Posted on 09/14/2020 12:45:48 PM PDT by Shane
Speaking exclusively to Townhall on a recent flight from Cleveland to Washington, D.C., Attorney General Bill Barr discussed the timing of U.S. Attorney John Durham's investigation into the FBI's Russia probe and efforts by the Department of Justice to ensure it remains non-political on the matter.
"I've said that there are sort of two missions, I see it. One is to get to the bottom of what happened and get the facts out about that and we are going to do that and you know, try to be careful about that, that we don't do anything that would unduly interfere with the election," Barr said. "And then there's the issue of whether someone crossed the line. In the course of these, in my view, unjustified and horrible abuse of power, actually cross the line and committed a federal offense and I can't really say anything about the status of that investigation except that it's continuing and we'll be careful about not bringing indictments in a way that can be viewed as interfering with the election."
In August, FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith became the first individual under investigation by Durham to plead guilty to charges of illegally doctoring information on a FISA warrant application for Trump campaign advisor Carter Page in 2016. Barr has been careful about setting expectations for additional indictments or guilty pleas.
"You need strong evidence of intent, it seems to me, before you can charge that kind of crime so developing that evidence is a time consuming process. Most of the people who are mouthing off about 'well why aren't these people already indicted,' they don't understand the criminal justice process. People get lawyers, sometimes they won't talk to you. Even if they talk to you they'll say they'll take the fifth and you have to get documents and frequently fight over documents and fight over things in court so the investigation is a cumbersome process. It's not something that can be done quickly," he continued.
Issues of cooperation can delay any investigation, but the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic also temporarily halted the ability for Durham to convene grand juries earlier this year. In addition, previous and lengthy investigations from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz and Special Counsel Robert Mueller presented investigative conflicts, pushing back the Durham timeline.
"The other thing that people sometimes forget is that, you know, they may have in their own mind some thing that they think can be indicted but there are a lot of different allegations that have been made. A lot of people have sort of picked apart this and have come up with various theories. Part of what Durham has to do is sort of chase all of those down. That takes time. He didn't really get going until May or so [2019]. And then hired up people and started getting going. People forget that he didn't get access to the Horowitz stuff until December," Barr said. "When I hear people on TV saying, 'well we've had four years why nothing?' We haven't had four years. The first two years of the administration nothing was done at all. It was all investigating Trump and then Mueller went half of the way into the next year.In terms of investigations it's actually moving along but I know people are impatient," he continued.
IOW:
“Yes, we’re working really REALLY hard to get to the bottom of this, but don’t worry, unlike the criminals, we’ll make sure that none of this can be considered to be about affecting the election.”
Always being give and take to the enemy is a softball game — no justice at all.
I keep saying that there will be a trial during the debate. Barr does not Under stand this president. Trump will turn it into a trial. Screw the Justice department. Mano e Mano the greatest trial ever. He has waited 3.5 years to nail them. No hiding in the basement for Joey B.
Your point is spot on. Its rich that Barr is so concerned about avoiding interfering with the election, yet that is exactly what this whole scandal is really about — interfering with an election which is all the more reason for Barr to expedite the investigation.
Barr’s concern should be focused on EXPOSING what went on before and after the last election so that voters can see what happened and bear that in mind when they vote this year.
The ole Washington TWO-STEP....the SWAMP in action....
He can stuff his bagpipes.
I hope Barr understands he is playing with fire.
Without accountability, the FBI/DOJ is little more than a criminal enterprise.
Without accountability the ‘honest half’ of America will never trust those agencies again.
As it stands today I would not even tell an FBI agent the time of day without my attorney present, much less ‘help’ them. Currently I rate them along side gang bangers and unleashed pitbulls.
A report before the election.
Indictments after the election.
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That is exactly what he is saying. But there is no reason on earth why a few people couldn’t have been indicted by now. No need to wait to round up everyone; start at the bottom and move up to the top. In fact, there is more than enough information in the public domain to have charged some of the people involved so why hasn’t he done that?
Barr is dissembling and foot dragging.
The ole Washington TWO-STEP....the SWAMP in action....
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Yep. Dissemble and delay.
Yep, the FBI is too busy claiming the fires in the west are naturally started.
I gave Barr a chance and didn’t say much for about a year or so. But he’s done next to nothing. He’s part of the corrupt machine that justifies it’s existence with the fake justification that prosecuting govt criminals will harm the public’s trust in Govt. In actuality the opposite is true. Prosecutions would increase the publics’ faith that govt could rein itself in.
And his whining about needing “intent” is hogwash. The DoJ doesn’t consider intent when it goes after private citizens.
Amazing how quickly they were able to do the impossible, prove a negative about the fires.
But when it comes to investigating their own they are suddenly ‘glacial’.
Without accountability, of which we have had zero, the FBI/DOJ are a cancerous tumor on America.
Hey FLeepers . . . READ!
“You need strong evidence of intent, it seems to me, before you can charge that kind of crime so developing that evidence is a time consuming process. Most of the people who are mouthing off about ‘well why aren’t these people already indicted,’ they don’t understand the criminal justice process. People get lawyers, sometimes they won’t talk to you. Even if they talk to you they’ll say they’ll take the fifth and you have to get documents and frequently fight over documents and fight over things in court so the investigation is a cumbersome process. It’s not something that can be done quickly,” he continued.
“I’ve said that there are sort of two missions, I see it. One is to get to the bottom of what happened and get the facts out about that and we are going to do that and you know, try to be careful about that, that we don’t do anything that would unduly interfere with the election,” Barr said.
No sir: if you’ve got the evidence (and you plainly DO) then you have to indict NOW. Justice delayed is justice denied - to the victims, the perps and the American public.
More and more I am convinced that Barr is a someone smarter Deep State plant of an AG than Sessions was. He’s done effectively NOTHING.
Except in the case of a so called hate crime when a Black Person is the so called victim, it's a hate crime and we can assume intent.
“”You need strong evidence of intent, it seems to me, before you can charge that kind of crime so developing that evidence is a time consuming process. “
DO YOUR JOB, BILLY! Stop making excuses for the two-tiered “justice” system, because all that you’re doing is killing any little bit of faith in our system that remains amongst the general population. Act now, or risk destroying all faith in the actions of the entire federal government.
Yep. And you can bet their trolls are everywhere, including here.
Take back the House and give President Trump another four years....maybe we could re-instate Law and Order.
Much simpler to abolish the FBI. But no one in Congress has any cohones. They are all owned by the powers that be.
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15 FBI agents when Bubba Wallace said his door uses a rope, like the others.
We are here because Democrats were again selected - and those Dems Hate Trump.
This is being ridden out past the Election to give Biden a chance to dismantle it all, and if Trump wins, the timing will mean little impact.
You are going to be sadly disappointed when Durham issues stern words that amount to nothing. There’s another low level guy they’re looking at, an easy indictment 18 months ago.
There’s no simply no interest.
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