Barr ain’t as stupid as Trump looks…
The GOP doesn’t really want this. They lose in a court of law setting, too many facts stacked against them.
They are treating this as the political process that it is by trotting out the standard ‘Dems are evil, media are biased’ sound bites the base understands.
The DOJ, before a thorough investigation or testimony, declared upon receipt of a criminal referral from both the CIA and NSC IG that what Trump did was not a violation of FEC election laws, and asserted a finding nothing of value was solicited or accepted from anyone.
So, yes, despite the lack of a presser for Trump the DOJ had no problem absolving him of guilt for what would or could be considered breaking the law in one key aspect of all this.
no campaign finance laws had been broken and “no further action was warranted.”
I feel better now. Can we move on?
Marcy Wheeler makes this cryptic comment:
Hmmm.
Barr is not stupid. A statement at that particular moment - would have been too soon and done little good.
He’s building a bullshit case and will drop his stink-bomb at the right moment. Never underestimate a religious zealot on a ‘mission from God’.
At a guess: belated realization that acting as DHT’s toady kinda hurts your ability to then pretend you’re an impartial AG when you go to “clear” him. So gosh, maybe we better see if we can’t get some of that good credibility stuff back, cuz now we need some. Anybody know how to do that? No? Shit.
You betcha. He’s very clever, in a misleading, manipulative way, to claim there were no campaign finance law violations, because in the public mind campaign finance stuff is a guy with a briefcase full of money.
But wait …expert legal team on the way. Exoneration a shoe in
Pam Bondi? Seriously? This thing where he only hires people who are nice to him is amazing when it comes to hiring impeachment lawyers, pilots, heart surgeons or what have you. Evidently he doesn’t really grasp the way competence is independent of whether a person is nice to Donald Trump. It’s like the first rule of Idiot Club is only idiots can be in Idiot Club.
Barr is only holding off on a formal announcement until after the impeachment by the House. He wants to be able to tailor his made up reasoning to the evidence- speaking too soon gives the House time to bring in witnesses to disprove his bs. However, once House is done, he knows he can say whatever because the Republicans will just be able to use his statement to justify the no vote on conviction and House will have no way to bring in any new evidence.
Also think he’s trying to build up credibility for his bogus “Russiagate and Travel Journal” report coming up and he’s counting on some massive amounts of gullibility in the press to see him through. Will he get gullibility? Who knows?
So, what’s the word that’s in the Constitution that the link was so enthused about(altnet doesn’t like my ad blocker)?
They all end eventually.
Bribery.
All Barr has to do is say “print this … because”
Absolutely. Tried & true Kirkland & Ellis stall tactic. The first iteration of the case will no doubt be baloney, as will the second and third, but we’ll be so far down the road that the impeachment trial, currently expected around February, won’t happen as it is too close to the election. And if they do go ahead, John Roberts may find himself presiding over a Foodfight Royale.
Ah yes, the well fed politician…