BARR WAS FOUND BY A FEDERAL
COURT TO HAVE LIED TO THE
COUNTRY ABOUT THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION.
IN A FEDERAL COURT DECISION THAT
WILL FOLLOW BILL BARR AROUND FOR
THE REST OF HIS LIFE LIKE TOILET
PAPER STUCK TO HIS SHOE, A
FEDERAL JUDGE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. FOUND LAST YEAR THAT WHEN
ROBERT MUELLER TURNED IN HIS
REPORT ON THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION TO THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT, ATTORNEY GENERAL
WILLIAM BARR LIED TO THE PUBLIC
ABOUT WHAT WAS IN IT.
THE JUDGES RULING SAID QUOTE
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR FAILED TO
PROVIDE A THOROUGH
REPRESENTATION OF THE FINDINGS
SET FORTH IN THE REPORT CAUSING
THIS COURT TO QUESTION WHETHER
ATTORNEY GENERALS BARRS INTENT
WAS TO CREATE A ONE SIDED
NARRATIVE ABOUT THE MUELLER
REPORT, A NARRATIVE THAT IS
CLEARLY SUBSTANTIALLY AT ODDS
WITH THE ACTUAL REPORT.
THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
A FEDERAL COURT FINDING THAT
TRUMPS ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM
BARR TOLD THE PUBLIC A PORKY
PIE, TOLD THE PUBLIC AN UNTRUE
STORY ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE
MUELLER REPORT.
WELL, NOW, TODAY A SECOND
FEDERAL JUDGE HAS JUST RULED
THAT BILL BARR AND THE TRUMP ERA
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WERE ALSO
DISINGENUOUS WITH THE COURT.
THEY IN EFFECT LIED TO THE COURT
WHEN THEY TOLD HER AND THEY TOLD
THE PUBLIC A MADE UP STORY, A
LIE, ABOUT WHY FORMER PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP WAS NOT PUT ON
TRIAL, WAS NOT CHARGED WITH
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE ON THE
BASIS OF THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS
COLLECTED AGAINST PRESIDENT
TRUMP IN MUELLERS
INVESTIGATION.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER MUELLERS
REPORT STARTED WITH VOLUME ONE,
THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT RUSSIA DID
TO INTERFERE IN THE ELECTION,
AND THEN VOLUME TWO, YOU
PROBABLY REMEMBER, IT LAID OUT
MORE THAN TEN INSTANCES IN GREAT
DETAIL OF POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE COMMITTED
BY THEN PRESIDENT TRUMP.
NOW, WHEN MUELLER FINISHED THIS
REPORT, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT
TRUMPS ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL
BARR TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT HE,
WILLIAM BARR, HAD CONSULTED WITH
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ATTORNEYS,
AND DECIDED ON THEIR ADVICE THAT
DESPITE THESE TEN PLUS DETAILED
INSTANCES OF ALLEGED CRIMINAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP LAID OUT MUELLER
REPORT, BILL BARR CONSULTING
WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
ATTORNEYS HAD DETERMINED THAT
DESPITE ALL OF THAT NOTHING
TRUMP DID WAS REALLY A CRIME.
AND SO TRUMP SHOULDNT BE
PROSECUTED.
REMEMBER BARR SAID THAT THEY
DIDNT RELY ON THIS PROHIBITION
ON A PRESIDENT BEING PROSECUTED
WHILE HES SITTING IN OFFICE.
HE SAID, ACTUALLY, WE DECIDED AT
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, I
DECIDED IN CONSULTATION WITH
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ATTORNEYS
NONE OF THOSE THINGS DESCRIBED
CONSTITUTE A CRIME, THATS WHY
TRUMP WONT BE CHARGED.
THATS THE STORY THEY TOLD THE
PUBLIC.
THAT APPARENTLY IS NOT WHAT
HAPPENED.
