Sally Yates was Deputy Attorney General from 2015-2017. In this article in the Washington Post, she argues that Attorney General William Barr should release the full Mueller Report as soon as possible, without redactions.
She writes:
“America’s justice system is built upon one thing — truth. When witnesses give testimony, they are sworn to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” The word “verdict” derives from the Latin term “veredictum,” meaning “to say the truth.” Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, a public servant with impeccable integrity, was entrusted to find the truth regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election and has spoken through a comprehensive report that details the facts that he uncovered.
“Yet a week after Mueller issued his report, we don’t know those facts and have only been provided with Attorney General William P. Barr’s four-page summary of Mueller’s estimated 400-page report. It is time for the American people to hear the whole truth. We need to see the report itself.
“First, as the attorney general’s letter to Congress notes, the Mueller report “outlines the Russian effort to influence the election and documents crimes committed by persons associated with the Russian government in connection with those efforts.” Congress has a solemn responsibility to protect our democracy. Without access to the full factual record of what the special counsel uncovered, it cannot fulfill that mandate. As you read this, the Russian government is undoubtedly hard at work to undermine our next election. Each day that passes without Congress having access to the full Mueller report is a day that Congress is prevented from doing its job of keeping our elections free from Russian espionage efforts.
“Second, Barr’s letter leaves important questions unanswered concerning what then-candidate Donald Trump and his associates knew about Russian interference, and how they responded to Russian overtures to assist the campaign. While Barr’s letter states that the investigation did not establish that the campaign reached an agreement with the Russian government to take actions to impact the election in Trump’s favor, it reveals that the campaign did field “multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.” Yet President Trump and others have repeatedly claimed that they had no contact with Russians, or knowledge that Russians were acting to assist his campaign. Moreover, the Trump campaign did not bring the Russian outreach to the attention of law enforcement but secretly allowed a foreign adversary’s assistance. Remarkably, after the release of the Barr letter — which makes it undeniable that the Russians were seeking to help the Trump campaign — the president still denies it. Why?”
Nor can Congress or the public make an informed judgment about Trump’s role in obstructing Justice without seeing the report.
Barr should not take it upon himself to redact (delete) the passages of his choosing.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Without the “witch hunt” and Mueller to kick around anymore, toddler Trump has too much time on his hands and will cast about for any loud rattle he can shake.
Here is one more thing to add to toddler Trump’s loud rattle:
Republicans are setting their sights on top Obama-era officials as they plan their own probe into the 2016 election.
GOP shifts focus to investigating Obama officials
Eager to move on from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and the Trump campaign, GOP senators are gearing up to investigate “the investigators.” The idea is gaining traction within the Republican caucus, including from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).
osted at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Sally-Yates-William-Barr-in-General_News-Democracy_Facts_Mueller-Investigation-190331-382.html#comment729451
This is such a no-brainer and it is a sign of the complete and utter cowardice of the so-called “liberal mainstream media” that they got played by one of the most obvious propaganda schemes I have ever seen. “Oh, the Attorney General that Trump appointed because he would protect him says Trump is completely exonerated, our bad” says the mainstream media.
One thing I have never heard anyone in the mainstream media ask every Republican who claims Trump is exonerated:
Are Republicans now encouraging all Democrats to copy their own practices and meet with representatives from foreign governments offering dirt on their Republican opponents? Because Republicans now say it is perfectly legal and they will be doing the same in every election if they have the opportunity?
Are Republicans now encouraging all Democrats to take meetings with representatives offering to help with their campaign, then changing policy to benefit that country, and are Republicans now encouraging Democrats to lie about it so that American people don’t know about it because that is what republicans are now saying it perfectly legal and acceptable to them?
Basically, from now on every journalist should be asking every Republican running for any office whether they will be taking meetings with representatives of foreign governments and lying about it and then changing policy to benefit that country.
I think every Democrat should ask every Republican opponent if he or she will be meeting with representatives from Russia or another non-democratic country offering to help with their campaign and when they do, will they lie about it like Trump did or tell the truth because they know what they are doing is legal and proper?
Exactly, NYC parent! Well said!
Trump may be free from guilt on this one small aspect, but the Spawns of Satan are probably in deep. The man is a horrible excuse for human flesh, but I think he will protect his down and dirty spawn as they are the “holders” of the entire Trump empire right now. So, if the #s are correct, only about 10% of the 400 page document has been released and within that 90% IS the tale to be told…..and it probably ain’t pretty for the Trump brand!!!
I don’t think any part of the Mueller Report has been released. All I have seen is Barr’s summary. He was hired to protect Trump.
You’re correct about the official report being released only to Barr. Guess I’m just trying to point out that Barr released very little information from the 400 page document. Barr is not a stupid man. He will release only as much as he thinks is necessary to “appease” the public as it relates directly to Trump.
So you’re saying that Barr is willfully misrepresenting what’s in Mueller’s report? And Mueller is quietly letting that happen?
I haven’t seen the report and neither have you. Only Barr has seen it. I think the entire report should be released. We can judge for ourselves.
“So you’re saying that Barr is willfully misrepresenting what’s in Mueller’s report? ”
Of course Barr is willfully misrepresenting what is in Mueller’s report. Barr already had to walk back what he wrote in that 4 page letter and now blames the media for claiming that Barr’s 4 page summary of 400 pages gave a “summary” when he only said the letter “summarized” the report. See the difference? Barr now has to pretend that he never expected anyone to assume his 4 page letter entirely exonerated the President nor that he ever intended anyone to get that idea from any “willfully misrepresentation” on Barr’s part. LOL!
The question is why anyone would have such certainty that Barr has given an absolutely full and truthful representation of Mueller’s report that it completely exonerated the President and his campaign. Is there something about Trump and the “best people” working for him that leads you to trust them or take them at their word?
There is far more evidence that Barr misrepresented Mueller’s report than he did not. In fact, that’s why Barr had to walk it back. He thought he could get away with it and then obviously got scared that Mueller or someone from his team would show he was blatantly misrepresenting the report in his 4 page summary that Barr claims was never a summary and it is only our own stupidity that ever told us that it was a summary because Barr never said it was. Get it?
The Mueller report found that Russia interfered in our election. The Mueller report found that Trump’s campaign met with representatives of Putin for the express purpose of getting dirt on an opponent, covered it up, did favors for Putin, but supposedly did not find that meeting with representatives a foreign government offering to help with your campaign and then lying to cover it up is a crime. (Good to know that Democrats are now encouraged to do this, too).
By the way, Trump said Barr completely exonerated him and Barr has yet to say that Trump lied about that so we all must assume that Barr wants the American people to believe Trump. Because any ethical person who wanted to make sure his letter was in no way meant to give a complete exoneration of the President would actually correct the record instead of allowing the President of the United States to make what Barr now says are entirely false claims about his letter.
I think Barr’s summary quotes a few words. So maybe 0.02% has been “released.”
I think if Barr wanted to imply that Trump was guilty he would have said this in his letter:
“Although Mueller did not find clear evidence that President Trump or his campaign intended to violate laws, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of foreign agents offering to help their campaign by bringing them “dirt” on the candidate running against them in the election.”
And Barr would have said this in his letter:
“Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding obstruction of justice, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.”
In other words, as Trump himself would say, “Lock me up!” Republicans always believe those words designate a very guilty man who has broken many laws.
Bet Putin is laughing his head off.
He made a very good investment in Donnie
And he didn’t overestimate the stupidity, bigotry, cravenness, and cowardice of the Republican Party and their most fervent supporters.
Trump has a distorted view of what constitutes Russian collusion. He refused to be questioned because even his lawyers feared he would incriminate himself.
Mr. Schiff posed a number of realistic questions that have to be answered.
When is our president going to begin acting with some modem of decency? He once again called Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas”, asserting her campaign has sputtered from the start because of his criticisms. He called House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)“pencil neck”.
Trump declares: “We are fighting and working and winning.”
“We are making America great.”…“Everyone is benefiting,”. “Now I’ve done more than I ever promised I’d ever do so the [presidential] debates should be easy.” Democrats, he said, are “extreme,” “socialist” and “sick people.”
There are patterns of wrongdoings by Trump, his businesses and his administration. The truth must be found.
Trump is a sick narcissist.
It is not easy to unearth the truth when Trump has so many people protecting his interests including Barr.
“As you read this, the U.S. government is undoubtedly hard at work to undermine elections around the globe.”
There, fixed it for you.
To help Putin Control Ukraine?
You are right, Diane.
Has to do with access to ports for trade and more.
Can someone please explain to me why anyone would try to change the subject to American foreign policy when the discussion is about whether our entire democracy is being undermined by intervention by a foreign power and voter suppression and courts packed with right wing ideologues whose only goal is power. I am trying to imagine what kind of American would believe that stopping America from intervening in other countries can best be accomplished by changing the subject every time anyone talks about the proto-Fascist Republican takeover of our government and the courts.
The GOP goal is capture of the courts to abolish abortion, roll back civil rights, eliminate public education, criminalize gays, and deregulate environment controls and business.
I guess all those horrible GOP goals are more acceptable as long as they promise not to intervene in other country’s elections? (Then again, why would anyone trust what the GOP says about anything?)
“As you read this, the US government is undoubtedly hard at work to undermine any elections that Putin wants undermined around the globe.”
There, fixed it for you.
Watch: Adam Schiff lists all the ways he says the Trump campaign colluded with Russia
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff presented all of the ways that members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle colluded with the Russians, both during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, in a public hearing Thursday.
http://www.newsweek.com/adam-schiff-trump-collusion-russia-1378232
Beat me to it .
In order to understand the entire affair. You have to put it into the full context of Trump’s relations with Russian money for decades. His attempt to negotiate the largest deal in his life during the election. And his actions after the election. What Mueller was charged with investigating is another question. As that we entrust the American President with Foreign
Policy decisions. There is no way to question under the law the motives of the President once in office. The Senate is left with the responsibility to give advice and consent something they have been abdicating for decades. But this has now come to a different level.
But to make this simple: If a high-level employee was conducting a personal business deal with a competing employer while hiding the existence of those negotiations from his employer. There is not an employer in the world that would not terminate that employee on the spot. And shove a boot up his butt on the way out the door.
The President is an employee of the American people, not vice versa. That issue was solved in 1776. The American people have a Human Resources Manager in the form of their elected Representatives to deal with the employee. The Human resources manager
does not have to demonstrate that the employee has violated the law. Just that in his opinion the employee was abusing the position he was granted. If the Human Resources Manager is uncomfortable dispatching his duties. It falls on the employer himself to protect his interests.
This was such a great speech, especially the faces of the Congressmen who believe their only job is to cover up for Trump.
“You may think it is okay…”
There is no way anyone would think this was okay if a Democrat did this. I don’t believe anyone would think it was okay if George W. Bush did it. That’s why those Congressmen looked entirely embarrassed having the American people hearing exactly what it was that they now were on record as approving of any politician doing — meeting with any representatives of foreign governments offering to help with their campaign by releasing dirt on their opponents and then lying to cover it up. Among many things, the Republicans are now saying Democrats should be free to do that from now on because they think it is all okay.
And my only fear is Democrats will not do exactly what Adam shift did on Thursday; every day till the election.
I need the edit button: Schiff
I like the corporate-employee metaphor.
this is an historic response, and begins with the UTTER CONTEMPT of the corrupt crap.
A Tale of two investigations. Years of Bengazi and Hillary. Indictments? Two years of Muller and it is over? Several indictments. This is not over. The real question is political. Will Trump’s base desert him over all the questions about his character the way HRC’s base deserted her in 2016? Don’t bet on it. Trump is immune to voter suppression due to his reliable base. You could prove that Trump is on the payroll of Putin and his base would still vote for him because he hates the same people they do. The democrats will always be worse for the Trump base. He will paint them as dangerous. The politics of fear.
He won because the opposition did not show up; not because he brought out so much of his base. I am betting the Midterms were not about Healthcare or any policy. None of which stand any chance of passage into law. Hopefully, the American people understand that.. Although I suspect they do not. The Midterms were a rejection of him and the Republicans who supported him. The whole Republican party did not change into Trumpanzees overnight. They were for decades a party of deplorable’s. They have since Nixon’s Southern strategy been a party whose central theme was a minority is trying to steal your cookie. Reagan expanded that philosophy to the North. It was the Welfare Queen in a big Cadilac or two. Government was not the problem because of farm subsidies or military spending. It was a problem because of forced bussing and food stamps. I am an economic populist Trumpanzees are not.
Joel: it is hard to disagree with your analysis. The question I have is about voter suppression efforts. Will they work on the left in the next election? Republicans came out for Trump, despite his receiving a series of pluralities in primaries. Democrats stayed at home rather than vote against Trump. Will it happen again?
A unique circumstance where the Democratic candidate was extremely unpopular in part by her own doing. “They weren’t paying her for the prose”. Aided by 3-4 years of Republicans attacking her because she was the heir apparent. The confluence of Benghazi/ server emails and Comey. Two Russian Email dumps and finally Comey pressured by Guiliani and the NY FBI (Trumplandia) to weigh in again with the nails in the coffin.
I will keep repeating this. Nobody read the emails I read one Podesta email and it was about Obama. “who cares about the emails”. The typical voter not only did not read them. He could not tell you the difference between the server issue and the Podesta.
Emails…. Nor what if anything it had anything to do with Benghazi. Emails = Hillary =bad. and it was a blaring Headline all through the Summer and Fall magnified by the Print and Broadcast media a thousand times.
And it is the heart of the scandal. Being told by a hostile foreign power they have dirt on your opponent and saying nothing while denying it is happening and encouraging it. In fact, seeking it out at opportune moments. Criminal, you decide for yourself. But if it rises only to collusion, not a criminal conspiracy I do not think the American people think it’s right.
Nor do I think that they think, an American seeking the office of President should be making a private business deal with that hostile foreign power. Denying the “business dealings” through the election and for a year and a half after taking office. Seeking back-channel communications with and through the party that you knew had just helped you win. Before you even took office.
As I said earlier it then begs the question as to why almost every one of his actions seems Putin friendly. From seeking to drop sanctions as your first order of Business. To refusing to put new congressionally mandated sanctions into effect for over a year. To attacking our NATO allies and trading partners in that alliance.
I am not buying the offensive weapons to the Ukraine crap either. As Ukraine drops prosecution of a Manafort associate and sends him packing off to Russia to secure the deal.
Nor the ending of the SALT treaty meme. Neither Putin nor Trump view spending money on a Nuclear arms race as a negative. It is a macho man move to show their moron bases what tough guys they are. Neither side is ever going to use the weapons. Not intentionally in any event. A little something called MAD.
Most Americans would not consider the above compromise. They use a far simpler word used by the Judge in the Flynn sentencing; whether it is used correctly or not, Treason.
Voter suppression as in throwing people off of the voting roles I fear as in convincing people to stay home. I don’t think that works this time around.
Hillary was demonized for 25 years.
“A unique circumstance where the Democratic candidate was extremely unpopular in part by her own doing.”
I have to disagree with the word “unique”.
Mike Dukakis was extremely unpopular in part by his own doing (it’s Dukakis’ fault for daring to take that tank photo just because he had been a soldier who served honorably – he should have known that Dems are never allowed to do that.)
Al Gore was extremely unpopular in part by his own doing (Gore should have known that just because a Tennessee newspaper quoted Erich Segal as saying he was the model for Love Story, Gore was supposed to know that all Tennessee newspapers print lies and only “serial exaggerators’ like Gore would ever refer to any article ever published in any Tennessee newspaper.)
John Kerry was extremely unpopular in part by his own doing (Kerry should have known that just because he honorably served in dangerous situations as a soldier in Viet Nam it did not mean he was not MORE cowardly than George W. Bush so it’s his fault for not admitting to his extreme cowardice straight up like an honest guy would.)
There is nothing unique about blaming the Democrats for being normal human beings without 20/20 hindsight of knowing when something they say or do will be taken out of context by a “liberal” media desperately trying to show that they were “fair and balanced.”
It happens all the time and no doubt that “not unique” situation will happen to whomever wins the 2020 nomination.
NYC public school parent
What hurt Hillary most was not generated by the right and it was not necessarily wrong. Motivating the Republican base is affected by demonizing the Democratic candidate.
Not motivating the Democratic or lean Democratic vote is what sunk Hillary This was absolutely a unique set of circumstances. But let us agree on what we agree on.
“Not motivating the Democratic or lean Democratic vote is what sunk Hillary.”
I agree with that, Joel!
It’s just that I heard the exact same thing said about Dukakis, Gore and Kerry.
Yes, Sally Yates. Simply put, YES.
The report should be released in its entirety, with the possible exception of redactions that might be necessary to protect classified information, assuming any such info exists.
The problem with redactions is that you can’t tell whether Barr is protecting classified information or Trump.
The unredacted portions can be seen by the members of Congress with security clearance. I trust the House Democrats to not stand for blatant abuse of redactions.
Remember we went through this in 2018 when Trump wanted to declassify entire FISA applications and the House Dems objected on national security grounds.
The difference is that neither Trump nor Barr is trustworthy. Barr was hired because he publicly expressed his opposition to the Mueller investigation.
Again, Dem members of Congress with security clearance can be the gatekeepers against abuses of redactions. The report should be released in full, with the possible exception of redactions of classified material, which members of Congress with the proper security clearance should be allowed to review. If any redactions are improper, members of Congress should object and let the political system and/or courts sort out those objections. That’s my off-the-cuff view, anyway.
When I hear those who wish to argue that Barr is not at Trump’s beck and call, I remember the Kavanaugh investigation “completed” by the FBI….
in three days.
FLERP!
Well then get ready to read those redactions in the 2nd or 5th term of the Trump administration as the case works its way through the Trump courts.
Why does FLERP! believe that the unredacted portions can be seen by the members of Congress with security clearances? Where is there any mention of any Democrat with security clearances getting to see the entire report?
I have seen no mention except that Barr plans to do the redactions with some input from Mueller. Two Republicans deciding with no mention of any Democrats being able to see the unredacted report.
Did I miss where Democrats in Congress with security clearance get to see the full report?
“Barr will also redact from the report material “subject to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure,” material the intelligence community deems could compromise sensitive sources, material that could affect ongoing matters and information that would infringe upon the personal privacy of “peripheral third parties.” The report can’t be fully redacted, but I’m sure that no amount of information clearing Trump of Russian collusion will ever satisfy establish democrats. Here’s a detailed analysis on the origins and evolution of Russiagate. https://taibbi.substack.com/p/russiagate-is-wmd-times-a-million
I assume Mueller wrote the report with the expectation that it would be made public, either directly or by leaks. I seriously doubt he included any deep secret information
OK, but I don’t think an unredacted Mueller report will help Dems win in 2020. It polls at 40 percent. Pelosi’s already pivoted to health care. Chris Hayes had AOC on to talk about the Green New Deal. Interestingly enough the very small number of journalists who were skeptical of Russiagate were also skeptical of education reform. Something to think about.
