Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine that Hillary Clinton won the election in 2016 and is doing exactly what trump has been doing for the last few years. In my fantasy, Mitch McConnell and all the republicans in Congress form a solid wall of support for her, telling Democrats to stop their silly investigations, even after she lied to their faces over and over. I think about how outraged Kevin McCarthy would be when THAT president tweets dozens of times a day, lying and whining, and brags about her tax fraud, how it's OK to play golf with Iran's leader while moving money from Ukraine plutonium sales and selling white babies in pizza restaurant basements! As President Clinton's actions become more and more tribally divisive, I'm sure republicans would rally around her and tell us all to just move on, huh?
We already know what trump is; he never stood for anything but gold gilded self promotion. It's the hypocrisy of trumpian voters who had such a high standard of presidential dignity when Obama held office. Hey, remember this? "If Obama really was born in Hawaii, why doesn't he just release his birth certificate?" The insult of that, compared to trump's adoring base now insisting that America doesn't even deserve to be informed at all about anything trump or his family choose to do for their own personal gain.
Amazing hypocrisy! And very sloppy citizenship.
23
A portion can be "tiny" and yet extremely relevant.
1
Where's Ellsberg when we need him? Someone please just go in there and make a copy for the committee. The American citizens will not be satisfied until the process of finding the truth is done. How could there possibly be any secret that is not already dissiminated by a leaking WH?
7
The Walter Cronkite Republican observes that the power and authority that is sought by Mr. Trump and company is precisely that which was refused by Our Lord when tempted by Satan.
2
Trump has now outdone his previous attacks on democracy by refusing to allow his attorney general and others in his administration to testify before Congress. We are a nation “of the people, by the people and for the people.” This is the moral principle that underpins our democracy. The will of the people is represented by the House of Representatives. The job of the President and the executive branch of our democracy is to carry out the will of the people, not to obstruct it.
Remember that we declared a revolt from British rule 242 years ago precisely because the American people wanted to throw off the chains of a monarchy. As stated in the Declaration of Independence the revolutionaries wanted to secure their natural rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." To do this they had to institute a new form of government that derived its just powers from the consent of the governed. They achieved this extraordinary goal by establishing a representative form of democracy. It is this that Donald Trump is now opposing -- by diminishing and obstructing the powers of the House of Representatives. Trump wants to be King. I want to protect our democracy not Donald Trump.
6
Nadler and his Dem supporters don't seem to understand the Constitution. There are three branches of government and if the third (Judicial) agrees with him and requires the Executive Branch to release documents, then, and only if they still refuse to do so, would there be a Constitutional crisis.
Until that point is reached the Democrats in the House are looking like spoiled children who didn't get their own way. As some Dems are beginning to understand all they are doing is ensuring Trump's re-election in 2020.
1
Executive privilege? Protective assertion of executive privilege? Conclusive assertion of executive privilege? Non-assertion assertion of executive privilege? Right to bear arms..? Emergency declaration..? Indictment of the chief executive? … Inherent contempt? Ad infinitum.
Legal fictions that have no rational legislative authority, created or inferred by questionable constitutional interpretations that only serve to undermine coequal branches of government, erode the authority of congress and at the expense of the interests of American people.
The Republic needs a reboot.
Executive privilege? Protective assertion of executive privilege? Conclusive assertion of executive privilege? Non-assertion assertion of executive privilege? Right to bear arms..? Emergency declaration..? Indictment of a sitting president? … Ad infinitum.
Legal fictions that have no rational legislative authority, created or inferred by questionable constitutional interpretations that only serve to undermine coequal branches of government, erode the authority of congress and at the expense of the interests of American people.
The Republic needs a reboot.
1
Nadler... really?
My cats have more credibility, it is true they are feral but at least they have the sense to move aside when Skunks and Raccoons eat with them.
Ironically, the Holder contempt case was settled in court on the same day. From 2012.
Is this is what Trump was talking about? The Swamp? A lot of people look very foolish
2
Trump's hiding everything simply isolates him even more. His hardcore supporters will always be there, while he 'boots' those on the edge out the door.
1
This article lacks one important detail. Democratic lawmakers already have full access to the complete unredacted Mueller report but not one has bothered to read it.
5
It’s sad that Nadler and his four democrat colleague clowns have not even bothered to read the Mueller report but have wasted no time in holding Barr in contempt and issuing subpoena after subpoena looking for more dirt even though we’ve spent $35 million and 3 very long years investigating trump and Russia. They have a country to run and are obviously being derelict in their sworn duties to protect our country and borders. They left the investigation to Mueller, hated the results and are putting our country again in the endless merry go round of partisan politics leading up to 2020. A total disaster for democrats.
3
We have to ask, What is the president hiding and why is he hiding it?
6
The Congress needs Mueller to testify. When over 600 federal prosecutors sign a letter saying that the President of the US committed felonies and the proof is in the Mueller Report, we need Mueller to explain why he did not indict him. The country needs to hear from Mueller and his team on national tv asap. And Nadler made the correct move. We cannot let these criminals skate the law. No one is above the law and it is high time this country say so in unison. We do not want a criminal dictatorship in America and Congress must do it's oversight of the Executive branch come hell or high water. Our democracy is literally at stake.
10
“We are now in a constitutional crisis.”
Exactly! That's why restoring some semblance of legitimate constitutional democracy is vital, both for the sake of our government and any semblance of adherence to the rule of law.
5
Last week at Barr's hearing I was so proud to see and hear someone, in the person of Senator Blumenthal of Connecticut, quietly and evenly say to AG Barr words to the withering effect of "I think history will judge you harshly." Why isn't Blumenthal running for President in 2020?
2
American dream and democracy are in tatters! Who would have imagined that a day would come that using the ballot box a dictator would take over the White House and throw in trash the norms, laws and of course decency and propriety in public life. All this in less than three years! A year and possibly another term remaining, the Americans, except those who fell for "make America great again", should brace themselves for a nightmare. An asteroid from space could not have caused more disaster. What is astonishing is one man with a group of blind followers is removing the Constitutional edifice of USA brick by brick. The nation which prided itself as the leader of the democratic world has become a laughing stock. All the intellectuals, legal luminaries, the checks and balances...nothing is able to stop this man. It seems like a hapless deer caught by predator of tremendous power. USA will never be the same again!
3
Make no mistake, Trump and Barr and Republicans in Congress are trying to prevent Democrats from further investigating of anything Trump has or will do. Trump knows Republican voters. He has been working this audience for three years and he knows how to get into their heads and to direct how they think. They want to believe that the Mueller report exonerated Trump completely and that there are no real facts left to be discovered about anything. They want to believe that Trump is their man, the guy who will give them what they want.
