you for defending the rule of law. — Lisa Page


Today Senate Republicans blocked THREE election security bills. Two would require that illegal foreign election interference be reported to the authorities. The other would make voting machines harder to hack. All blocked


The purge of impeachment witnesses continues


Hey, remember when donald trump was taken to the hospital 85 days ago? The media doesn’t.


william barr is trending because Roy Cohn's demon spirit oozed out of the DC subway system, possessed the atrophied vessel of a living human droopy dog and then corruptly took over the entire fucking justice system. also, fuck bill barr.


"It's preposterous to think that the President's own public statements had no impact on the [Justice] Department's reversal of their position." -Fmr. acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe on the DOJ undercutting prosecutors' sentencing request for Roger Stone


Bribery trial of ex-president Correa begins in Ecuador


This means he could put ANYONE in jail. It means he could have ANYONE executed. He's wrong and he's and idiot but THIS IS HOW DICTATOR'S TALK.


“I think he feels like the chains are off now,” said one senior administration official. “Everything that used to be hush hush is now just…out in the open”


Administration claims they had to fire the Vindman brothers — or America would be a ‘banana republic’


YES. This please. Is there now any doubt in anyone's mind that BILL BARR shut down the Mueller probe prematurely? Mueller's prosecutors should call a press conference. Why wouldn't they? All of their spun-off cases have been hijacked by Barr by now.


Just want to be sure everyone realizes that this is the same AG Barr who gave a speech this morning criticizing progressive DAs who are seeking lesser punishments as ignoring the rule of law. I guess it's only ok w/the rule of law if the deft is a corrupt crony of the president


Trump isn't going to pull the wool over our eyes - we all know the GOP has fought to destroy the ACA & its pre-existing condition protections for a decade. Now, he's trying to overturn it in court. Thanks to @morethanmySLE for sounding the alarm & fighting the good fight.


Attorney General Barr's opening remarks at his Senate confirmation: "Nothing could be more destructive of our system of government, of the rule of law, or the Department of Justice as an institution than any toleration of political interference with the enforcement of the law."


Sign the petition - Investigate DOJ's Roger Stone Reversal!


This is a truly great idea. I mean, TRULY great. Hell, it’s only a couple billion and routing Trump from his properties when he defaulted would be a karmic pleasure


I'm running for NY-14, to fight for the people of Queens & the Bronx, daughter of Cuban immigrants and living the American Dream 🇺🇸


One of the UK's eight confirmed cases of coronavirus is a hospital worker


Warren: "On a day when career prosecutors showed more backbone than almost every Republican senator standing up to this president, Americans ... are gravely concerned about the corruption of a Trump Justice Dept. that abandons the rule of law ... Roger Stone, I'm looking at you."


"[DOJ] is just being totally perverted to Donald Trump's own personal desires and needs and it's a disgrace," Schumer said. "Roger Stone should get the full amount of time the prosecutors recommended and we're going to do some oversight of that."


The Trump admin has leased 9.9 million acres of land and water for oil and gas drilling since 2017


NEW: Russia interfered in Western elections in 2019 and is likely to do so again in 2020, an assessment by the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service says.


Someone tried to report me for a violation of the Twitter TOS because I'm tweeting what I think Bernie Sanders will do if he's not the nominee. Congratulations, Bernie cultists, you're moving into MAGA troll territory.


Today’s events represent as serious a moment as I have seen in 13+ years covering the Justice Department. The alarm coming from Democrats and Republicans who served there is remarkable. (The photo is from a pretrial court appearance by Roger Stone.)


Judges, Jesus and justifications

without the cowardice of Republican senators including Susan Collins of Maine, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and others, Trump would not be lighting a fire to the Justice Department and the Constitution.


Does anyone at this point really believe that William Barr and his boss haven't taken actions that violate both the U.S. Constitution and the charter of the U.S. Department of Justice?


