Ominous Warning!
Eric Holder: “Barr’s words & actions have been inconsistent with his duty to the Constitution. Which is why I now fear that his conduct — running political interference for an increasingly lawless president — will wreak lasting damage.” washingtonpost.com/opinions/eric-…
Eric Holder: “Barr’s words & actions have been inconsistent with his duty to the Constitution. Which is why I now fear that his conduct — running political interference for an increasingly lawless president — will wreak lasting damage.” washingtonpost.com/opinions/eric-…
“Last month, at a Federalist Society event, the AG delivered an ode to essentially unbridled executive power, dismissing the authority of the legislative & judicial branches — & the checks & balances at the heart of America’s constitutional order. “
“To me, his attempts to vilify the president’s critics sounded more like the tactics of an unscrupulous criminal defense lawyer than a U.S. attorney general. As others have pointed out, Barr’s argument rests on a flawed view of U.S. history. “
“When, in the same speech, Barr accused “the other side” of “the systematic shredding of norms and the undermining of the rule of law,” he exposed himself as a partisan actor, not an impartial law enforcement official.”
“Even more troubling — and telling — was a later (and little-noticed) section of his remarks, in which Barr made the outlandish suggestion that Congress cannot entrust anyone but the president himself to execute the law.”
“In Barr’s view, sharing executive power with anyone ‘beyond the control of the president...contravenes the Framers’ clear intent to vest that power in a single person.’ This is a stunning declaration not merely of ideology but of loyalty: to the president and his interests. “
“It is also revealing of Barr’s own intent: to serve not at a careful remove from politics, as his office demands, but as an instrument of politics — under the direct “control” of President Trump. “
“I found it extraordinary to watch the nation’s chief law enforcement official claim — without offering any evidence — that the FBI acted in “bad faith” when it opened an inquiry into then-candidate Donald Trump’s campaign. “
“I found it alarming to hear Barr comment on an ongoing investigation, led by John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, into the origins of the Russia probe. “
“It was infuriating to watch him publicly undermine an independent inspector general report — based on an exhaustive review of the FBI’s conduct — using partisan talking points bearing no resemblance to the facts his own department has uncovered.”
The AG’s duty is “to support Justice Department components, ensure their integrity and insulate them from political pressures. His or her ultimate loyalty is not to the @POTUS nor even to the executive branch, but to the people — and the Constitution — of the United States.”
“Career public servants at every level of [DOJ] understand this — as do leaders such as FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Their fidelity to the law and their conduct under pressure are a credit to them and the institutions they serve.”
“I was troubled by Durham’s unusual statement disputing the [IG] findings. Good reputations are hard-won ...but they are fragile; anyone in Durham’s shoes would do well to remember that, in dealing with this administration, many reputations have been irrevocably lost.”