Nobody is going to convince Republicans that Trump’s actions are undermining our rule of law and need to be checked without their hearts breaking and their minds being shocked by reality. There is nothing unusual about this kind of behavior. Humans can’t accept sound proof of their fondly held beliefs being wrong, easily. They really have to be rudely disillusioned before they accept facts which contradict what they prefer.
Solving the trouble that Trump is making will be very hard.
6
The phrase "constitutional crisis" is too vague to adequately inform the American people to the danger posed to our republic by the actions of the Trump Administration and the acquiescence of the GOP.
When Treasury Secretary Mnuchin decided that he would judge whether congress had legitimate legislative purpose when demanding documents, and when the Attorney General Barr said that the President could end any and all investigations and invoke executive privilege regardless of the subject of investigation, Ben Franklin's "if you can keep it", regarding our republic, became "if you can keep Donald Trump from becoming the dictator of the United States of America."
Barr, a known quantity for years, was appointed to insure the coronation of King Donald I. along the way, it appears he will be held in contempt of Congress, at least. Bar Association: ride to the rescue, disbar Barr, and get him removed from office!
Top Democrats currently have access to all but two full and seven partial lines of Mueller's report; amounting to about 99.9% of the report. But hey, that last .01% is going to prove Trump committed a crime. Laughable and sad.
4
The headline implies that Trump's declaring Executive Privilege led to the Judiciary Committee's holding Barr in contempt. That's backwards. Nadler was going to hold Barr in contempt regardless. The Democratic Party is now undergoing collusion withdrawal, lashing out for any way to undermine the AG before he gets to the origins of the Trump-Russia inquisition.
2
I thank the House for taking their constitutional duty seriously.
20
@Lady Edith
So trying to compel as person to break the law is doing one’s constitutional duties? My, that is wrong on many levels and explains the liberal mind to me.
2
All I see is an attempt to distract the public with meaningless arguments and twisted lyes. Instead of focusing on real issues like our failing immigration system, we the public are being blind sided by the democrats attempt bring down someone they wished never won. This has become a high schoolers game.
4
All I can say is WOW!
I am disgusted by this ridiculous process of government.
It is clear that Trump obstructed justice. It is clear that Barr has now obstructed justice.
It is clear that every republican in Congress has obstructed justice.
It is clear that nearly half the country is completely fine with obstruction of justice.
Experts, commentary, analysts, law professors, journalists, etc. talk and talk from both sides of this and come up with every excuse, but everyone has seemed to forgotten about simple RIGHT and WRONG.
The special prosecutor was not charged with the actual bringing of charges or the prosecution of criminal acts. He stated this plain and simply. The investigation by Mueller and his team was to compile the facts and then for CONGRESS to make a determination based upon the evidence collected.
But now, by the whims of the DOJ and the President himself, they were stripped of their Congressional duty to hold the executive branch of government accountable of their actions. This falls under PLAINLY WRONG! Whether you are a supporter of the President or not, whether you feel the President did nothing wrong, every American should be disgusted that congress is having their hands tied in exercising their responsibilities.
Every American should be appalled by this simple fact that their republican representatives are not doing their jobs, because their job is not to side with the President, their job is to side with you and your right to know the truth.
16
@David Parchert
Well stated. Our votes to remove these cases of full-blown ridiculousness are the last thing between us and retaining a government of the People.
1
@David Parchert Top Democrats currently have access to all but two full and seven partial lines of Mueller's report; amounting to about 99.9% of the report. But hey, that last .01% is going to prove Trump committed a crime and show us the total "truth."
is it just me, or does it seem that almost all the comments by Trump supporters are identical in substance and often in language? does that mean they're just repeating what they heard an believed on Fox News, or read on rightwing sites, or that they are posted by agents (possibly foreign), or that they're bots?
5
If Barr is held in contempt of Congress, can this be referred to the relevant Bar authorities with a recommendation that he be disbarred (dis"Barr"ed)? That would certainly put a crimp in his ability to act as AG, I would think.
4
Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Adam Schiff are defining new heights for nastiness.
American people respect civil discourse on political differences but not this level of intentional discord from US Congress.
Nadler’s proclamation of ‘constitutional crisis’ may appease the leftwing radicals but he is leading the charge of transforming the US into a banana republic.
Nadler has not made any legislation for which he was elected. He has simply been a congressional bully. He reminds the public why term limits for congressmen are needed. He needs to go.
6
Trusting Trump has cost many people millions and lost opportunities. If you listen to him, you will miss the facts that are important.
2
@Casual Observer
My point is simply that representatives like Jerrold Nadler and Adam Schiff are not only displaying despicable nastiness constantly but also they have not made any legislation that benefits the public.
The American public is tired of the nasty antics of Nadler and Schiff. They need to be replaced.
The Republicans in Congress appear to have been replaced by an invasion of the body snatchers. They appear to show no respect or concern for the clear and present danger to our democratic, constitutional system of government, or to themselves. They are reminiscent of the Senators of ancient Rome who became empty, soulless shells of what was once a proud institution in the presence of the mad Emperor Caligula. Feel familiar?
5
The Dems are so beholden to the past they just cannot operate in this modern world
2
is that a modern world where a President can ignore laws, defy courts, hide information,
what happens when be decides we don't need congressional committees. or Congress.
he may align with every conservative belief and policy you like... so Did Reagan wind is Bush. So did Bush. But they didn't ignore and spit on the constitutional process and rules.
you all should get past what you like about his angry white man stuck in the 50s routine and pay attention to details of HOW he's doing it.
If Obama worked this way you'd be screaming.
5
Be careful what you wish for: the unredacted Mueller report which should indeed be made public (and is in any case likely to be leaked to the media) could show all the mistakes and gaps in said report (as Larry Johnson an ex-CIA agent has already intimated).
In 2017, Masha Gessen, an articulate critic of Putin and Russia wrote about the conman man child in the WH: (NY Review): "Russiagate is helping him—both by distracting from real, documentable, and documented issues, and by promoting a xenophobic conspiracy theory in the cause of removing a xenophobic conspiracy theorist from office."
So beware that in some kind of PR judo Trump does not use impeachment to shore up his electoral prospects. After all this man who never studies anything and is ignorant in most fields still managed to get free publicity for his 2016 campaign. $ 2 billion, according to the Times.
It might be interesting for Times readers to watch the video of Gabor Maté, America in denial to realize that decent Democrats have to deal with their Trump-induced trauma and fight for popular causes instead of going on with a conspiracy of their own.
Green New Deal, fighting the fraud of fraud and the racism behind it, fighting plutocratic tax cuts. Decent Dems have their work cut out if they want to defeat not just Trump but Trumpism too.
3
Please, do whatever you believe that will save our constitutional democracy. Don't pay too much attention to partisan interests.
13
In 1998 Nadler said the entire Ken Starr report should not be released because it “represents statements which may or may not be true by various witnesses, salacious material, all kinds of material that it would be unfair to release”.
He also said “as a matter of decency and protecting people’s privacy rights, people who may be totally innocent third parties ....some portions must not be released at all.”
6
@Dr. John: The Starr Report was a voyeuristic exposition on a consensual sexual affair.
11
@Steve Bolger
Exact description of what was behind the Mueller report.
1
What is getting ridiculous is that Congress is a co-equal brand but no one in the Trump administration seems to be wilding to acknowledge and COMPLY with the law. Barr in a second can go to a judge explain why the Grand Jury hearing must be seen. It is a part of the underlying material that the report was based upon.
Then there is the tax returns. They should have been available before the GE of 16' Pure and simple to make sure no President has any financial connections with anything he is creating policy about.
Bottom line all of the behavior of POTUS and his administration smells of an enormous cover-up? Why so much secrecy? Why such a push to keep Mueller away form testifying? The questions about lies and secrecy is yet to be answered.
It is sad that one party looks to be trying to destroy democracy and hand a crown over to POTUS. Weren't the GOP the ones who stated Obama abused executive privilege?
13
Good.
Enough talk.
Trump's strategy is to bog up Congressional committees with endless obfuscation, evasive tactics, and non-response responses.
Attorney General Barr didn't show at the Judiciary Committee and ignored a subpoena to hand over the full Mueller report and evidence. When he took this job, Barr swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States without any purpose of evasion. Barr's statements last week all but rescinds that portion of the oath that he took two and a half months ago.
Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee voted affirmatively to issue a resolution of contempt. Congress should now immediately pass the resolution and refer it to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who then will immediately refer it to a grand jury for action.
Contempt of Congress has criminal penalties of not less than one month nor more than twelve months in jail and a fine of not more than $100,000.
All of these efforts are time and money well spent, for the good of America and the world.
Let the chips fall where they may.
18
Where is the articulated, objective reasoning to ask for the unredacted report? Making statements as Democrats have, of course creates the impression that democrats simply want to keep this alive and want more and more. Making this demand without reading the less redacted report and then stating specific reasons for why that did not answer their questions, is premature posturing. It seems like they want the unredacted report to "see if there is anything that can stick". That is fishing. Please be more specific, and then you will get more support and build more pressure. Don't let Republicans write a narrative that is plausibly convincing.
5
@Captain Haddock
You cannot possibly argue that when a report shows obstruction of justice by no one less than the very president of the US, somehow Congress should look away as if nothing happened. No patriot could ever invent an "articulated, objective reasoning" to try to defend something like that.
As to "politically motivated": Fox News has taught its viewers that political differences are bad, as soon as you're not a conservative yourself. THAT is a direct attack against our democracy, you see?
A democracy is a political system where all the inevitably different political philosophies and parties are allowed to co-exist.
The very essence of democracy as an idea is the fact that the best way to prevent corruption and install real checks and balances, IS to have people of different political conviction constantly paying attention to what others do and trying to prove that they did something wrong.
The only alternative is that there's no separation between the Executive and Legislative branch of government, so that the president can systematically protect himself against real checks, and as a consequence can be as corrupt as he wants - and then for instance fire people as soon as he asks them to do something illegal and they refuse ... as the Mueller report shows Trump did repeatedly already.
And now, even Senate Republicans just subpoenaed Don Jr.
Bottom line: Mueller wrote that he can't exonerate Trump, Barr wrote that Mueller exonerates him. So he proved he lies.
7
The Federal Republic of the USA has already been compromised by money.
Voting is now simply an amusement ride.
Money runs and controls their slaves as always.
10
This is why I can never vote for what we call a Democrat in todays world.
We have thousand of Illegal Aliens pouring over the border everyday and now being released into the US because the Border Patrol has no choice and all Nancy , Chuck and Nadler can do is cling to the vanishing hope that they can still overturn the election? Its truly sad and embarrassing that the Left has become this pathetic.
Please move on people and do something beneficial that helps America!
6
@South
The priority of this country should be to stop foreign countries from destroying our Democracy. The Russians own Trump, the GOP and the NRA. Until we see Trump's taxes we will never know for sure, but he is hiding stuff from the American people of which he is a servant for, not a dictator. Immigration needs to be fixed, but it is not our top priority. Getting rid of an illegally installed, criminal president is our top priority,
19
OMG, and you don’t think it is serious that a sitting President tries to shield a report or evidence to protect him? That he uses his power to cover up when necessary? It is a constitutional crisis, don’t you think? And what’s the pillar of this country if not its Constitution—the law?
6
@Claudia Top Democrats currently have access to all but two full and seven partial lines of Mueller's report; amounting to about 99.9% of the report. But hey, Barr is "shielding" that last .01% because it is going to prove Trump committed a crime.
1
It's so hard to overcome stupid - and this has far passed that point. Mueller needs to testify. Just him, just Muller - and bring this matter to an investigative close. More than enough time, money, and resources have been thrown at this. I'm tired of the lack of emotional intelligence demonstrated by both sides. Get on with it. Again, just Mueller - not Barr - not the report - not all the witnesses cited in the report once again - just let Mueller share the findings.
6
The only way to avert a constitutional crisis is to make sure that the law, as set down in the constitution, is obeyed. Since the executive branch, including the Justice Department and the president, is trying to assert that it is above the law, the other two coequal bodies must protect their powers by compelling it to follow the laws of the land.
Holding Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to obey a subpoena is part of that process, as is challenging the president’s spurious claim of executive privilege and his blanket refusal to allow people to testify.
Congress has no choice but to pursue all remedies available if we are to prevent our country from trading in democracy for a dictatorship.
18
@Jane
I am sure as a rational individual you see that Barr can not release the unredacted report as it would be against the laws of the land. Trying to compel him to do so is the contemptible offense!
5
@Chuck
And I am equally sure that as a rational individual you see that the House Committees can not accept the word of Barr and Trump that there's nothing to see here, move along. I get the point of some redactions being made for reasons of ongoing investigations and grand jury testimony need to be honored, and thus shouldn't be made available to the public, but withholding the unredacted report from Congressional Committees with the Constitutional authority to conduct oversight of activities of the Executive Branch is a prima facie violation of the system of checks and balances that the Constitution provides.
21
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?
“A Republic, if you can keep it," was the response of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN—at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
The phrase "constitutional crisis" is too vague to adequately inform the American people to the danger posed to our republic by the actions of the Trump Administration and the acquiescence of the GOP.
