Thursday, May 28, 2020

Trump-Barr-Flynn: Nasty Threesome May Be Worse in American Political History

Threesome, Trio, Troika all Appropriate Labels
(Worst three ever hands down)


Before reading the main story below, I recommend reading this first. It is a great legal based review of the whole Michael Flynn case from day-one until what is pending right now. 

It is very complex yet also easy to follow and comprehend here from Just Security.

Brief introduction from the site: There’s been a great deal of discussion over the past couple of weeks about whether Judge Emmett Sullivan should, must, or cannot grant the DOJ recent motion to dismiss the single-count criminal information against Michael Flynn. 

Flynn pleaded guilty — twice — for knowingly and willfully making materially false statements to the FBI in a January 24, 2017 interview, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). 

All that remains of the case before judgment is entered against Flynn is for the judge to impose a sentence. Judge Sullivan is scheduled to hear argument on DOJ’s motion to dismiss on July 16. 

In the meantime, Flynn himself has filed a writ of mandamus in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, asking that court to order Judge Sullivan to “immediately” grant DOJ’s motion to dismiss.
 
The D.C. Circuit panel (Judges Henderson, Wilkins, and Rao) has ordered Judge Sullivan himself to file a response addressing that request by Monday, June 1.

THE MAIN STORY STARTS FROM HERE Politico.

My Introductory Notes: Trump and practically every Republican in office keep the political fires red hot with all sorts of conspiracies. All while they blame DEMS past and present, e.g., both Clintons, Barack Obama, and now Joe Biden (and his son Hunter Biden), or any other key DEM in the news for whatever reason but simply for their own political shenanigans and gain.
The Flynn case is simple: It is Trump’s revenge and vendetta trip against every living Democrat, man, woman, or child, and especially Trump’s drive to erase everything bearing the Obama name.
Yet, yet as the following story about unmasking individuals like in the Flynn case, a man who has pleaded guilty twice shows clearly that it is they, Trump and AG Barr parked at the very bottom of that feeding frenzy trough, or if you prefer that cesspool. 

It is they who are playing the same raw, mean-spirited dirtiest tricks ever – which is SOP for the GOP out to win an election anyway possible while casting the blame on everyone in sight except themselves if they lose an election.

Key Part: The DOJ abandoned its prosecution of Michael Flynn, who served as Trump’s National Security Adviser for just 24 days before he was dismissed in February 2017 for his lack of candor (lying) about conversations he had with Russia’s ambassador at the time, Sergei Kislyak, during the presidential transition period just before Trump took office.
o   Flynn lied to Vice President Pence and other administration officials about the details of those talks.
o   He then later became ensnared in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe that led to Trump’s impeachment but not his removal.
He pleaded guilty in December 2017 in Federal court to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian envoy, not once, but twice.
Now, as this story shows and after the release of FBI records that disclosed details about the origins of the bureau’s criminal case against him and suggested internal deliberation over how to approach the politically explosive investigation.
But, in a motion that was not signed by any career prosecutors, who withdrew from the case, the DOJ now says the Flynn probe lacked an investigative predicate and was therefore invalid.
I note: So, one would think at that point: “Case Closed” – ha – they would be wrong: Now dog meet bone. AG Barr is back in action.
Trump finally has a pet 

He again is still on the trail of Obama, Clinton, Biden, et al, and all at the behest of Trump to keep the pressure up to somehow prove that Trump is totally innocent, free and clear of any conspiracy, and 100 percent vindicated of any crime before, during, or after the 2016 election.

Latest Barr Move: He appointed John Bash, U.S. Attorney from Texas.

Bash according to the DOJ announcement: “Will be looking specifically at episodes both before and after the election. The frequency, who was unmasking whom, all of these circumstances and events can shed light and give us a better understanding of what happened with respect to President Trump, his campaign and, of course, what happened after he was elected, as well.”

As for Trump, he has constantly claims Obama officials were complicit in a vast government conspiracy, which he has dubbed “Obama-gate,” to target Flynn and wound his incoming administration during the presidential transition period before he assumed office. 

But the White House and its conservative allies have struggled to provide any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Obama’s administration. Former U.S. officials have said they did nothing wrong, and that it was entirely appropriate to analyze Americans’ conversations with foreign officials. 

Now only that case, but Barr is now involved in the sentencing of Trump’s longtime informal political adviser (dirty trickster, by his own label, Roger Stone).

That and Barr’s commission of Durham’s review of the Russia probe – that has led nowhere — have provoked intense criticism from Democrats and former DOJ officials who charge that the AG is abusing his office to settle the president’s partisan vendettas.

Full story at the Politico link above.

My 2 cents: Related is this Washington Post story that says U.S. intelligence officials had recorded Flynn’s conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. before Trump took office which was a routine recording no unlike most others who listen in to Russians in the U.S. they just happened to pick up Flynn.

AG Barr is in a word a piss-poor AG acting as Trump’s personal attorney and not the top attorney for the entire country and our justice system – which now under Trump and him is in near total shambles. 

That is not just my view but the view of thousands of former DOJ officials have signed letters attesting to the dysfunction of the DOJ under Barr. 

Barr has be removed ASAP anyway possible. He is a pitiful disgrace to the office of United States Attorney General.

Thanks for stopping by.


No comments: