Durbin and Schumer demand Barr and Sessions testify under oath...

[triron]

Link to tweet

[malaise]

1. Get thee to the greatest page RFN

Expose these liars - Barr has lied before

[malaise]

2. Get thee to the greatest page RFN

Expose these liars - Barr has lied before

[kentuck]

3. About time.

They both have disappeared. Are they still alive?

[NCDem47]

7. I was going to start a whole new post on this!

Why are reporters not HOT on their tails? Seriously. This is a BFD!!

Some Democrat cheats on his wife 15 years ago and they harrass him to the bone TODAY (not that that creates sympathy for infidelity).

[Buckeye_Democrat]

4. Great!!

This news lifted my spirits!

[SheltieLover]

5. K&R!

[onecaliberal]

6. Exactly. If they fail to show, immediately arrest them.

It’s time for this shit to be exposed and criminals to face consequences.

[triron]

8. You think that would happen?

Also how about Garland and also Rosenstein? How come Garland didn't stop this shit right away?

[onecaliberal]

9. Do I think it will happen. Probably not.

I’m one of the people who think democracy is already done. They have a lot of people in DOJ, Intel services and in the military. They spent 4 years infecting everything with traitors and criminals while we stood by in horror. No one ever does anything. It’s quaint how we stand on the sidelines lamenting about their criminality but never act to stop it. We have laws, they merely need to be enforced. If no one is above the law dump will be prosecuted. If not, as I suspect, democracy is done. And the next time repukes cheat their way to power, they will never let go of it regardless of “laws” or “votes totals”

[triron]

10. Perhaps a few states with california should just form their own 'democracy'.

[Lonestarblue]

19. I'll move there! I'm tired of backward Texas politics with the likes of Abbott, Paxton, and Patrick.

The unholy trio of right-wing nits with religious fervor to establish the theocracy of Texas. I keep hanging on because I generally like the winters here (prior to this year!), but the state is turning more and more backwards as the extremist Republicans take over because their districts are gerrymandered and protect them. When a Republican is guaranteed to wine, the candidates compete on who can come up with the craziest ideas. Same holds at the federal level. How else could one possibly explain that Louie Gohmert is in the US House of Representatives when he is beyond looney?

[housecat]

29. Great idea! The red states can become a real third world dictatorship and leave us alone already

[shanti]

37. Pacifica

I can dig it.

[Crunchy Frog]

42. I agree with you, though I really hope that I'm wrong.

[mitch96]

31. "You think that would happen?" If they don't "legal" their way out of it, they will lie...

Got to protect their old boss don't cha know... YMMV
m

[yaesu]

11. well, we have already seen that fascists' could care less about subpoenas. nt

[lagomorph777]

17. "Subpoena" means "under penalty." No penalty, no testimony.

All we need is a functioning DOJ to make subpoenas enforceable.

Unclear whether we have one yet.

[MontanaMama]

27. This.

It is indeed unclear whether we have a functioning DOJ.

[BSdetect]

12. It seems like things are getting a bit more serious in how to treat the repugnants

[lagomorph777]

13. Subpoena their asses. Might need an extra large subpoena for Barr.

[spanone]

14. 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍

[wnylib]

15. Might get more out of the grand jury members by

askng them to testify about what was presented to them, how it was presented, and by whom.

Since people like Barr and Sessions sidestep subpoenas and lie as easily as they breathe, it would take forever to get their lying voices on record.

[StarfishSaver]

16. That would be illegal

Grand jury proceedings are secret and grand jurors are not hauled in and forced to testify about how they made their decisions.

[Mr.Bill]

21. A judge could order them to disclose things.

This is the only way Grand Jury proceedings can go public. It is extremely rare for this to happen, though. Anytime this happens it damages the integrity and secrecy of future Grand Juries.

[TheRickles]

22. How do you think Barr et al would respond if they were subpoenaed?

And how might the Dems respond if Barr et al refused to answer the subpoena? IANAL, but you've offered many good insights on these matters over the years, so I wondered what your take might be.

[StarfishSaver]

25. They certainly respond very differently now than they did 2 years ago

They could thunder noses at Congress then because Congress had no ability to enforce a subpoenas - because Congressional subpoenas are enforced by the Justice Department and bars justice department certainly wasn't going to enforce any subpoenas against him or anyone else in the Trump administration.

We're in a new situation with new sheriffs in town. If Barr, etc al defies Congressional subpoenas now, it's the Biden-Garland Justice Department that would be charged with enforcing them. And I doubt they would ignore them the way Barr's DOJ did

[TheRickles]

40. Thanks.

And if that happened, and if Barr et al ignored those DOJ subpoenas, would the next step be the DOJ arresting them? If so, we'd be getting deep into rubber-hits-the-road territory.

