Posted on 05/02/2019 2:47:36 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
Democrats outraged over Attorney General William Barrs handling of special counsel Robert Muellers report are increasing their fire, threatening to hold him in contempt and even suggesting they could seek his impeachment.
The cries for Barrs head exploded on Thursday after the attorney general skipped a House hearing one day after his testimony before a Senate panel shed new light on his differences with Mueller, the ex-FBI chief who led a two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Democrats left an empty chair for Barr as they opened a hearing that would go nowhere. Afterward, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) led her press conference by accusing Barr of committing a crime.
He lied to Congress, and if anybody else did that it would be considered a crime, she said. Nobody is above the law; not the president of the United States, and not the attorney general.
Pelosi did not rule out jail time as a potential punishment if Barr is later found to have broken the law.
I really lost sleep last night after watching over and over again this testimony of the attorney general of the United States, Pelosi said.
Pelosis harsh denunciation of Barr reflects the real anger of rank-and-file Democrats, who see him as a political operative seeking to protect President Trump at all costs.
But the political theater Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) showed up with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken at the early-morning hearing to make a point about Barrs lack of courage obscured the fact that in focusing their ire on Barr, Democrats were not focused on impeaching his boss, a more divisive issue in the party.
Asked about the status of the Trump impeachment effort, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) acknowledged the scrutiny, at least this week, has veered elsewhere.
I'm hearing about the impeachment for Bill Barr, Khanna said. I think he needs to resign, and he's been probably the most guilty of obstructing an investigation.
Democrats have long been wary of Barr, who had raised eyebrows last year in arguing that Mueller had no basis for investigating Trump for obstructing justice. But the Democrats reservations with the attorney general have mushroomed this week after revelations that Mueller was frustrated with Barrs initial framing of the investigators findings and had expressed that agitation directly to the attorney general.
Muellers concerns consumed much of the oxygen during Barrs appearance Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats hammered Barr to explain testimony he gave last month, when he suggested Muellers team had no problems with Barrs summary of the report.
Multiple Democrats called for Barr to resign or be impeached, including Reps. Eric Swalwell (Calif.), Veronica Escobar (Texas), Kathleen Rice (N.Y.), Adam Schiff (Calif.) and Maxine Waters (Calif.).
Swalwell accused Barr of prejudging the special counsel's report, accusing the FBI of lying, lying to Congress and refusing to comply with a subpoena all to protect the president.
There's only one thing left to do. Impeach him, tweeted Swalwell, a member of the House Judiciary Committee who is running for president.
He has abdicated on his responsibility. He has lied, Waters, the House Financial Services Committee chairwoman, said of Barr on MSNBCs All in with Chris Hayes Tuesday night.
Another Judiciary Committee member, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), called for Barr to resign and endorsed the idea of holding him in contempt of Congress.
He has proven incapable of obeying the oath of office to uphold the Constitution of the United States, Demings said.
Republicans rushed to Barrs defense, accusing House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) of making unreasonable demands on Barrs appearance.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor blasting Democrats for allowing Cohen to mock Barr.
You tell me whether or not the chair of that committee is actually serious about the subject when you've got a guy eating fried chicken in place of where they wanted Attorney General Barr to be, Tillis said as he stood by an enlarged photo of Cohen eating the chicken.
This guy didn't even have good enough sense to have Bojangles chicken, Tillis added.
Democrats are vowing to press on, although some suggested a focus on ousting Barr might be a waste of time, since Trump would likely choose a replacement with similar legal views.
The illusory thing about resignation as a remedy is the suggestion that somebody better might come back later. I hold out no hopes for that, said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former constitutional law professor. But he certainly should resign if he has any professional self-respect left.
TRANSLATION:
I really lost sleep last night after watching over and over again this testimony of the attorney general of the United States AND HIS COMMENTS RELATING TO GOING AFTER THE DEEP STATE FOR THEIR ATTEMPTED COUP AGAINST A DULY-ELECTED PRESIDENT!!
bitchy bunch of folks them Dems,, never satisfied.. always got to be calling the shots,, like their track record is pristine and their cause as pure as snow..
I really lost sleep last night after watching over and over again this testimony of the attorney general of the United States, Pelosi said.
Somehow I see creepy Nancy sitting in front of the TV, real close whispering there here. (Poltergeist)
They desperately want to destroy the one who is investigating the democrats. Trump let muellar go on for two years, because Trump had nothing to hide. The democrats have a great deal to hide.
Nancy Pelosi looks like she has morphed into an insane, melting witch
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Pelosi is no longer the Speaker of the House. She has been reduced to being the co-Speaker with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. AOC now effectively runs the Democrat caucus.
Must stop all the investigations ,LOL
I hope Barr has the spine of Trump. They are trying everything to intimidate him and anyone else who will investigate their multiple crimes. The quicker he gets them in jail the better for everyone.
I think the bottle is her new lover. She’s so out of touch with everything.
He shoulda said “F no, you retards...”
Being Hitler. The usual. Getting in their way is obstructing justice.
All the top democrats in DC and most of the upper crust of the democrat party in State offices are in on something that they're scared to death will be uncovered.
JMHo
I hope Barr has the spine of Trump.
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It appears that Barr is a bulldog. Once he grabs onto something he doesn’t let go.
Bump for later.
Based on the demonrats criteria, could this not be construed as obstruction of justice.
“who see him as a political operative seeking to protect President Trump at all costs. “
You mean he’s acting like a DemocRat protecting Hillary and Obama?
Politics is a blood sport, and now the House Democrats have gone full Jihadist.
I know, the Islamics are a distinct minority, but the Democrats have morphed into the Dhimmicrats. They ALL pay humble obesience to that very tiny demographic, in the hopes their heads will not end up on pikes.
So by attacking him now, they will claim he’s just avenging himself when he outs them for betraying our country, leaking information, etc. Over at the Democratic Underground swamp, they are salivating over the prospect of “defunding” the AG position, based on some Dem congress critter’s suggestion.
Remember, he had no objection to Mueller coming in behind him.
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That’s what Mayor Pete said.
If yer takin’ flak, yer over the target...
Hang in there, Mr Attorney General. Your selfless work has not gone unnoticed and it has not been unappreciated by thinking Americans of ALL political persuasions.
“The dude did nothing wrong. In fact he is a deep stater...”
That is also a blatant lie. Barr is NOT a deep stater! Just because someone has worked for a prior administration doesn’t automatically make them a deep stater.
It’s inane comments like yours that allow the left to make a case that anything out of a Freeper’s mouth is garbage.
One can understand the deep state, even know how to manipulate it without being a part of it.
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