A federal judge’s assertions Thursday that Attorney General Bill Barr made “misleading” statements about special counsel Robert Mueller’s report sent shockwaves through the legal community.
Is it wrong that I’m smiling? Do other attorneys here on TPM share the “remarkable” viewpoint? Does this go anywhere good?
I do. I hope it goes somewhere but the mere fact that the judge has pointed all of this out in writing is huge. It makes it very difficult if not impossible for Barr to keep operating the same way he has been without this hanging over him.
I think ultimately it will mean we get to finally see the real Mueller Report. But it will be appealed so nothing will happen immediately.
It might be a first step towards prosecuting Barr in 2021, assuming a democratic win in november. At the least it puts the thought of small barred cells into billybarr’s mind.
But, when DoJ refuses to hand over the unredacted Mueller report, what happens then?
I honestly think Barr wants to go down in history as some sort of white collar outlaw. Sort of like Jesse James meets Michael Milken meets Marlon Brando. (fatter Brando) I just don’t think history is going to treat him that well.
He’s very much a guy that doesn’t care about his legacy which makes me wonder what he’s getting for all this now.
He fucking lied!
From Judge Walton’s Wikipedia page:
In fall 2005, the judge was driving his wife and daughter to the airport for a vacation when he came across an assailant attacking a cab driver on the side of the road. Walton tackled the assailant and subdued him until police arrived. The D.C. police spokesperson noted in response, "God bless Judge Walton. I surely wouldn’t want to mess with him."
He’s keeping the Epstein shit covered up. Whole reason for being there, everything else is just a fringe benefit.
Does anyone have a good explanation of what might happen next? Genuinely interested in how the process can play out.
Whereas Barr would have struck a deal with the assailant for half the take in return for a story to the police about how the cabbie attacked both of them.
The judge will rule that the full report has to be released, the DOJ will immediately appeal… and in 1-2 years this will get in front of the Supremes, where by a 5-4 margin, they’ll say that it can’t be released.
Barr has no credibility outside of the Trump cult.
May Walton’s courage spread throughout the nation’s courts.
I have tremendous respect for Judge Walton here. It’s easy for me sitting up here in the bleachers to yell and scream at the relevant players, but I imagine for a federal judge -where process, relationships, and traditions are everything -it was probably difficult, though necessary, for him to deliver such an extraordinary rebuke of the sitting Attorney General. Moreover, considering the behavior of Trump and his rabid fan base, he’s literally risking his life.
But this was long overdue. It’s part of the same dishonest shenanigans Barr pulled in the Stone case, resulting in four prosecutors dropping off the case. He’s engaged himself inappropriately in a number of Mueller-related prosecutions, and it must stop. Otherwise, there is no more rule of law.
Again, great admiration for Judge Walton’s courage here. Extraordinarily bad behavior demands an equally extraordinary response.
Hurrah for Walton. Barr should resign.
1 / Remarkable perfidy requires remarkable commentary. Good for Walton.
2 / Yet why is this Federal Judge the ONLY ONE criticizing Barr? That’s the real story.
3 / Notice how the DOJ and so many other lifetime-tenure guys/gals are functionally silent, cowed or complicit.
No one knows–this hasn’t happened before. But I will predict that DoJ will refuse to hand over the Mueller report, and are currently scrambling to find a legal pretext that can be slowly litigated to a non-decision post election.
Snce the judge wants to see it in camera, there isn’t much reason not to turn it over.
It’s not going to be made public. Yet.
I don’t think they can appeal. You cannot appeal a judge’s day-by-day decisions and instructions during the trial. You can only appeal those after the trial concludes.