I am not skeptical about Russiagate. I have voted in elections since 1960 and this is the first presidential campaign in my life where everyone was meeting with Russians. Right after his election, Trump met with the Russian foreign minister and the Russian ambassador. That’s when he told them he fired Coney to end the Russian investigation. Then he invited in photographers from the Russian President but not the US.
For me, the Mueller report raises questions. I wonder what it says about the many meetings with Russians. And the Moscow Trump Tower.
“no amount of information clearing Trump of Russian collusion will ever satisfy establish democrats”
There is absolutely no information “clearing” Trump. I wish there was because it is difficult to imagine a President’s top campaign officials being offered “dirt” on an American politician from Russians and instead of reporting it to the authorities, inviting them right into Trump Tower for a meeting! And then when found out, intentionally writing a statement that was entirely a lie about how it was about “adoptions” which we now know it never was.
The fact that doing so is not “criminal” does not clear Trump and his campaign team of acting in an entirely improper manner. I know no American wants a President that puts his own interests above that of the country. And unfortunately, it is clear that Trump’s campaign did just that.
Actually the Trump Tower meeting with the Russiansmay have been about adoptions. The US imposed sanctions on Russia for its brutal treatment of a dissident named Magnitsky, who died in prison. Russia retaliated by halting adoption of Russian children by US parents. Russia wanted the sanctions lifted. So a conversation about Trump lifting sanctions, if elected, would have been about the Magnitsky Act and adoptions.
I know you are absolutely correct about the Magnitsky Act. However, the e-mails make clear that the meeting was not set up to talk about “adoptions”.
I’m sure at some point the participants could have talked about adoptions and they also may have talked about the view, and the weather and the best restaurants in NYC.
Now if Trump had said the meeting was to discuss repealing the Magnitsky Act, that might have been more accurate. To say it was about “adoptions” — when the e-mails prove that the reason for having the meeting with the dirt being offered — is simply an attempt to deceive.
There is clearly a reason why Trump characterized the meeting as about “adoptions” and not about the Magnitsky Act. Maybe because it would have still looked bad for Trump’s campaign to have a meeting in Trump Tower to discuss American foreign policy that Putin wanted to change. Especially if it ever got out that the Russians discussing it had offered to help Trump win.
How will more Russiagate help Dems win in 2020? Pelosi has already said that she doesn’t support impeachment. I think that Russiagate is the very worst card that Dems can play at this time. I think it would be much better for Dems to focus other issues, like the killing of the ACA.
Arts Smart says “How will more Russiagate help Dems win in 2020?”
What does the Democratic Party making it clear that they don’t believe candidates for President should be regularly inviting representatives from foreign governments to meet with their top campaign officials when they offer “dirt” on their opponents (and then change the RNC platform to be more friendly to that government and cover up all the contacts that government has made and lie about it to prevent a proper investigation into it) have anything to do with “winning”? Are you suggesting that the party only take stances based on whether it helps them “win” or not? Because I realize the Republican Party has done that for the last decade and Trump took “does it help us win — than who cares if it is improper!” to a level never before seen. But I certainly hope you aren’t suggesting that Democrats start copying the Democrats and invite foreign governments to start gathering dirt on Republicans to help Democrats win elections.
Many Republican apologists and people with no scruples said that about Watergate. “Ignore a President covering up crimes or acting improperly because the only thing that matters is winning, not what is right. Let Nixon break the law if he wants and don’t mention it at all because someone might not like it and won’t vote for you.” Sorry, I disagree.
There is no reason that Democrats are limited to ONE issue. They certainly should focus on Trump and his Republican servants in Congress (ie. all of them) repealing the Affordable Care Act. And they should ALSO focus on making sure Presidents don’t have free reign to lie and obstruct and invite help from foreign representatives and then change policy to help that foreign government and lie about the entire thing.
Arts Smart
In October of 2020, the voters will go to the polls and they will say: we elected a very large Democratic majority. what has it accomplished. And those lawmakers will come back and say “nothing but-but-but ”
They will not have delivered on any of their promises and they will be held accountable for it. It will not have been their fault but that will be a level of political understanding way beyond the average American voter.
