Barr Throws Trump Under the Bus

[TexasTowelie]

A declaration by the attorney general makes it just a little harder for Trump to pretend that he is above the law.


You might have missed it, but the most important moment at Trump’s Thursday joint press conference with Attorney General William Barr was the one where Barr committed Trump to obeying the Supreme Court.

By making an explicit commitment to obey the courts and the rule of law, Barr has boxed in his president. Trump, at various points, has suggested that he might defy or circumvent the courts. But Barr this time left no wiggle room.

In discussing how the administration was dropping its efforts to add a citizenship question, because there was no time to pursue appeals and still comply with the Constitutional census deadline and high court ruling, Barr said this (read it slowly and carefully):

Some in the media have been suggesting in the hysterical mode of the day that the administration has been planning to add the citizenship question to the Census by exec fiat without regard to contrary court orders or what the Supreme Court might say. This has been based on rank speculation. As should be obvious, this has never been under consideration. We have always accepted that any new decision to add a citizenship question to the census would be subject to judicial review.

That was, to put it mildly, BS. In fact, Trump has repeatedly threatened to defy the courts, most recently when he abruptly changed the game plan on the Justice Department’s efforts to follow the Supreme Court’s census ruling.

Read more: https://prospect.org/article/barr-throws-trump-under-bus
(The American Prospect)

[True Blue American]

1. Barr

Covering his own A**. He is already being charged with Contempt of Congress. Disobeying the Supreme Court is undeniable Impeachment.

Barr wanted one last try at glory. He is well on the way to becoming a second John Mitchell.

.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Mitchell

[OnDoutside]

2. I agree, that is where Barr is currently.

[Perseus]

6. I hope you are right about Barr becoming the next John Mitchell

That would restore confidence in the judicial system if that SOB is disbarred and goes to jail.

[rampartc]

3. barr is expendable

even if trump does not have enough kompromat.

I wouldn't count on barr holding this line.

[CDerekGo]

4. But now I read

That 45 wants to add a 'flyer' insert (with citizenship question) into the Census? Is that even possible? We ALL know that low-life Stephen Miller is behind all of this.

I really wish that MSM would begin to pull that scum-bag more to the forefront on a daily basis, though I despise hearing the sound of his voice WORSE than Hairplug Himmler.

[Perseus]

5. Maybe he has been threatened by the supreme court

Or is pretending...he is a dirty rat, one cannot believe dirty rats, one must be very aware of people like that. I want to believe it, but I don't trust him.

[Scarsdale]

7. I do not trust

anyone in this cabal. Bill "Low" Barr is a slimy person. First he recused himself from the Epstein case, then un-recused himself and joined again. He knows Epstein from years back. Barr's daddy hired Epstein to teach (with no degree) at the school he was head of. These sleazebags all have a connection of some sort. Barr always looks like "The Sad Sack"

[NewJeffCT]

12. I think maybe the mass refusals of career DOJ lawyers

to argue the census question before the courts may have triggered something

[William Seger]

8. "based on rank speculation" that Trump's words have meaning?

That's hysterical.

[reACTIONary]

11. +10 nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. No, it's a dodge. Barr & tRump will ignore the Court at some key point if they feel pressed enough

The Census question is not a hill for them to die trying to conquer. They've done their part to placate and satisfy their base.

They'll say "We did all we could but the courts stopped us. We need four more years to pack the courts with authoritarian corporation-licking conservatives."

[onenote]

10. I don't see this as throwing Trump very far.

Barr isn't ruling out that Trump might act by "executive fiat" or some other way to add a citizenship question. All he is saying -- and it isn't really a big concession at all -- is that whatever Trump does can be challenged in court. Presumably, Trump backed off of ordering the inclusion of the question by executive order was that Barr convinced him that he'd lose in court again.

[Autumn]

14. What bullshit. Who here thinks Barr will complain or say anything when Trump

ignore the supreme court or any other law he doesn't like. One thing and one thing only will throw Trump under the bus.

Impeachment hearings. Your move Nancy.

[KentuckyWoman]

13. Barr didn't commit to anything. He doesn't honor commitments

No one in the Syndicate does. They have no honor.