FEDERAL JUDGE AMY BERMAN JACKSON
RULING TODAY THAT THIS SUPPOSED
ADVICE THAT WILLIAM BARR GOT
FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT THAT
SUPPOSEDLY LED HIM TO CONCLUDE
THAT THESE WERENT CRIMES AND
THEREFORE TRUMP SHOULDNT BE
CRIMINALLY CHARGED, SHE RULED
TODAY THAT THAT ADVICE TO
WILLIAM BARR HAS TO BE RELEASED
TO THE PUBLIC.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNDER
WILLIAM BARR WITHHELD THAT.
PEOPLE FILED REQUESTS FOR THAT,
AN OVERSIGHT GROUP CALLED CREW
FILED A FOIA LAWSUIT, THE
JUSTICE DEMURRED, SAID, NO WERE
NOT GOING TO RELEASE THAT
DOCUMENT, THATS REAL LEGAL
ADVICE, AND WE DONT RELEASE
THOSE THINGS TO THE PUBLIC.
THE JUDGE RULED THAT THAT
DOCUMENT WASNT REAL LEGAL
ADVICE.
IT WASNT ANYTHING.
THE TRUMP ERA JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
SAID THAT THAT DOCUMENT WAS.
SHE SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN
DISINGENUOUS ABOUT THIS PART OF
THE PROCESS, TOO.
SHE SAYS, IN FACT, WILLIAM BARR
DECIDED FROM THE OUTSET THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULDNT BE
CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES, AND
WHAT HE HAD THE JUSTICE COOK UP
FOR HIM WAS AN AFTER THE FACT
RATIONALIZATION OF THAT DECISION
THAT HE HAD ALREADY MADE.
AND IF YOU DO THAT, THATS NOT
SOME PROTECTED, PRIVILEGED LEGAL
ADVICE THING THAT CAN BE
SHIELDED FROM THE PUBLIC.
PARTICULARLY IF YOU LIE TO THE
COURT ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOURE THE
U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, IF
YOURE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
THE UNITED STATES AND YOU LIE TO
A FEDERAL JUDGE AND THE JUDGE
FINDS OUT ABOUT IT, PARTICULARLY
IF THIS IS THE NOT THE FIRST
TIME YOUVE DONE IT, THE FEDERAL
JUDGE IS GOING TO BE MAD.
AND THEYRE GOING TO RULE
AGAINST YOU.
AND FRANKLY, KIND OF CINEMATIC
SERMS.
TERMS.
THIS IS FROM THE VERY TOP, THE
VERY START OF JUDGE JACKSONS
RULING TODAY.
QUOTE.
ON FRIDAY, MARCH IT 22nd, 2019,
SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MUELLER
DELIVERED HIS REPORT OF THE
INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO THEN
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED
STATES WILLIAM P. BARR.
BUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DID NOT
SHARE IT WITH ANYONE ELSE.
INSTEAD, BEFORE THE WEEKEND WAS
OVER, HE SENT A LETTER TO
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS PURPORTING
TO SUMMARIZE THE PRINCIPLE
CONCLUSIONS SET OUT IN THE
REPORT, COMPRESSING INTO LESS
THAN FOUR PAGES THE
APPROXIMATELY 200 HIGHLY
DETAILED AND PAINSTAKINGLY
FOOTNOTED PAGES OF VOLUME ONE
WHICH DISCUSSES RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION AND
THE EQUALLY DETAILED PAGES OF
VOLUME TWO WHICH CONCERNS ACTS
TAKEN BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN
CONNECTION WITH THE
INVESTIGATIONMENT
INVESTIGATION.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS FOUR PAGE
LETTER SAYS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DID NOT DRAW A CONCLUDE WHETHER
THE EXAMINED CONDUCT CONSTITUTED
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
IT WENT ON TO ANNOUNCE ATTORNEY
GENERAL BARRS OWN OPINION THAT
ITS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP COMMITTED
AN OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
OFFENSE.