Republican seats in Orange County California did not flip because of promises of health care. A transvestite socialist did not take the seat of the Republican State majority leader in Fairfax Virginia because of Healthcare. The 2018 election was about Trump. And in fact, he is a loathsome character as much so as the 16 election was about Clinton and that is something the Republicans understood from the start when they started attacking her. As a NY Times piece by Edsall said:
“loathing motivates voters more than anything else”
I am not suggesting that one has to invent slanders about Trump
He can speak for himself on that account and his actions both before and while in office speak volumns about him. Actions that reveal exactly why the American people should loathe him. He is a corrupt authoritarian demagogue unfit for the office and guilty of what most Americans would consider treason whether it rises to that level in Law or not.
volumes
Mueller Report’s 300 Pages Could Reveal If Barr Is Playing Politics
Barbara McQuade
03.28.19 2:21 PM ET
The attorney general’s summary raises more questions than it answered, from ‘no collusion’ to the special counsel’s decision not to decide on obstruction.
…Third, why did Barr decide the obstruction question himself? His letter states that Mueller’s decision to reach no conclusion “leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.” Why? Doesn’t it defeat the entire purpose of having a special counsel to have the presidentially appointed attorney general make the ultimate decision? The whole point of appointing a special counsel is to insulate the decision-maker from the executive branch chain of command so that the public can have confidence that his decision is free from political considerations. If Barr was just going to make the decision, we could have dispensed with a special counsel altogether. The decision as to whether obstruction of justice occurred could credibly have been made by Mueller or Congress, but why Barr?…
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-reports-300-pages-could-reveal-if-barr-is-playing-politics?source=email&via=desktop
If Barr’s conclusions stand, then Trump’s behavior breaks new ground. Fareed Zakaria pointed this out yesterday on CNN. There is a long-established tradition that the FBI director is non-political, that he (or she) serves for a ten-year term. Trump fired Comey in the middle of his term to stop what he assumed was the Russia investigation (that’s what he told Lester Holt on NBC News and what he told the Russian Ambassador when he visited the White House. If that is now acceptable, then Trump has broken new ground, firing the FBI director in the middle of his term of office (ten years) because he doesn’t like an investigation that is underway.
There is hope.
………
House Judiciary to Authorize Subpoenas for Mueller Report
The House Judiciary Committee will authorize subpoenas this week for the full Mueller report, Politico reports. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the committee chairman, said he plans to obtain the nearly 400-page report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and its underlying evidence via subpoenas that will be authorized Wednesday morning. The move comes despite a promise from Attorney General William Barr that he plans to release the document by mid-April—Nadler said he’s “disturbed” by Barr’s reluctance to share the full report right now. Barr is reviewing the document to remove classified information and material relevant to ongoing investigations. The committee will reportedly also authorize subpoenas for documents from former Trump Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, former senior adviser Steven Bannon, former communications director Hope Hicks, and former White House counsel Don McGahn, and McGahn’s former deputy Ann Donaldson.
Read it at Politico
There is an overall reality that very few people, particularly those in the media, are willing to deal with. If an accurate poll could be taken of Trump’s base…….let’s call it 42 %…..more than half of them would answer Putin if the question was asked: “who do you respect and trust more, Putin or Obama. Genuine racism is almost as huge as it has ever been in this nation.
The Orange Menace is a one man government destroyer. Incompetents abound in this administration.
……………………….
Whistle-Blower Tells Congress of Irregularities in White House Security Clearances
A manager in the White House’s Personnel Security Office said administration officials granted clearances to at least 25 people whose applications had been denied by career employees…
Ms. Newbold told the committee’s staff members that the clearance applications had been denied for a variety of reasons, including “foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct,” the memo said. The denials by the career employees were overturned, she said, by more-senior officials who did not follow the procedures designed to mitigate security risks.