[wnylib]

24. Yes, it would be illiegal,

which is why I said "might." I should have been clearer by adding "have a better chance" after the word might.

In other words, our chances of getting honest testimony, or testimony at all, from Barr et.al. are about the same as from a grand jury.

[jaxexpat]

18. That should be fun to watch.

How many techniques of obfuscation can one contain in a single committee hearing.

[SunSeeker]

28. They'll blame it on a DOJ coffee boy. nt

[TomDaisy]

20. great. now issue the subpoenas. today.

[Pepsidog]

23. Are congressional subpoenas still a thing? They are ignored without consequence by Rs.

[StarfishSaver]

26. Yes, they're definitely a thing

They were ignored by the Trump administration because it's the DOJ that enforces Congressional subpoenas and Trump's DOJ certainly wasn't going to enforce subpoenas against itself.

We're in a different situation now.

[Mr. Ected]

30. Have we had a situation yet (under Biden) where a congressional subpoena wasn't heeded?

Let's not jump to conclusions until we see exactly how the DOJ will proceed when Barr and Sessions attempt to circumvent their subpoenas, which is inevitable.

[monkeyman1]

32. drag his fat ass in on a fork lift & bracelets on !!!

[gab13by13]

33. Why waste time asking?

Subpoena them.

[gratuitous]

35. Just following the niceties of procedure and tradition

But yeah, let a thousand subpoenas issue.

[Snackshack]

34. They "Demand"....

Has Schumer and Durbin not noticed in the course of the last decade plus that the GOP just laughs at what the Democratic Party wants?

Taxes...lol, see you in court.
Testimony from department Secretaries...lol
Bipartisan SCOTUS appointment...lol
Testimony from GOP counsel...lol, see you in court.
Testimony from GOP department heads...lol, see you in court.
Documents...lol, see you in court.
Witnesses for impeachment...lol
Evidence for impeachment...lol
Commission to investigate 6 Jan...lol

This list could go on & on & on & on...

So probably safe to say that "demanding" is not going to go far. Just do the subpoena and when they lol at that vote to hold them in inherent contempt...because just contempt is lol, you voted Barr in contempt before but there were absolutely no consequences for that Barr just....lol'd

[gab13by13]

38. SFS explained this,

they can't just ignore subpoenas because they don't own DOJ now. I would make sure Barr and others don't leave the country.

[pecosbob]

36. I have wanted to see the Keebler elf behind bars for a long time, but I don't see it happening

No justice in America.

[gab13by13]

39. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

I just turned on CNN and found out that the IG investigation can only investigate current DOJ employees which of course exempts Bill Barr. Congress has to subpoena Barr and then fight to enforce the subpoena in court. I really am not enthused about the Senate doing the investigation, I mean other than the grilling that DiFi will give Barr I'd rather have the House do it.

Matt Gaetz is under investigation by the FBI and he got to grill the head of the FBI under oath.

[Crunchy Frog]

41. Let's hope they follow through on this.

[Stuart G]

43. Biden will do what is correct for the U.S.A...Think About This 1 Fact: Joe Biden Is One of Us!!!

[nakocal]

44. Barr and Sessions are serial liars

and are not afraid to lie under oath.

[Johonny]

45. Why not Trump too

The dude deserves it.

[StarfishSaver]

47. Start with Barr and Sessioins and go from there

[Ferrets are Cool]

46. Lets see it happen

[azureblue]

48. and this time

when they start to lie and dodge, yank them out of their seats and throw them in jail for contempt of Congress. Do not even let them walk out of the room. It is way past time to come down hard and quick on these liars who are ruining Democracy. They smugly think they can lie without consequence, that they are above the law. Time for a wake up call.

[Duppers]

50. Amen to that. 👍👍

[Duppers]

49. Hell YES! 👍

About time!

Make it happen!

[Blue Owl]

51. Hardball time

No fucking around anymore…

[Vinnie From Indy]

52. As far as I know, the Senate will be powerless to subpoena Barr & Sessions unless

they get at least one Republican in the Senate to vote for such action. I believe that compelling these men to testify can only be achieved in the House where Democrats will not have to rely on any Republicans to vote to proceed.

Rachel Maddow explains it here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017661422

[RicROC]

53. maybe if the Repub Cabal is subpoenaed...

it might be THE event which pushes the Red States to secede. In that case, why is we waiting?

[Tiger8]

54. YES! Get them on the Hot Seat and grill them until they BREAK!

Please summon your inner FDR and Winston Churchill.

We are in a war with these fuckers. NO MERCY!!

[PoliticAverse]

55. Come testify under oath or else maybe...

we'll make you.