Thread by @SMBWhitney

Sept 2019 The American Prospect article: "40 Year War"

1982 Attny William Barr was one in fringe group of Lawyers working in Reagan 40 and Bush 41 Administrations with views of Presidential Powers #BuryBarr

Aug 1985 – Mar 1987 Iran–Contra affair
Dec 1992 AG William P. Barr Advised Pres H. W. Bush on Pardons, especially that of Caspar Weinberger. #BuryBarr

1992 Barr said that “people in this Iran-Contra matter have been prosecuted for the kind of conduct that would not have been considered criminal or prosecutable by the Justice Department.” #BuryBarr

1992 “Iran-Contra cover-up,...for more than six yrs, has now been completed,” said special prosecutor in the Iran-Contra case, IC Lawrence Walsh. Walsh was at odds with Barr
#BuryBarr

Dec 1992 Bush Pardons Caspar Weinberger
IC Walsh, issuing pardons Bush appears to have been preempting being implicated himself in crimes of Iran–Contra by evidence that was to come to light in Weinberger trial & pattern of "deception & obstruction" by Bush &Weinberger
#BuryBarr

"Trump & Barr Alike Will Adopt Any Means Necessary to Defeat Challenges to Presidential Power, which includes false testimony under oath by senior admin officials in judicial proceedings, as was the case in failed effort to justify a citizenship question on 2020 census."#BuryBarr

2019 "The claim to presidential power that may be most dangerous to democracy is the power to ration information to Congress and the American people. Neither Congress nor courts nor voters can effectively ✔ power abused in secret."writes Rep Brad Miller prospect.org/power/40-year-…

"And Congress's power to require info from president may be the power most difficult to reclaim if Congress yields that power in a tactical retreat in advance of the 2020 election."
By REP BRAD MILLER (NC) in U.S. House of Rep 2003 -2013. Now Counsel to Guttman, Buschner & Brooks

"For Barr, this central confrontation with Congress over Congress's power to investigate represents unfinished business".

"BARR DID NOT SERVE IN the George W. Bush administration, But his Iran-Contra ally, Vice President Cheney, carried on the fight for expansive presidential power. The Bush administration claimed the power to ignore hundreds of laws enacted by Congress and signed by the president,

in “signing statements” appended to newly enacted legislation, and in OLC opinions for laws already on the books. Congress could override a veto, but not a signing statement or an OLC opinion."