When Treasury Secretary Mnuchin decided that he would judge whether congress had legitimate legislative purpose when demanding documents, and when the Attorney General Barr said that the President could end any and all investigations and invoke executive privilege regardless of the subject of investigation, Franklin's "if you can keep it", became "if you can keep Donald Trump from becoming the dictator of the United States of America."
Our Constitution created three separate and equal branches of government, and vested the power to enact laws, control the purse and investigate anything, including a president, in the "peoples" House of Representatives, precisely to prevent a president from becoming a monarch.
Donald Trump has made his intentions plain.
If our republic is to be kept, the American people are going to have to do the same.
18
Hope there is someone there in the House who can figure out how to use 'the power of the purse' to assert the independence of the legislative branch and corral the runaway executive.
9
He's stonewalling, hoping for a solution. Will he start a war? Will he send troops somewhere? He has to do something to draw attention away from America's demand of transparency. Maybe Putin will have a solution for him in their next hour long, private phone call.
12
I've always wondered what it was like to live through Watergate. But this is so so much worse.
11
Dear GOP, For your own sake, and the sake of our nation--seek professional help as you clearly have lost touch with reality.
1. Trump files tax returns showing billions of dollars in loses but it's all good? Only a great man could do this and become president is what someone told me yesterday.
2. Clearly he is scared of what his more recent tax returns will reveal--but you're ok with it? He did promise to release them...But now he's refusing and covering up.
3. He confers with Putin via a 90 minute telephone call about the state of our nation including the then recently released Mueller Report but you think that's fine? Really? He believes Putin more than our own government but, but, but...
Should I continue? I mean I'd probably need surgery for carpal tunnel before I ran out of facts regarding Trump's lies, scams, and obstructions.
17
@Citizen 0809
Facts.... oh those silly facts. Trumps lost billions as did almost everyone who had real estate risk in their portfolio. He wrote off the losses as per IRS tax laws.
Scared you say? The ones who are scared are the Dems who fear Barr and IG Horowitz going after the genesis of this hoax
Talked to Putin... now you think our duly elected leader should not have relationships with foreign leaders? Odd cause Obama paid billions to Iran and you didn’t squeak over that.
3
I just need to know where to show up with the pitch forks and muskets when Democrats realize it's too late for them to stop this freight train of criminality.
Maybe this whole unfortunate situation is all we needed to come together as Americans and rise up against another absolute monarch like we did three hundred years ago. Imagine positive outcomes!
9
@Will So funny. You forget both parties, sc, DoJ are all bought and paid for...
Cute.
For the money, by the money...
A partisan line vote for contempt? The desperate Democrats wanted attorney general Barr to break the law. They want to hear again From Mueller so he can say again no conspiracy on Russia. Mueller punted on obstruction, so the Democrats can impeach, but their saner members know that’s a political loser So unending harassment is now the gambit because they realize they have nothing else to run on in 2020 They certainly are frightened to embrace the crazy proposals from their 2020 candidates. So it’s accusations and harassment for the next 18 months.
5
The Democrats are trying to destroy Barr before he can destroy them. They are terrified that Barr is going to blow the lid off the spying and failed coup attempt and he will. The IG report is coming out this month and then all will see how a few corrupt individuals tried to take away the American people's vote and that they alone would decide who would be president. PS HRC was in on it just like she was in on destroying poor Bernie but we aren't allowed to talk about that.
6
Right wing conspiracy theorists claim the not only was the FBI investigation into Trump-Russia ties politically motivated but an attempt at a "coup". It is so outlandish that it did not ever dawn on me what they meant or how they think until this very moment. It says more about their own frame of mind, their own malign intent, that they would assume Democrats were trying to illegally unseat a freely elected President. It is a warning. Watch out for right wingers. They think in terms of banana Republics and are clearly capable of deeply malicious and illegal operations.
4
By now everyone knows that Trump can never be taken at his word. First he said he has no problem with the report being released. Then he said it's up to AG Barr. What changed? He engages in double speak. He never means what he says. And the only reason he pulls these types of stunts is because he has a dedicated sycophant base whose members are modern-day zombies.
14
@Wayne
Not sure where you get your information but the report was released. I have read it. So he didn’t change his mind or lie. It is Against the Law to release it in its entirety. Why can’t liberal minds grasp this concept?
5
@Wayne Top Democrats currently have access to all but two full and seven partial lines of Mueller's report; amounting to about 99.9% of the report. But hey, that last .01% is going to prove Trump committed a crime.
@Chuck
Trump has told more than 10,000 lies in a little more than two years. Please explain to me and your children, if you have any, how that is Ok with you and your conservative mind. Bonus points if you are an evangelical.
2
If President Trump "Hours earlier declared executive privilege", why isn't the Committee holding Trump in contempt instead of his Attorney General, named "Barr" likely for the reason of Barring the report?
3
Nadler can go to the DOJ and read the report. Why doesn't he do that? No matter what he says, congress would leak the Mueller report within minutes.
Nadler can get AG Barr to come before his committee by not insisting that it be an impeachment style prosecution with the visual on TV of the AG being interrogated by Nadlers lawyers. No matter what, Barr would look guilty. Kangaroo court?
4
WHAT WE ARE NOW SEEING IN THE USA IS SIMILAR TO JULIUS CAESAR'S TAKEOVER OF ROME: Seeing an effete and gridlocked senate Caesar took his army into Rome without any serious opposition from the self absorbed governing body. This effectively ended the republic creatihg the first imperial dictatorship.
There should be a way, by police if needed, to force subpoenaed people to testify. What we are seeing is a governmental system unable to cope with a rogue president and a sychophantic cabinet and senate.
Like our crumbling infrastructure, our Constitution is not totally fit for pupose now.
6
Of course, Barr skillfully redacted the full report and Trump's behavior exceeds democratic norms. But what then? Let's get on
with governing as a majority in the house, Stand for something
substantive, rather than handing the Donald more fuel for his persecution rants,
3
@L Moldugno Top Democrats currently have access to all but two full and seven partial lines of Mueller's report; amounting to about 99.9% of the report. But hey, Barr "skillfully redacted" (even though Barr and Mueller worked together on the redactions) because that last .01% is going to prove Trump committed a crime. Yeah, ok.
I am not certain that seeing the full Muller report is necessary but the fact that Trump claims executive privilege is disturbing. Are his actions a sign of something to hide that is damaging to him and therefore obstruction of justice or a psychological problem with his character or both? All in all, this is getting extremely tiresome.
8
Some commenters are falsely accusing the Judiciary Committee of wanting the whole document to be "public". I interpret "public" as meaning available to everyone. According to my reading, that is false. The JC, I believe is asking for an unredacted copy plus the underlying evidence to be released to THEM.
10
@outsidethebo
Which is against the law!