Y’all keep impressing with speed and accuracy


How Duterte could sever U.S. military ties, and why


Am sitting in London, where the majority of the country, from what used to be the center right to left, just lost an election because the main opposition party insisted on having an unpopular extremist as its leader. Now reading about New Hampshire and feeling...deja vu


WATCH: South Africa, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, marked the 30th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from jail after almost three decades behind bars


#COVID19 I’m catching up...I’m learning that Singapore has the best health care infrastructure in the world...and it’s really hot there rn...and yet.


Anderson Cooper on @CNN just now: "The Washington Post says 'Democracy Dies in Darkness.' It doesn't. It dies right in front of our faces."


Businessman Andrew Yang ends eclectic presidential bid


China's ruling Communist Party faces a fraught decision: Admit the viral outbreak isn’t under control and cancel this year’s biggest event. Or bring 3,000 legislators to Beijing in March and risk fueling public anger at government handling of the disease.


The first US evacuee from China known to be infected with the Wuhan coronavirus was mistakenly released from a San Diego hospital


Turkish President Erdogan gets rare support from the U.S. as he prepares to announce new steps against Russian-backed forces in Syria


Why does no one talk about trump’s modeling agency that he owned 85% of and was open until 2017 when Boxer requested it be investigated for human trafficking? He brought in underage girls illegally from Europe & told them to lie to immigration. Nothing?Read their stories-abused


Today was worse than the Saturday Night Massacre because this time the AG was part of the interference with justice. During Watergate AG Richardson and Deputy AG Ruckelshaus stood up to Nixon and refused to do his dirty work. Shame on Trump and Barr and new US Attorney.


Make no mistake... William Barr is the most hated man inside the Department of Justice right now.


Joe Biden speaks in South Carolina: "You can't be the Democratic nominee and you can't win a general election as a Democrat unless you have overwhelming support from black and brown voters."


He went from obscurity to being one of the most powerful people in #Ukraine in a matter of weeks. But now his short tenure as President Zelensky’s chief of staff is over. Here is everything you need to know about the rise and fall of Andriy Bohdan.


"Mr President, isn't it incongruous that a Vietnam draft-dodger is questioning the integrity of a military hero like Vindman?" How hard is it to ask a question like this directly to the fat fcuk?


The logistical preparations of exercise #DefenderEurope 20 have started. Equipment arrived at the port of Antwerp, Belgium ready to be moved through


The solution to Vladimir Putin's term limits? Belarus


92% of Republican voters say they are not concerned that President Trump will seek help from a foreign government in his 2020 presidential re-election campaign via new Quinnipiac poll.


"The line prosecutors were especially upset because they were not told about the decision to intervene until after Fox News first reported it late Tuesday morning" Let that sink in: billionaire Murdoch's propaganda network learns of the decision prior to career prosecutors


The president is now attacking a federal judge


Kamala Harris asks Lindsey Graham to bring in Bill Barr to testify about his intervention of the sentencing of Roger Stone


We smell another impeachment. Whether of Trump, Barr or both, can’t say


I know Adam. It is difficult for me to think of a more upright, honest, and faithful public servant. His withdrawal is a powerful signal of institutional rot within the Justice Department.


I can't believe I have to say this, but the President of the United States has no business interfering in the criminal trial of his own campaign adviser. The Justice Department owes the court and the American people an explanation of exactly what is happening here.


Stone. Flynn. Trump. The prosecutions and plea deals all show guilt. They're last, insane, futile doomed attempt is to make themselves EVEN GUILTIER and deepen the conspiracy to keep the agent of a foreign power in the White House and cover up their crimes.


Trump claims 40-50,000 people attended New Hampshire rally —***Held at a venue with maximum capacity of just under 12,000 Trump supporters are defending Trump, saying they were there & saw the crowd.


Yet more retaliation against a witness— simply for telling the truth. This retaliation is illegal and impeachable (again). Trump suggests military should consider disciplinary action against Vindman


When is Barr testifying? — Preet Bharara


To the DOJ Inspector General: I’m calling for an immediate investigation of why the Roger Stone sentencing recommendations by career prosecutors were countermanded. The American people must have confidence that justice in this country is dispensed impartially.


This is what happens when you embolden a drug addict. He seethes with resentment and acts out further. Trump needs consequences and he’s never faced any, whether for sexual assault, business fraud and now political corruption. He will only get worse.