JUDGE BERMAN-JACKSON CONTINUES
QUOTE, THE PRESIDENT THEN
DECLARES HIMSELF TO BE FULLY
EXONERATED.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS
CHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT HE HAD
TIME TO SKIM, MUCH LESS STUDY
CLOSELY PROMPTED AN IMMEDIATE
REACTION AS POLITICIANS AND
PUNDITS TOOK TO THEIR
MICROPHONES AND CRITICS TO HIDE
THE BALL, AN ESPECIALLY TACITURN
SPECIAL COUNSEL WAS MOVED TO A
REBUKE, CHBS IN PART, THE
SUMMARY LETTER SENT TO CONGRESS
AND RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC LATE
IN THE AFTERNOON ON MARCH 24th
DID NOT CAPTURE THE CONTEXT OF
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL OFFICES
WORK.
THERES NOW PUBLIC CONFUSION
ABOUT CRITICAL RESULTS ABOUT OUR
INVESTIGATION.
THIS THREATENS TO UNDERMINE A
CENTRAL PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE
DEPARTMENT APPOINTED THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL, TO ASSURE FULL PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE IN THE OUTCOME OF THE
INVESTIGATIONS.
THE JUDGE CONTINUES.
MUELLER CALLED FOR THE IMMEDIATE
RELEASE OF HIS REPORT BUT ARE
REMAINED UNDER WRAPS FOR ANOTHER
THREE WEEKS.
ON APRIL 18th, 2019, ATTORNEY
GENERAL BARR APPEARED BEFORE
CONGRESS TO DELIVER THE REPORT.
HE ASSERTED THAT HE REACHED THE
CONCLUSION HE DENOUNCED ABOUT
NOT PROSECUTING PRESIDENT TRUMP
FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE QUOTE
IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE
OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND OTHER
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LAWYERS.
THE OVERSIGHT CREW, CITIZENS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ETHICS IN
WASHINGTON FIRED OFF A FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION REQUEST FOR ANY
RECORD RELATED TO THE
CONSULTATIONS.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DEMURRED
MEANING REJECTED THE REQUEST FOR
RELEASE OF DOCUMENTS.
WHAT REMAINS AT ISSUE TODAY IS A
MEMO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATED MARCH 25th4th, 2019, THAT
SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THE SUJTS
MATTER OF THE LETTER TRANSMITTED
TO CONGRESS, THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD BE
CRIMINALLY PROSECUTED FOR
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
WHAT REMAINS AT ISSUE TODAY IS
THAT MEMO.
THE JUDGE CONCLUDES QUOTE, IT IS
TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THAT
TOO.
IT WAS TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO
SEE THE MUELLER REPORT RATHER
THAN ATTORNEY GENERAL BARRS
MISREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT WHAT
WAS IN IT.
IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO
SEE THAT ADVICE TO HIM ON
WHETHER THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE
PROSECUTED.
THAT SUPPOSED ADVICE TO HIM ON
WHETHER PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD BE
PROSECUTED.
THIS IS JUDGE AMY BERMAN JACKSON
RECORDING THE RELEASE OF A
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENT
WEVE NEVER SEEN, WHICH WAS THE
SUPPOSED JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT
BRINGING CRIMINAL OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE CHARGES AGAINST
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IN HER RULING TODAY, SHE ORDERS
THE RELEASE OF THAT NEVER BEFORE
SEEN DOCUMENT.
SHE ALSO JUST RANSACKS THE TRUMP
ERA JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AND BILL
BARRS JOB RUNNING IT, CALLING
HIM PERSONALLY DISINGENUOUS, SAYING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
SAYING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
TOOK STEPS TO OB FIU TRUE PURPOS
WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING, TO
SEE THE DOCUMENT THEY HAD BEEN
TRYING TO KEEP SECRET AND WHEN
SHE DID SEE IT, SHE UNDERSTOOD
WHY THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO KEEP
IT UNDER WRAPS.
THE REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENT
REVEALS THAT ATTORNEY GENERAL
BARR WAS NOT THEN ENGAGED IN
MAKING A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER
PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD BE
CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE, THE FACT THAT HE WOULD
NOT BE PROSECUTED WAS A GIVEN.