3
so pelosi will go from "president trump will not be impeached"
to "the president will impeach himself"
old days of rome fell similar;
no one took responsibility wealth left and it was abandoned.
the exact same thing is happening to our two party system;
point the finger and just wait for resolution.
smh. this country's political system is one big mess
of accountability, with money walking away into the sunset
2
This President is a joke and a fraud. Accepting this situation is betraying our nation’s values. We need to oust him. Quickly.
6
With a little bit of encouragement, he'll rename the country, The United States of Donald Trump.
5
With AG Barr coming for them, with Joe Biden as their candidate, and without any record of supporting the American worker, the Democrats are in big big trouble.
6
Joe Biden isn’t the Democratic candidate. They haven’t reached that decision yet.
3
@Dr. John
It was Reagan who busted the Unions with the attack on the Airport Controllers strike. I was living in D.C. at the time. Reagan was a Union rep at one time until he informed on his talented betters in front of the alcoholic McCarthy. The right has spent years taking money from corporations until they finally got Reagan. He was afflicted with Alzheimers before he left the W.H. Nancy ran the W.H. with a loyal band of autocrats. D.C. has never recovered; look at what happened to a decent man who made the mistake of believing that the GOP Congress would act in good faith. They didn't, and we lost a honorable SC Justice, Merrick Garland. We noe have an anti-working people corporate shill: Gorsuch. We have a Catholic ideologue: Kavanaugh. Gorsuch ruled against a truck driver who drove his cab to a safe place in an ice storm; he had to abandon the load of cans of hair spray in order to protect the driving public, and to save his own life. We have conservative judges dominating Federal Courts. If you think any of these appointees are in favor of working people, I have a bridge.
4
"[A] judge could decide whether to force the administration to hand over the material. But that process would be lengthy, especially with Democrats likely to turn to the courts in a range of other disputes over Mr. Trump’s tax returns and over other potential witnesses to the obstruction investigation."
Is it me? Am I off base? Or do cases presenting essential questions of the ability of the president to thwart constitutionally-mandated congressional oversight lend themselves to the most highly expedited, as opposed to 'lengthy,' legal process?
3
"The Justice Department, the White House and House Republicans lined up to contest that claim, shooting back that Democrats were the ones abusing their powers to manufacture a crisis.
................
“Regrettably, Chairman Nadler’s actions have prematurely terminated the accommodation process and forced the president to assert executive privilege to preserve the status quo,” Ms. Kupec said. “No one, including Chairman Nadler and his committee, will force the Department of Justice to break the law.”
Though Mr. Trump has repeatedly tried to withhold information from Congress, and pledged to object to all House subpoenas, the executive privilege assertion is his first use of the secrecy powers as president."
They gotta be kidding!
After Trump's and Barr's antics, including Trump's alleged executive privilege on Mueller's whole report, and Barr's procrastination and arbitrary refusal to appear before their Committee there would be no compromise, only further procrastination to drag the process out.
On this matter, it's time to go to the mattresses!
8
Precise messaging by articulate spokespersons is the key. Forget about the Trump sect who will want to hand him a crown and their piggybanks, if he loses an election. When a sect starts talking about 'Chosen by God' you know the fanatics are in charge.
I like Nadler's words, 'lawless regime'. Single-family rule is better, crooked is even better. Sarah Sanders is the twin of Kallyanne, and they're both unworthy of going before a non-Breitbart media. Why does the legit press continue to give either of them oxygen? Why does the press duplicate Trump's tweets? Just give us a rap sheet of his latest 20 outrages. Covering these outlaws politely is like the Titanic inviting passengers to admire the iceberg.
It's good that Barr will be sent in front of a judge.
8
The Republicans in Congress are also in contempt. Do we have enough prisons for them all?
5
There has never been an innocent person, I can confidently say in the history of human life, who has acted as guilty as your president and his cronies are right in the public eye. All the energy that's been spent on keeping (allegedly exculpatory!!) information from the public is bloody staggering. It legitimately boggles the mind.
The fact that this hasn't gone from a political duel to a clear and obvious question of common sense........ guys, your country will never recover from this.
5
It's incredible that Trump has corrupted almost the whole GOP, and made them a part of his corrupt syndicate.
And McConnell and Bar have become and conspired as two of Trump's top hacks.
Their sleaze just keeps oozing along with Trump onto what is left of our democracy.
As McConnell said, case closed.
6
AG Barr is aiding and abetting Trump to destroy the US
Constitution; to allow Trump to be a dictator.
The fight to save our democracy from destruction by Trump
as well as Barr ...is a 'constitutional crisis' and must be
fought....how ever long it takes....
The Courts will decide the outcome later than sooner; but
we need to endure this process to establish the rule of law
and preserve and protect our nation from being destroyed by
those who would allow a takeover by traitors like Trump or Barr...yes actually both are traitors who would destroy the
rule of law...destroy the precepts of our Constitution.
7
For an "innocent" man who is 100% exonerated,
Trump sure is acting guilty. Trump knows he is busted.
So does the entire GOP. It's hard to know who is worse:
The Emperor With No Clothes, or his willfully blind sycophants.
Despite Trump's desperate efforts, Special Counsel Mueller
and Don McGahn will testify in public before Congress and
cause irreparable damage to Trump's facade of innocence.
Neither Trump nor Republicans never met a fact they liked.
While the Mueller Report is 93% unredacted, what is 100%
true is that Trump is guilty as sin. It's also a matter of time
before he becomes America's first convict president. We say
good riddance...
8
How many times have you heard Linda A's argument?
"As a taxpayer, I paid for that report ... "
As a taxpayer, you also paid for the White House. I wonder what they'd tell you if you asked to use their bathroom.
@MyFourCents
They would legally say No. The W.H. is the official residence of the President of the United States. It has been a while since I lived in D.C., and there might have been bathrooms in a public area. The W.H. is small compared to Buckingham Palace or other grand venues in Europe. Does the Prime Minister's home offer public bathrooms?
Democrats screamed when Eric Holder was subpoenaed after he refused to testify at a hearing about his gun running Fast and Furious scheme. What hypocrisy!
5
This is laughable, yet sad. Laughable as the Dems want Barr to break the law. Sad as the Dems are putting personality ahead of productivity. Take Trumps name out of the equation and this 22 month hoax would be buried now. Get back to handling the important issues facing this Great Country.
1
@Chuck
What law? Be specific. The Ways and Committee has oversight responsibility of the budget. Presidents are not given a blank to the U.S. Treasury. Given how many times the grifter has filed for bankruptcy, that is a good thing.
4
It should be noted in the article that in the case of Republicans going after Hilary on Benghazi, Grand Jury material was released by congressional Republicans.
