Barr: If I Wanted To Meddle In SDNY, I Wouldn’t Have Fired Berman | Talking Points Memo

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#72

“We said he was stepping down which is usually the language we use in these — in these kinds of announcements,” Barr addd(sic). “But it left open the possibility that once he saw that he was leaving the position, that he’d be interested in figuring out other alternatives.”

The funny thing is, it doesn’t matter whether “stepping down” was general enough to cover whether he was fired or quit. Neither of those things had happened at the time he used the term. And of course he doesn’t get called out on that.

But the second sentence here is some seriously hilarious doublespeak. Translation:“We figured when I came out and announced his departure, he’d just wilt and buckle under.” How’d that turn out for you, Barr?

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#73

The term of art is “lying sack of shit”.

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#74

Italian proverb: The fish rots from the head.

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#75

”I’d like to hear some examples of people we’ve charged that they think were unrighteous cases to bring,” Barr said.

That’s not the racket. The racket is to ease up on righteous cases when the perp produces something politically valuable. You have a good case against Erdogan’s ally. If Erdogan sits on the information you need him to sit on, you squelch the case against his pal. No unrighteousness is needed, and yet you are still completely and irretrievably corrupt.

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#76

And he knows there’s always got to be a fall guy.

maltese-falcon-fall-guy

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#77

He needs to go out and press the flesh more, maybe relax at a club in Miami

#78

This is just a sophisticated variation on the apocryphal first rule of answering essay questions: If you can’t (or in Barr’s case won’t) answer the question, answer another one.

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#79

Excellent idea. Perhaps we could arrange for a bagpipe band to play during his perp walk.

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#80

Yes, and two-thirds of the people who try to repeat it say the fish “stinks” from the head. People are dumb, mostly.

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#81

—a “no show job” as Berman described it today.

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#82

That is how the expression is manifested here in Rhode Island. But, I would argue that this version isn’t “dumb.” Rotting flesh stinks pretty bad, so substituting “stink” for “rot” is no far cry. In fact, it’s much more visceral than rot. You don’t even have to see the fish to know something is very wrong. Just let your nose tell the tale.

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#83

Doesn’t seem to matter. They lie as easily as breathing, and as demonstrated by Flynn, they can get away with it. Perjury only exists when someone is willing and able to prosecute.

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#84

Plus, you didn’t fire Berman, Barr. Trump did.

#85

Nah, I’m gonna be judgmental here. The idea of “rot” is much more fundamental to the concept of gradual corruption than “stink.” If some executive—heaven forfend that I mean anyone in particular—is corrupt, that will extend itself out and down. “Stink” doesn’t make a lot of sense in comparison. Nobody says, “Whew, the front third of that fish really stinks.”

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#86

lolz. Agree to disagree, fellow word cop. I’ve used this expression since I moved here 30 years ago. I’m stickin’ with stink!

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#87

What about the cases you’ve dropped that were unrighteously dropped?

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#88

“If I wanted to prevent the possible destruction of the American justice system, I wouldn’t have let Li’l Billy live instead of smothering him with a pillow when he was 5 years old.” - William Barr’s mother

#89

How the fuck did this lying sack of shit get so far in life? Oh yeah, Democrats let Iran Contra slide and all the rats involved got stronger rather than ridden out of the public square on a rail. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen this time, no looking forward until we’ve looked back on this administration with a fucking magnifying glass and put everyone of these bastards in jail.

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#90

Doublespeak, if you need a description.

#91

“We said he was stepping down…”

Who’s the “we”?

Sounds like Barr and Trump. The absurd definition of “stepping down” Barr used seems too preposterous for Barr to come up with on his own. It sounds like an explanation someone who cheated on their SAT’s would come up with…

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