Attorney General Barr puts former intel bosses on notice

the hill ^ | 05/22/19 | BY KEVIN R. BROCK, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

[Jim Robinson]

Things seem to be moving quickly now. It has been a remarkable few weeks in American history. Momentum is building toward uncovering the distasteful possibility that the targeting of a U.S. presidential campaign was actually a political operation, fostered at the highest levels of government, masquerading as an FBI counterintelligence investigation.

Attorney General William Barr has signaled that his interest in examining the origins of the investigation into the Trump campaign extends beyond whether the FBI operated “by the book,” as former FBI Director James Comey asserts. Barr also wants to understand the role that the larger intelligence community, or IC, may have played in all of this.

Barr has thrown punches that have left an interesting mix of characters with a standing eight count. Certain eyes around D.C. are a little glassy right now.

Barr’s words and actions are telling. First, he raised the concern that the Trump campaign was “spied” upon. His use of the word “spying” appears more calculated than casual. The wailing and gnashing of teeth that followed is also telling. “The FBI doesn’t spy” became the sputtering counter-refrain of those trying to mask their nervousness.

It’s a fair point that’s beside the point. The FBI is charged with acting under strict legal restrictions and court orders. Spying is not a term traditionally associated with those activities.

But it also misses the point Barr appears to be making. The IC does spy; that’s what they do. Barr may have been referring less to the FBI and more to the IC’s possible murky involvement.

This seems to be validated by Barr’s second haymaker in as many weeks: his appointment of a surrogate investigator, U.S. Attorney John Durham. Why would the attorney general add a third investigation to those under way by Department of Justice Inspector General MichaeHorowitz...

[HotHunt]

".... Correct. Just stop acting like because they haven't YET that they never will be or it's impossible...."

First off, you continue to put words in my mouth or accuse me of "acting" like it will never happen. Bullsh*t. I never said that, nor am I "acting" like that. I never said anything of the kind. You inferred it but you didn't read it from me because I never wrote it.

".... You're having a hard time understanding my point...."

No, I am not having a hard time understanding your point.

You are having a hard time MAKING YOUR POINT.

Without putting words in my mouth or adding to what I really said, you have no point. You have already agreed that what I said was true.

So I'll ask the interrogatory again one last time: "No congressman has been indicted or charged with a crime YET to be arrested for, now have they?" To this question, you have already answered, "Correct".

Fini.