9
Nadler doesn't know the special council statute. This isn't the special prosecutor of the Nixon years. The law now was written under Bill Clinton and passed by Congress. The special prosecutor was under Congressional oversight and the special council is under the Attorney General. It is illegal for Mueller to testify about the investigation under the current law. These never Trump folks forced the creation of the Mueller investigation. The irony is that Trump has final say on how it is released. The anti Russia hysteria that was used to launch the Mueller report was a huge disappointment to the Democrats. The Mueller report stated that Russia did work with Trump. But Mueller still wrongfully is pushing the Russians are everywhere under everbodies bed. ready to turn off your electricity in the dead of winter story line. That aside Mueller reported that Trump is a big mouth who has a lot of shysters who orbit around him. Trump is going to walk and impeachment a ridicules waste of time and effort. The Democrats look like a vengeful out of control mob. Their is no constitutional crisis. The Supreme Court will be forced to rule against the House. The Democrats have plenty to do to fight against Trump's misrule and his nasty character. But they are so deranged with getting at Trump they are on the brink of creating a huge blunder in Trump's favor.
1
@c harris
Get a Spell Check App, and a good dictionary. Strunk and White wrote a classic: Elements of Style.
2
Trump is exposing the unfortunate fact that democracy, and its institutions, are very fragile. With enough aforesight, malice, and cooperating partisans in the Senate, Donald Trump can game the system to a fare thee well.
The only part of the system he can't (completely) game is the vote.
That has to be the focus: voting Trump and his complicit henchmen out of office in 2020.
5
Contempt of Congress sounds harsh, but it means little. We have a system where penalties mean nothing as Executive Privilege includes pardon power that can be used to guarantee compliance - there is really zero risk in defying Congress. In the age of Trump Congress has become a toothless tiger, especially when he's aided and abetted by a GOP controlled Senate. Simultaneously he and his henchman Mitch McConnell have stacked the courts ensuring the rule of law as envisioned by the founders means little. Our republic can not even put on the pretense of working anymore. Trump voters, those who wrap themselves in the flag and the constitution have done irreversible damage to both. And the sad truth is they don't seem to care or lack the intelligence to understand what they've done.
4
The Democrats will come off as vengeance seeking if they keep this up, which will hurt their chances in the general election and potentially increase the chances Trump will dispute election results. Attack Trump on all human rights and climate change policies, this I am in favor of. This shows that Democrats care about something other then their own ego, but these sort of attacks make it seem like they only want to protect their ego. There are so many ways Trump is a bad president, there is no need to try to prove it this way. The general election should be the focus.
1
The silliness of the Executive Privilege claim here is that the grand jury evidence in the Mueller report is presumably not about White House activity, unlike the Obama claim of Executive Privilege.
But if the grand jury evidence IS about White House activity, then the House committee needs to see that evidence, given its ability to protect grand jury evidence from PUBLIC disclosure. Grand jury protections are not about "eyes" within an investigation.
No one would question that, in an investigation, an investigator assigned to that investigation can see the grand jury evidence. The House is exercising a Constitutionally entitled role of investigation. There is no evidence that the House committee cannot protect grand jury evidence that it sees.
Thus, there is no threat to “law, court rules, and court orders” by giving the full Mueller report to the committee, presuming due diligence. If due diligence is not ensured (there being no evidence that it would NOT be ensured), then prosecutions that are dependent on that grand jury testimony would be in jeopardy, which has NOTHING TO DO with the “executive” privilege.
But the White House ethic of "Roger Cohn's" theory of law as weapon insults the purpose of law. Weaponizing legal procedure should not be allowed to stand as valid employment of procedure. There must be a way to protect the institution of law from weaponization: procedures that speed up suspect uses of civil procedure to have such conflicts resolved quickly.
The nonsense has gone on long enough. Democrats are using this as an excuse to score political points. The outcome will be no different whether they vote for contempt or not. AG Barr has cooperated as far as he is going to. If the Democrats think this will work in their favor come election time, they're wrong. It will be just the opposite. Trump will have a field day with this new version of the Salem witch trials. The house needs to move on and actually conduct the people's business. The past two years have been a great waste of time, and a detriment to the country.
1
Trump, his lawyers, his spin-masters, his hand-picked and rammed through Supreme Court justices, Mitch McConnell, William Barr, Trump-Fox News, his unelected family members, and the rest of his unsavory crew of used car salesmen and Russian internet trolls have succeeded in corrupting the American government. There is no branch of government that is believed to be acting in the interest of the American people. Since the president doesn't pay taxes, why should we? He may well win or steal a second term because many Americans will assume it's pointless to vote; the system is too rigged. Money don't care. Its slime coats the nation. Not only is the hypocrisy of the Republicans a breath-taking tenant of their party, but you can be sure when Trump falls they will vilify and flee him faster than those rats of yore.
3
How disengenious, Nadler knows that it would be breaking the law if Barr agreed to this. Well, it's as plain as day for all of us to witness. Voters will be reminded of this stunt at each election opportunity. Sad and discusting what is happpening to the Party.
4
@BobsOpinion
There is no law which impinges on the rights of the Ways and Means Committee to require tax returns, or Financial Statements. Those come under their purview. If that were not the case, Trump would just be a less foppish Sun King. He is already wasting the Treasury and foisting his unqualified family on our allies. He has a toady in Barr. He also has a formidable opposition under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi.
2
The democrats in the House are doing their Constitutional duty. trump and the republicans have completely abdicated their duty to their country. Barr has replaced Cohen as The Fixer for trump. Protect our democracy and remove trump, Barr, McConnell and Graham from office.
7
Barr gave the full Mueller Report to the public and to Congress with legal parts redacted. Then made it available with even legally-hidden parts open in the Department of Justice for Congress to view.
None in Congress have because these attacks on Barr are campaign tactics -- 2 years of Mueller investigation killed the stupidity of Trump being Putin's lap dog and instead of giving us great candidates for President, the Democrats are continuing the vicious "Hate Trump" as all they have.
Oh, and voters, shutting down the government until you elect someone of their party to sit in the White House.
4
If, as claimed by the President on publication, the Mueller report fully exonerates him, what reason would be have to hide this 'exoneration'?
5
Congress is full of lawyers who are constantly fighting with and trying to outmaneuver each other. It's an endless battle.
2
What Are the Republicans of the House Judiciary Committee afraid of?
When grand juries have passed their findings along to Prosecution and defense they are no longer secret but are matter of public records.
2
Am I only democrat that’s beginning to tire of national leadership of our party? I’m concerned about gun violence, the environment, the immigration crisis at our border, health care etc. all this time spent on Mueller and Trump is time wasted on issues important to me as a democratic voter. I’m not so sure the democrats can walk and chew gum at the same time. If this grandstanding doesn’t stop I’m seriously considering setting out the next election or even worse, voting republican. I’m done with the political grandstanding and ineffective leadership. I don’t think I’m the only one.