SHE SAYS QUOTE THERE WAS NO
DECISION ACTUALLY BEING MADE AS
TO WHETHER THE THEN PRESIDENT
WOULD BE PROSECUTED.
SO SURPRISE.
WHAT WE THOUGHT HAPPENED
HAPPENED.
ROBERT MUELLER AND HIS TEAM OF
PROSECUTORS LAID OUT OVER
SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES DETAILED
EVIDENCE OF ALL THE MULTIPLE
TIMES THEY BELIEVED PRESIDENT
TRUMP COMMITTED CRIMES BY
OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE WHILE HE WAS
IN OFFICE.
WHEN THAT REPORT WAS COMPLETED
AND SUBMITTED TO THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT, WILLIAM BARR SAID
INSTANTLY THAT THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HAD CAREFULLY
REVIEWED EVERY LITTLE BIT OF
THAT EVIDENCE AND CONCLUDED THAT
NOTHING THE PRESIDENT DID SEEMED
LIKE A CRIME, AND THATS WHY
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS NEVER
PROSECUTED FOR THIZHIS ACTIONS.
WELL, NOW, THIS FEDERAL JUDGE
HAS SEEN WHAT HAPPENED BEHIND
THE SCENES, AND IT TURNS OUT,
THEIR PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WITH
CONSIDERING THIS EVIDENCE WERE
LIES.
IT TURNS OUT THEY NEVER
SUBSTANTIVELY CONSIDERED TRUMPS
ALLEGED CRIMES.
THEY JUST DECIDED IN HER WORDS,
AS A GIVEN, FROM THE OUTSET,
THAT TRUMP WOULDNT BE CHARGED
WITH ANYTHING NO MATTER WHAT,
AND THEN THEY CREATED A PSEUDO
LEGAL PAPER TRAIL TO COVER THEIR
TRACKS ON THAT AFTER THE FACT.
AND THEN, ACCORDING TO THE
JUDGE, THEY LIED TO A FEDERAL
JUDGE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD DONE,
AND NOW SHE HAS CAUGHT THEM.
SHE HAS THEIR INTER-OFFICE
E-MAILS, DESCRIBING THE
PRODUCTION OF THIS DOCUMENT THAT
PURPORTED TO JUSTIFY THE
EXPLANATION.
SHE HAS THE CHRONOLOGY OF WHEN
THE DECISION WAS MADE AND WHEN
THEY PRODUCED THE DOCUMENT THAT
PURPORTEDLY WAS THE ADVICE THAT
LED BARR TO MAKE THAT DECISION,
WHICH WAS BACK ASSWARDS IN TERMS
OF ITS CHRONOLOGY, AND SHES NOW
ORDERING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
TO RELEASE THE PAPER TRAIL THAT
THEY CONCOCTED IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT THIS LIE, THAT THEY
SUSPECTED WOULD NEVER BE SHOWN
TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT HERES THE THING, UNDER NEW
MANAGEMENT, RIGHT, MERRICK
GARLAND IS NOW THE NEW ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
MAY APPEAL HER RULING AND STILL
TRY TO KEEP THIS THING UNDER
WRAPS.
THIS IS A HECK OF A THING,
RIGHT?
I MEAN, THIS IS AN
ADMINISTRATION THAT IS IN EVERY
WAY LOOKING FORWARD AND NOT
BACK.
MERRICK GARLAND IS THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL NOW, ALL NEW LEADERSHIP
AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, ALL
NEW PRIORITIES, MOVING FORWARD
WITH A MILLION THINGS AT ONCE,
AND HERES A JUDGE SAYING, YOU
KNOW, YOUR IMMEDIATE PREDECESSOR
IN THIS JUDGE LIED TO ME, LIED
TO THE COURT AND LIED TO THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC ABOUT SOMETHING
AS FREAKING SERIOUS AS WHY THE
FORMER PRESIDENT WAS NOT CHARGED
WITH CRIMES.
YOU COOL WITH THE EVIDENCE OF