Discussion: Barr Hints Full Mueller Report Might Not Be Sent To Congress After All

dominic · January 28, 2019, 8:42pm

Only a fool would trust this mofo to do what is right for the country. He will protect Donnie.

tena · January 28, 2019, 8:42pm

Trump is no Ronald Reagan.

That’s just for starters.

pshah · January 28, 2019, 8:47pm

So Barr doesn’t think the American people have a right to know if their President is an actual Russian asset? That’s certainly an interesting interpretation of DoJ guidelines. I would hope he’d realize that won’t stand. Not even a close call.

castor_troy · January 28, 2019, 8:48pm

– Appeared in films and TV
– Alzheimer’s in early stages while in office
– Reagan tore down a wall, Trump is building one, so both are obsessed with Walls

…

johnrm · January 28, 2019, 8:52pm

I think he got the job b/c he claimed he would take a bullet for trump…

socalista · January 28, 2019, 8:55pm

As AG, I commit to giving Donald Trump a Get Out of Jail Free card. Furthermore I promise to deep-six any and all incriminating evidence of crimes committed by the current President.

Yeah, go with that, Barr. It’ll sound great at future hearings.

tena · January 28, 2019, 8:56pm

People liked Ronnie. He was likable. He was not a toxic Narcissist and maniac who was hell bent on selling us out to Russia.

squirreltown · January 28, 2019, 8:56pm

We don’t know that. It’s possible that Treason > decades old DOJ guidelines.

socalista · January 28, 2019, 9:00pm

Except that Barr has pre-announced his intention to conceal evidence pertaining to the President. Once you’ve made that declaration, presumption of innocence flies out the window and never returns.

socalista · January 28, 2019, 9:05pm

The whole purpose for keeping confidential the evidence pertaining to those not charged is protection of the (potentially) innocent. But Barr is abusing that by saying he’ll also use it to protect the provably guilty…provided that the provably guilty is Donald Trump.

So yes, this is problematic.

coimmigrant · January 28, 2019, 9:07pm

Compared to the myth that is perpetrated by the GOP, President Reagan was no Ronald Reagan.

tena · January 28, 2019, 9:08pm

I believe that several senators, including Murkowski, said they wouldn’t vote for him unless he agreed to release the entire report.

@coimmigrant - hahahahaha No doubt. But he’s also no Trump and Trump is no Reagan. Hell Trump is no Nixon. He is magnitudes worse.

dave_mb · January 28, 2019, 9:08pm

Yes. I get that is a distinct possibility and something he’s potentially doing. That would be seriously problematic. However, if he only uses that for fringe players, I wouldn’t have a problem with that. I’m hoping for the best. I don’t know whether it’s warranted.

tpr · January 28, 2019, 9:08pm

I want to believe that, but I’m not convinced.

If the report were going to be released to congress, or even the Gang of Eight, I would be more confident that it would be leaked. But Barr is suggesting that he’ll ensure it never escapes the DOJ.

sandi · January 28, 2019, 9:11pm

Hey wasn’t a group & website established to end government coverups?

Help me out here, I forget the name … WookieLooks … WackyLeaps … uhhh …

alyoshakaramazov1 · January 28, 2019, 9:14pm

Fair and uncorrupt elections are in the “public interest”

And if this did not happen in 2016, we damn well should see the details why.

10c · January 28, 2019, 9:15pm

Actually the reporting I’ve read on the regs are that the SCO’s report is simply confidential, end of story, which would be in keeping with broader DOJ rules on reporting of investigations. That would mean we won’t ever see the actual Mueller report. What the SC regs allow is that the AG can then release his own report on the confidential report’s findings, if he wishes. However, he doesn’t have carte blanche to stuff it, either, as Sen. Durbin is getting at in this question:

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked Barr in writing whether he believed the DOJ regulations and policy “forbid any discussion of decisions declining to indict.”

He’s trying to corner Barr into coming clean about the AG’s duty to report to Congress the DOJ’s reasons for declining any recommendations to indict that were in the SCO report.

The way Neal Katyal described the intent of the rules, which he wrote, is that the AG can’t decline a recommendation by the SC to indict and keep that secret, he has to report to Congress and justify his reasons for declining. Congress isn’t under any obligation to publicise that report, but given the new make-up of the House, we will probably be told about it.

So either way the public will learn about the SC’s recommendations to indict, by the indictments happening (unless they’re secret), or by learning the AG’s reasons for declining them.

socalista · January 28, 2019, 9:16pm

However, there’s no reason to think he’s inclined to do that. Taking his replies as a whole, he’s literally saying that he intends to interpret DOJ regulations as requiring him to cover up for the president. We’re not the only ones who can see that. Barr also sees it and chooses to let that stand.

The good news here is that in telegraphing his intentions, Barr’s precluded the possibility of Trump claiming there’s no evidence against him. But that’s only helpful if we recognize that Barr telegraphed his intentions.

tiowally · January 28, 2019, 9:16pm

Nope. No executive privileges can be invoked as there were no private conversations between Mueller and Cadet Bonespurs.

tpr · January 28, 2019, 9:16pm

Props for mentioning Pinochet, whose junta hired Koch R&D maestro James Buchanan to help them write their “Constitution of Liberty,” which baked in protections for the ultra-wealthy so they would continue to control government even when 2/3 of all voters broke with them. Which is exactly what McConnell wants to do here.