7
At some point we have to investigate whether Mr. Nadler is a Russian agent. He is doing exactly what Mr. Putin wanted to accomplish by disrupting our system of government and elections.
6
Bill Barr has become a martyr to Democrats inability to accept that Hillary lost in 2016. He has done more than required and all he can by law. Donald Trump and his administration have been harassed since even before the inauguration because of the Democrats distorted reality. It’s tiresome and it will ultimately lead to 4 more years of Trump. I was a lifelong Democrat but I am utterly disgusted by the show trials in the House. Move on. Enough.
4
As many of us have long suspected, Mr. Trump is afraid of the truth and will try to block the release of the facts and try to block the Congress in carrying its constitutional responsibilities. Mr. Trump has done much that is, at minimum, unethical and even illegal both as a private citizen and now as President. Sooner or later, Mr. Trump, you will be totally exposed; let's just hope and pray it's sooner rather than later.
7
This matter goes far beyond Democrat vs. Republican. It is a struggle for the survival of our Constitutional democracy. The democracy that Trump is trying to destroy to become the dictator he has always dreamed of being.
10
SO THE DEMOCRATS Waited days to provide the documents in the contempt citation of Eric Holder. But the GOPpers have waited WEEKS before responding to the valid requests for unredacted documents--both of the Mueller report and of supporting evidence. As with the election that wrongly put Dubya in the White House, the constitutional crisis must be resolved based and emergency appeal to the District Federal Court to hear the case immediately. Then it can move on to the Supreme Court. It will be very difficult, if not unimaginable, that, given the fact that over 650 former federal prosecutors have signed a letter stating that the Mueller report in is present form presents sufficient evidence of obstruction of justice to make the charge. I think it's better for the House committees to pick off Barr, just as John Mitchell was sent to jail during the Nixon era. Then to go after the top Trump advisors, Ivanka and Jared, like Haldemann and Erlichmann from the Nixon White House. The idea of giving Trump time to review the complete documents is preposterous. He has severely impaired ability to read and write, leave alone the ability to remember, interpret and make objective judgments about the evidence contained in the documents. With Trump EVERYTHING is gauged on whether it gratifies him in the moment. That's why the White House has a revolving door with people resigning or being fired all the time, only to be replace by the next group, like rats boarding a sinking ship. DUMB!
4
The 2020 election can't come soon enough. As a registered Republican I feel my party has been going downhill since Nixon.
18
Nixon was a high point for the party?
3
When historians write the post-mortem on America, there will be an entire chapter detailing how the dissolution of the union was right in front of our eyes the whole time. The “Comments” of articles like this will be cited as the evidence.
10
How is no one talking about the Koch brothers and their role in all this? It's been decades of solid documentation. This isn't just about "fear of angering [Trump's] base"...
9
The confrontation between the executive and the legislature forced by the reckless assertion of the executive privilege by Trump and refusal to present the full Mueller report before the House Judiciary Committee by William Barr is not only unwarranted but also threatening to the delicate scheme of constitutional balance between the three organs of government attempted by the founding fathers. This is nothing short of a constitutional coup enacted by Trump and the Attorney General.
11
A vote along straight party lines reflects theatrics not the representation of the people. Get on with the business of representing the great people of the United States.
5
It is uncomfortable seeing Americans being so divided. Yet, it is also good to see the fight materialize. We are in the initial stages.
What we have developing is something bigger than the two parties. This is not about liberals versus conservatives. This is about liberals versus fascists.
We are in a fight for America's soul.
There is a version of America as put out on Fox News, where all are 'takers' if one is not a member of their group. It promotes the incorrect view that it is the poor and people of color who have taken America and not the wealthy who accrue more wealth at the expense of the middle class - white, brown and black. This version of America denies facts, science, dislikes expertise and being told that we need to do things as a society to mitigate our collective faults.
There is the other version of America that respects science, expertise, identifies injustices committed by the powerful, works towards a world where all are welcome. This is a world which requires learning and education. This is the version of America as our founding fathers envisioned.
There is real room for debate on conservative versus liberal issues. But, we have seen that the GOP has been purging literate and thoughtful conservatives for a long time now.
This is a fight that has been incubating for awhile. This is more than about the Mueller report. We are contesting the very character and soul of America.
13
Unlike most people who believe Barr must be held in contempt before the 2020 election or there will be a loss of interest among the electorate, or even those who think it is to Trump’s advantage to drag out any impeachment, I think dragging an investigation out as long as possible will help the Democrats. The added facts should create a ground swell of voters to vote out Republican Senators, and impeachment can be carried out successfully. I would like to see a culmination, and the attendant public hearing happening on or around September and October 2020.
There is a Constitutional responsibility to impeach if there is proof Trump has committed crimes, especially those centered around our democratic processes. Not protecting our Government weakens it. Not protecting the rule of law sends a cynical message to the public and other countries. The bottom line is that we can no longer be trusted. Voters may not understand all the implications, but it is Congress’ duty, if they understand what is happening, to impeach. Not to impeach opens our Government to other unscrupulous politicians. As soon as Congress knew Russians were aiding Trump impeachment, proceedings should have started. There is not enough respect for the will of the people.
I think Pelosi is handling this Trump mess very well. Going slowly, investigating thoroughly gives the public time to think about everything they have learned. Also, as this investigation ramps up, Trump continues to make mistakes.
16
First, a congress that refuses to do its job is in contempt of itself. Mitch saying it’s over is wishful thinking. And, the public holds the gridlocked Congress in contempt. This began when Mitch wanted to hold Obama to one term, segued into stealing Garlands seat on the Supreme Court, and now the stonewalling of the obstruction of justice investigation. Second, when is the rank and file moderate GOP going to regain the gumption to reclaim the party?
17
I'm an American citizen in good standing, loyal to the people and patriotic always, and I want the complete unredacted report sent to Congress for further examination by opposition willing to serve Justice where needed, and I know they can be trusted to keep the material secret. The secrecy argument is merely an attempted cover up by the Republicans in the White House and Justice department.
Trump's claim of executive power is an abuse of power to evade truth and justice. After all, he claimed he was exonerated, so what seems to be the problem he wants to hide?
15
The more the Justice Department (read William Barr) resists the House Judiciary Committee's demand for exposure in the sun of the Mueller report, the more it would appear that Mr. Barr and his boss, Mr.Trump, has something truly odious to hide.
The taxpayer funded this investigation and the taxpayer is entitled to examine its outcome. The Administration has no moral or legal right to withhold exposition of the report under executive privilege. There is no mention of executive privilege in the Constitution and any assertion of the Supreme Court to grant it under separation of powers is entirely arbitrary and subjective, subject to different interpretation by different justices. In a democracy, the voter, the public is supreme, not the Supreme Court.
