,
7 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
1. Looking for a silver lining this #MondayMorning. So I’m gonna take a shot at it: Bill Barr’s summary announcement that HE will clear Trump on the obstruction of justice front (contrary to Mueller who said he CAN NOT exonerate/clear Trump from having obstructed justice)...
2. May have had an unintended consequence that will help matters move more quickly toward a Congressional discussion about impeachment. Here’s how: if Barr had left open the question of whether the evidenced was sufficient to prove Trump obstructed justice, then we very likely...
3. Would have spent the next several months evaluating the mountain of evidence uncovered by Mueller and arguing over the question of whether it was sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the crime of obstruction. Of course...
4. Regardless of the quantity and quality of evidence showing Trump obstructed justice, the Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel memo suggests that a sitting president can not be indicted (an ill-advised policy, IMO). So even if we all agreed that...
5. There was enough evidence to support an obstruction charge, the OLC memo STILL would prohibit that charge from being brought against Trump. Indeed, this may be why Mueller left open the obstruction question in the first place - because he could not charge Trump with a crime...
6. So with Barr cutting to the chase & announcing that HE (a Trump appointee) concluded the president didn’t obstruct justice, he cleared the runway for Congress to immediately take up the question of whether there is evidence in the Mueller report that would support impeachment.
7. So let’s get on with it. Congress has oversight responsibility. Congress has the power to impeach a sitting president. ALL of the Mueller evidence & information must now be disclosed to Congress so it can fulfill these important functions. Indeed, the Constitution demands it.