Trump is consolidating power in an authoritarian manner while Democrats attack each other and argue over years-old video clips


The district court judge should pay no attention to Barr’s politically driven recommendation. It’s not binding on her and deserves no deference at all.


Priest says "pedophilia doesn’t kill anyone" but abortion does, in defense of denying communion to lawmakers


What if this one time, instead of "raising questions," it's providing answers?


In other DOJ news...the department is in the late stages of deciding whether to charge Erik Prince for allegedly lying to Congress and violating U.S. export laws in his business dealings overseas, per WSJ


Trump’s gonna slash social security and medicaid to pay for a border wall that was an idea Roger Stone and Sam Nunberg came up with over an 8-ball one night when they needed a way for Trump to remember to be more racist at his rally’s. Fact.


If DOJ reduces its sentencing recommendation below the sentencing guidelines for Stone after Trump’s public criticism, U.S. Attorney must resign. Otherwise, he is either not in charge of his own office or is a pawn of the president. Both are intolerable.


I don’t care who you’re backing in the primary, but we can all agree that Tulsi should get the fuck out, right?


Put aside questions of excessiveness for a min -- how's the Department leadership shocked to see a sentencing recommendation based on the Guidelines? Why is *this* case/defendant different? How are prosecutors supposed get up in court to explain this?


Former DOJ people are absolutely freaking out today between the Giuliani red carpet treatment at DOJ & now changing a sentence recommendation for Stone. And i have to no say I’m deeply concerned about SDNY. We need hearings on this


"The department's hard-earned reputation for factual honesty and legal credibility is in tatters now,"


“I would trust Alex with my life”: Vindman’s former Army commander says his firing from White House post was "designed to humiliate” him.


1. Donald Trump is a unique & dangerous threat to our Republic. 2. He must be stopped. 3. ALL OF US must come together to stop him. 4. Therefore, I pledge to support WHOEVER the Democrat nominee is. 5. If a libertarian/conservative like me can make that pledge, can’t you?


CONTEXT ALERT: If @BernieSanders or @SenWarren were to win the presidency, their replacement in the Senate would be chosen by a Republican Governor (Phil Scott for Sanders, Charlie Baker for Warren)


This nails it right here. What @TheJusticeDept AG Barr did damaged every case under DOJ jurisdiction. Every last one of them. It damaged the @FBI’s ability to investigate as well because who is going to help a corrupt administration? It gave criminals a signal too.


I lived in the New York City that @MikeBloomberg had stopped and frisked. He wants to be president, so it is good that that every black and Latino voter—in particular—is learning what he really thought about that failed, discriminatory policy.


Unless It Changes, Capitalism Will Starve Humanity By 2050


And he did so at least twice that we know of- with both Russia and Ukraine, as was established by the Mueller report and the impeachment investigation.


The White House -- OMB specifically -- appears to have lied to GAO when they told them that no one at the Pentagon general counsel's office had expressed concerns about the legality of the president blocking aid to Ukraine.


Shitheads gonna shithead. Time to believe the reports that Barr has corrupted the criminal cases spun out of the Special Counsel investigation. I cannot imagine a more criminal man than this AG. He is a heat-seeking weapon of war against the rule of law.


Hey New Hampshire! Remember when both Bernie and Mayor Pete defended Tulsi Gabbard and attacked Hillary Clinton? You know who didn't defend Tulsi Gabbard, #NewHampshire? Joe Biden.


We are just 266 days away from the 2020 election. It’s time for Mitch McConnell to stop playing political games and bring the #SAFEAct to the floor of the Senate for a vote so that we can secure our elections once and for all.


Aaron Zelinsky Jonathan Kravis Adam Jed Michael Marando Add them to the list of those who did the right thing to defend our nation when the president would not. It’s a list that is too short.


Trump attacks on criminal cases may be setting stage for pardons


Wallace: Trump seeking to erase disgrace of Mueller prosecutions


A.G. Barr interfering in legal cases tied to Trump: NBC News


Trump interference in Stone case triggers 'rule of law emergency'