Not that Barr is trying to hide anything embarrassing, corrupt, or criminal on Trump’s behalf, mind you. This is just an effort to protect the office of the presidency and all future presidents.
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Then there’s this after effect of Dr. Stable von Genius…
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Send them all to the lobby of Trump International in D.C., Bedminster in NJ, or Trump Tower in NYC. The folks at Mar-a Grifto probably already have their own supplies.
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The Barr DOJ has been called out once already by Chief Justice Roberts for dissembling before the court. Another smackdown is predicted.
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US stockpile stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine
Forward thinking for sure. Looks like we are all set for the next wave of malaria in this country.
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Amazon is sitting on a lot of these books. What recourse does Bezos have if any of this legal b.s. is enacted? Could he just release them now?
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No worries. I’m sure the check cleared and Jared’s buddies at Aeolus Pharmaceuticals have banked the proceeds (with a generous “finder’s fee” in Jared’s numbered account).
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Damaging to national security? Or to BunkerBaby’s insecurities?
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The DOJ will have a lot of work to do after this “Administration”. At all levels. There will be work to be done.
But I fear the hardest part will be the re-establishment of public trust.
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A lot of the good details have already been leaked. And the foreign leaders involved will more than likely be happy to collaborate them as well. Trump burns bridges faster than he lies, insults and threatens overs. Barr is digging his own grave.
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The book has been excerpted and reviewed, and Trump has been found wanting.
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Note for next Congress. Pass a law making a NDAs for government employees invalid, and make it a crime try to push them.
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There is a small chance a T.R.O. will get entered applicable to Bolton alone. Shouldn’t be, but federal judges can’t be trusted to care about the law anymore. But a Temporary Restraining Order is just that, temporary, an ex parte order in effect for a maximum of ten days to preserve the status quo pending a proper hearing on an injunction. (An “ex parte” order is an order entered without hearing from both sides. Only the fact that it is sort, temporary and dissolves automatically if a proper hearing isn’t conducted within ten days makes it not a violation of the Due Process Clause.)
But there is zero chance an injunction gets issued. The New York Times and other papers already have their copies. They are already publishing all the Big Secret Secrets. The can’t be stopped by the government. (See New York Times v. United States, a/k/a the Pentagon Papers cases). And once that toothpaste is out of the tube, the whole thing except for the “punish Bolton” parts evaporates.
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A guy who bankrupts casinos is probably the kind of guy who’d buy 63 million doses of a medication without proven efficacy.
I didn’t vote for him and I have never claimed him as my President. As such, I really believe Trump supporters should foot the entire bill for this fiasco. They own this.
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They should give a month supply to of the stuff to each of the Trump rally goers. That should prevent them from getting Covid.
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I am going with “batshit crazy”
(1) Judge Lambrath is one of the last judge you would want on this case. He is on record as criticizing over classification repeatedly, and was on the surveillance court, so he knows what the hell is classified and what is not. Absent drawing Howell or Sullivan not sure they could have done worse,and it will really sting if he sticks it to them since he was appointed to the bench by St. Ronald.
(2) Of the DC judges, he is probably most likely to shoot from the hip and say that nothing is classified, reject the request out of hand. They would have lost with other judges, but might get somewhere re delay or at least a cover argument to take to FOX news for a few months. Lamberth is sitting in San Antonio, but I dont’ think that will delay things since hearings are via phone/skype at this point.
(3) The book is already out, so a TRO request is too late, should have done that yesterday (or two weeks ago, when told the publication was going ahead). DOJ waived any relief it seeks.
(4) Really no argument can be made under Rule 11 for the request, I can see Lambreth sanctioning DOJ. Other judges might be cautious, I don’t think he will be.
(5) Bolton will beat up on the political maneuvering, and if he is smart, ask to depose everyone. Get to the bottom of it all.
The only way this was going to work was drawing Judge Leon (who likes the spotlight and would drag it out) or one of the Trump Judges (McFadden, Friedrich, Nichols). At this point, the DOJ is just exposing it’s decision making to Bolton (if he chooses) asking for discovery to get to the bottom of it and using this to promote the book.
P.s.a very good but long piece on the issues:
https://www.lawfareblog.com/assessing-governments-lawsuit-against-john-bolton
The distinction between SCI (Secured Compartmentalized Information) and classified information is not one that I understood before, but appears to undermine what DOJ is arguing.
More and More I think this was something that Trump and Barr ordered, but DOJ’s line staff tried to play by the book on, leaving Bolton lots of legal grounds to move to dismiss DOJ’s lawsuit at the pleading stage.
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Thank you.
Although the government is usually not subject to the defense of latches (waiting too long to sue), when it seeks a TRO it is subject to the test of a balancing of the harms. And if the application was made at the last minute (even though the government had notice of proposed action) that may be grounds for denial.
In any event expect this matter to be brought to the Supremes posthaste.
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I believe that Bolton is lying because :
a) Trump has always shown good disposition towards Muslims, is not like he has banned them from the US or anything
b) Trump abhors concentration camps, only mean spirited people would call the Summer Camps for Central American children that way
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Trump, with Barr’s help, is just ensuring that as many people as possible read as much of the book as they can through whatever sources available.
It’s a wicked smart strategy. Some would say stably geniusy.
Just waiting to see how he handles the Mary Trump book publication in as powerful and strong a fashion.
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