30 Years Ago, William Barr 'Misled' the Public About the Contents of a Legal Memo

[Judi Lynn]

by Matt Naham | 11:06 am, April 15th, 2019

Two-time U.S. Attorney General William Barr once penned a controversial legal opinion while Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel. That was 30 years ago. But before Barr’s questionable legal conclusions were released in full, he and others in the administration seized an opportunity to get out ahead of the narrative.

A history lesson of sorts from NYU Law Professor Ryan Goodman in Just Security links this blip from decades ago to a present-day parallel, namely Barr’s current handling of Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s confidential Russia report. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently spoke out in defense of his boss, calling criticism of Barr “bizarre.”

submit to reddit


Two-time U.S. Attorney General William Barr once penned a controversial legal opinion while Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel. That was 30 years ago. But before Barr’s questionable legal conclusions were released in full, he and others in the administration seized an opportunity to get out ahead of the narrative.

A history lesson of sorts from NYU Law Professor Ryan Goodman in Just Security links this blip from decades ago to a present-day parallel, namely Barr’s current handling of Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s confidential Russia report. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently spoke out in defense of his boss, calling criticism of Barr “bizarre.”

“He’s being as forthcoming as he can, and so this notion that he’s trying to mislead people, I think is just completely bizarre,” Rosenstein said. Goodman, in “Barr’s Playbook: He Misled Congress When Omitting Parts of Justice Dep’t Memo in 1989,” points out that Barr and his surrogates have said nearly the exact thing before while keeping the real controversy under lock and key.

When Barr testified before Congress in 1989 about his memo, he said that he wasn’t handing over his full opinion because of long-standing department policy. “Since its inception, the Office of Legal Counsel’s opinions have been treated as confidential,” he said. After Barr was pressed on the claim, a blanket statement became: “It has been the long established policy of OLC that except in very exceptional circumstances, the opinions must remain confidential.”

More:
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/30-years-ago-william-barr-misled-the-public-about-the-contents-of-a-legal-memo/

[SHRED]

1. And to think

The television media couldn't praise him enough as a man of integrity.

[CrispyQ]

2. As soon as Trump wanted him should have been their first clue. -nt

[yellowcanine]

3. Barr's legacy will be his willingness to lie to protect law breaking by Trump.

90% of the Republican Party has completely lost their mind over Trump. But the Judges!

[Gothmog]

4. Who is surprised by this?