Calm Down, Think: Why Would William Barr

[Stare Decisis]

whitewash a mess if evidence is substantial against anyone in the inner circle? After all his career, why in the world would he start bailing water on a ship splitting at the bow? This isn't his issue. He wasn't involved. He can't be stupid. Would you assify yourself like that? I sure wouldn't.

We now have to have faith that once again duty will prove more buoyant than partisanship.

It is the only thing that keeps the ship of democracy from sinking.

Answers come in due time, just rarely, according to our time. If evidence is suggestive of guilt, I have confidence justice will be rendered. If the evidence proves inconclusive, or insufficient then we must be prepared to fight for the White House against an emboldened President in 2020.

We must not assume anything, take anything for granted, or be jump to conclusions that later paint the party into a corner.

And so we wait..if ever so impatiently.

[renegade000]

1. If anything, Barr will try to mitigate GOP complicity, but yeah...

Don't really see how Trump and his family are going to escape....

[msongs]

2. why did hitler's accomplices go along with him? nt

[EleanorR]

3. Trump chooses loyal people

He wouldn't have picked Barr if he thought Barr would do the right thing.

[at140]

9. Trump has left behind a trail of bad choices (for him)

Starting with Cohen for many years, Flynn at start of his campaign, Manafort just before the convention, then he picks Sessions for AG who immediately recuses, and he also nominated Rosenstein who kept Mueller funded. Nah, Trump is no genius or astute in picking people.

[EleanorR]

11. When you're part of the mob, all your hires need to be at least a little crooked

Sometimes that can be problematic.

[at140]

19. Right, and Barr's career does not indicate he is in the mob

which is the point I was making, that Trump is not clever enough to pick people who will always take the bullet for him. Cohen is the prime example, but there are others as well.

[EleanorR]

21. Sure he is. He made sure no one went to prison for Iran-Contra

He protected his own.

[at140]

23. Itan-Contra was eons ago,

and Barr could not decide who goes to jail and who does not. Only a judge can make that ruling.
If Barr was appointed to defend those implicated in Iran-Contra, he probably was doing his job.

[Stare Decisis]

4. Again why would Barr

after a long career, become a willing participant to cover up any possible offenses? Why? I simply don't believe he would.

[Polybius]

5. Bob Barr is back?

I sure hope not!

[ecstatic]

8. Lol! Nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Barr, notwithstanding his conservative politics and the document he sent the WH

in which he expressed opinions in favor of the so-called unitary executive, is probably too smart to let himself get sucked into doing something so completely indefensible that he risks ruining his reputation as a well-respected lawyer. He must know by now that everything Trump touches turns to shit and won't want to risk his own hide just to protect a president he doesn't know personally and whom even many GOPers privately don't like very much. Certainly Trump hired him because he believes Barr will protect him, but I think Trump will be disappointed.

[yonder]

7. Thank you for this well-written and hopeful post, SD.

[Blue Owl]

10. K&R

[Marie Marie]

12. I honestly don't know what to make of this man. I remain suspicious and

hope that I am wrong.

[kysrsoze]

13. Yeah, and given his son-in-law is now working for the Dump admin, I am very suspicious.

[wiggs]

14. he's an institutionalist. He's not there to be Trump's hack, and he's not there for his own

aggrandizement. Two options remain:

...he's there to ensure Justice is done with clarity and blind honesty and fairness (really, really bad for Trump and his family and probably for a handful of the gop leadership. They are screwed in a court of law or in open congressional hearings). I could believe this is Barr's intent more easily than I would believe Barr is in the tank for Trump.

or

...he's there to soften the blow to our country from the worst political scandal and tragedy in our history (the best Trump can hope for). Somehow, foreign countries got a mob boss elected to the most powerful position in the world by corruption of elections and by 'changing the conscience of our people' (Russian words). It could be a huge black eye for us...loss of stature...superpower status reduced...leadership by example lost....embarrassment..vulnerability...chaos...crisis. Barr may be in a position to hide the worst from the world yet talk/threaten Trump into a deal of sorts...just as many of the most powerful centrist congresspersons and world leaders would try to do. Get us down from the edge of the cliff in the most effective, if not most just, way possible. No need to upset the apple cart when we are on top, is their thinking.

I could believe either path...but Barr could be at the epicenter of it all. I bet there's a handful of people who know exactly what Barr is doing and have discussed it among themselves, if not with Barr directly. Their congressional committee work is backup in case Barr fails in either case.

I don't think Barr is a hack. To some people, some things are more important than party loyalty....or even more than fairness, justice, transparency.

[DallasNE]

15. It's Complicated

Today's version of William Barr is not the same as the version of William Barr in the early 1990's because his views on religion have evolved. His God will shed light for him on how to proceed so who can argue with that.


There seems to me to be much unfinished business with no possibility of it all being completed within a week. They need to deal with the unindited co-conspiritors and make a decision on a number of other people such as Don Jr. and Pence, etc. There is also McConnell. If he was aware that the Trump campaign was in contact with Russia doesn't he become an assessory and when Obama went to him for a joint message to the American people about an ongoing cyber attack by Russia and McConnell would not agree to a joint statement does that amount to obstruction. There are also unfinished issues involving Cambridge Analytical and so much more.


How can Mueller possibly be done in a week? Something just doesn't smell right and William Barr just might be why.

[BigmanPigman]

16. I trust him 0%. Actually less than that amount.

[NotHardly]

17. Apparently you are unfamiliar with the help he gave after the Contra hearings ... read up a bit.

[UCmeNdc]

18. No Trump put him in there to stop Mueller from investigating further.

William Barr is doing Trump’s bidding.

[at140]

20. Mueller does not seem to be the type of person who can be

pressured into white washing any crimes he may have discovered during the 22 month investigation so far.

[kentuck]

22. Trust but verify.

The Attorney General will be held accountable by the Congress to do an honest and thorough assessment of the investigation. Anything less is unacceptable.

[LiberalFighter]

24. The same person that made sure Iran-Contra participants were pardoned?