Criminal Justice

You know things are bad when Hillary says Donald is acting like a "failed-state fascist"

Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour

“A political infestation” at the Justice Dept.

Tuesday, February 12, 2020. While The New York Times is leading with the story of Bernie Sanders’ win in the New Hampshire primary, Twitter is taking another story—the “complete corruption” of the DOJ under Bill Barr—far more seriously.

Yesterday, following a tweet from Trump, Barr intervened to help lessen the sentence of Trump’s friend and adviser Roger Stone, convicted in November for numerous crimes connected to the Trump-Russia scandal. (Stone could have faced up to 50 years in prison. Prosecutors had recommended seven-to-nine years.)

Following Barr’s intervention, four prosecutors, two of whom had been involved since the Mueller investigation, quit the case—including one who quit the DOJ entirely.

This wasn’t the first time Barr, who is supposed to work for the American people, has intervened to protect Trump and his pals from the legal consequences of their actions, but in the words of NBC News legal analyst Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney in Virginia:

This signals to me that there has been a political infestation. And that is the single most dangerous thing that you can do to the Department of Justice.

On Twitter, many of the most prominent political legal experts and politicians are sounding the alarm bells:

“Do not underestimate the danger of this situation”

— Eric Holder, former Attorney General

Eric Holder @EricHolder

Do not underestimate the danger of this situation: the political appointees in the DOJ are involving themselves in an inappropriate way in cases involving political allies of the President. This affects the rule of law and respect for it. Unprecedented.

washingtonpost.comProsecutors quit amid escalating Justice Dept. fight over Roger Stone’s prison termThe resignations could plunge the department into political crisis over its independence.

“It is impossible to overstate the danger”

— Walter Shaub, former director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics

Walter Shaub @waltshaub

A corrupt authoritarian and his henchmen are wielding the Justice Department as a shield for friends and a sword for political rivals. It is impossible to overstate the danger.

Shaub: Barr’s tactics are familiar to “the subjects of totalitarian regimes”

Walter Shaub @waltshaub

To citizens of free countries, Barr's position seems hypocritical. Not so for the subjects of totalitarian regimes, who are accustomed to men like Barr. The consistency is found in the guiding principle of his authoritarian partisanship: "Justice for us, punishment for them."

Rachel Barkow @RachelBarkow

Just want to be sure everyone realizes that this is the same AG Barr who gave a speech this morning criticizing progressive DAs who are seeking lesser punishments as ignoring the rule of law. I guess it's only ok w/the rule of law if the deft is a corrupt crony of the president https://t.co/SDpawIjnd2

Shaub: “Having toppled the institution dedicated to law,” the rest becomes easy

Walter Shaub @waltshaub

To put DOJ's politicization in context, remember its mission is to defend the rule of law and it's full of lawyers whose lives are focused on law. Having toppled the institution dedicated to law, it'll be easier to topple the ones devoted to things like energy, money and killing.

Trump is acting like a “failed-state fascist”—Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton

Do you realize intimidating judges is the behavior of failed-state fascists? Just asking!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

Is this the Judge that put Paul Manafort in SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, something that not even mobster Al Capone had to endure? How did she treat Crooked Hillary Clinton? Just asking! https://t.co/Fe7XkepJNN

“Barr should be served with a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee… today”

— Sherrilyn Ifill, President, LDF (NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund)

Sherrilyn Ifill @Sifill_LDF

Yes. Just because he does it openly and w/o shame doesn’t make it any less lawless and horrifying. Cannot have outrage fatigue. Barr should be served with a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee to appear at an oversight hearing today.

southpaw @nycsouthpaw

Satisfied customer. https://t.co/2XHl0cCMYj

Greg Olear writes more in his new article How to Stop Bill Barr:

One of the reasons Trump has been winning these little process battles is that the Democrats have been reluctant to upset the apple cart of tradition and decorum. The time has come to kick over that cart and start pelting the bad guys with apples… Barr should be subpoenaed to testify immediately, and if he refuses, he needs to be punished. Period. Lock him up. Fine him... Whatever the law allows, or might allow...Nadler has to bring the heat this time. No more letters. No more niceties.

In a tweet this morning, Trump admitted that Barr personally intervened in the Stone case to help his long-time buddy. Trump even went so far as to allege: “Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!”

That was enough to make “Bob Mueller” a trending topic—and to prompt some to ask the question: when will Bob Mueller… or John Kelly… or Jim Mattis… or H.R. McMaster… finally speak up?

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Unprecedented from The Daily Edge is dedicated to exposing Trump’s and the GOP's corruption, cheating and conning. Because losing in 2020 is not an option.

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