In the oath of office, loyalty to the Constitution, not to any public official, including the President, is envisaged.The Constitution, unless lawfully amended, is eternal, while the President is mortal, fallible, and could even be a rogue, which seems to be the case.
11
"The Justice Department, which asked the president to step in, described the assertion as a “protective” measure that would give Mr. Trump time to fully review the materials before making a final determination about executive privilege."
I guess that having the choice, any person being investigated would like to review the material collected and then cherry pick portions that would be released to the instance that would act upon the contents of this material, regardless if it is a normal prosecutor or Congress.
In the end, this will test if all citizens are equal before the law.
6
Unfortunately, many pundits on the right predicted that if the Democrats won the House of Representatives this is exactly what would happen.
Instead of the new, incoming Democratic leadership focusing on issues that could actually help American middle class families and working class families, Washington would further become a political quagmire with all sorts of Trump-obsessed "investigations" by the Democratic controlled committees. The report has been issued and read in underacted form by leaders from both parties. At this point this seems like simply an exercise in trying to score political points.
Americans would best be served by Congress moving on to real issues that could help working and middle class families and the nation. Of course that would involve real work and compromise, something that is apparently anathema to most politicians in DC at the moment.
9
This IS a real issue. Where have you been?
11
@USA How's about McConnell bring the bills passed by the House up for a vote in the Senate. He hasn't and he won't. Are you aware of this?
Since you claim falsely that party leaders have seen the un-redacted report I guess the answer is no. Two possibilities: you're not paying attention at all or you're trolling us.
4
So in summary, crooked republicans predicted the consequences of their own crooked and hyper partisan actions and you expect Democrats to turn blind eyes because walking and chewing gum at the same time is what, too hard?
4
This entire excercise is parhetic!
Pelisio, find your courage and start impeachment proceeding immediately!
We are well passed the point where the Constitution demands it.
500 prosecutors have publicly said this !
She needs to STOP obsessing on political strategizing for 2020 and fulfill HER Constitutional duties.
Trump must be impeached from office if only to revive our system of checks and balances so that the entire world sees that the US is not politically disintegrating before their eyes.
Not doing so, will send signal to like-minded would be despots, demagogues and dictators around the world that the time is right to challenge the rule of law.
This is the most perilous moment in history since the rise of fascism in the 1930’s and may prove to be just as catastrophic for the plant.
Pelosi, WAKE UP!!!!!
30
@Joey Green Are you aware that impeachment by the House would not remove Trump? Reading your comment it doesn't appear that you are.
Actually removing Trump would require a substantial number (~20) of Republican Senators voting to do so. That is unlikely almost to the point of impossibility.
So how would a failed impeachment help our Constitution?
2
@Joey Green:
Well stated.
1
I sit here in Australia observing the slow destruction and corruption of Democracy. It saddens me that once proud Republicans have sold their souls for their own personal power.
I hope the Democrats pursue Trump and expose him for the buffoon he is.
I hope Republicans realise there is a greater good to be achieved.
48
@Brian S:
Your last sentence is spot-on, and your whole comment salient.
Living in these borders of the United States, having been born here, the last three-plus years have seemed like a bad collision between Monty Python, Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickles.
Whatever happened to men such as Eisenhower?
My nation has lost its collective mind.
As The Donald would say --
Sad. Bigly sad.
5
Trump has been obstructing justice since he became a candidate openly or behind the close door through his tweet or word. He flaunts the justice, skirts the law and gets away with it all his life like the character in the movie of "catch me if you can".
28
This is getting ridiculous. Barr did not have to release any of the report, but did so to show transparency. The tiny portion that is redacted, is done so by law to protect Grand Jury testimony and should not be public. The Dems need to get back to work and let this go. Just because Mueller did not deliver the results they wanted, they can't keep making things up to try get to an end that just isn't there. There is nothing to see here anymore. Move on.
233
@Sally This is incorrect. The report was made for Congress to review. While it may be factual to say it's not for public consumption, the report IS for Congress and there is ample precedent for them to request and receive (in limited committees) the full report.
What's more bizarre is brazenly thinking you can claim privilege into an investigation into yourself.
951
@Sally, don't you think it's odd that the administration won't let Congress read a report that shows "complete exoneration?" This is not the action of an innocent party.
732
@Sally, if you had read the Mueller report, you would know that the most heavily redacted sections involve the Trump campaign's extensive and frequent meeting with Russian agents about their attempts to put him in the White House, and about what they expected in return. Congress has the power to receive this information so it can determine for itself what crimes Trump and his people may have committed, and not simply take Barr's word for it. If the report truly exonerated Trump, he would have already released it in full. He can't, because as he recognized in 2017, if people find out what his campaign did it will be the end of his presidency. We already know we have a criminal in the White House -- it's time Congress acts.
716
I hope Meuller and his family are in a sage place! Very frightening with all those guns in the U.S. of A.
21
@BettyInToronto
I meant to say a SAFE place!
12
Sage would be appropriate as well.
It is my understanding that Mr. Mueller said he was unable to find evidence of conspiracy, in part because possible evidence had been destroyed or encrypted. This is not to say that there was no conspiracy or that the president was exonerated. I think that the old adage about looking like a duck, walking like a duck and quacking like a duck is appropriate in this case.
23
Please sit down, put your spectacles on, and actually read the report. There certainly was evidence of collusion, just not enough to meet the beyond a reasonable doubt standard for a criminal prosecution to be instigated. As for obstruction of justice, there was enough evidence to support a criminal charge. It's just that under Justice Department policy, a sitting president cannot be charged. He can, however, be impeached.
2
We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction in the history of our planet, with more species being made extinct than at any time in the past sixty million years, at the same time as the most dangerous fool to ever occupy the oval office, and most powerful man in the world, spends his days denigrating others, boasting of his brilliance, lying through his teeth, and putting his administration's efforts behind the support of environmentally damaging policies and the rolling back of Obama era environmental protections. He is an obscene joke of the most repulsive dimensions. Beyond belief he is protected and cocooned by a Republican party that has thrown out any remaining vestiges of moral and ethical fibre and decency. An horrific state of affairs for decent, thoughtful Americans and citizens of the world.
42
rule of law. high crimes and misdemeanors. treason. charge him. prosecute him. lock him up and the entire complicit gop
26
If Trump was exonerated in Mueller report, why wouldn’t he want the whole world to see it? The report belongs to the American people, plain and simple.
25
I would say that Nadler, like many Democrats, is suffering from a severe case of "Hillary really won" psychosis.
Certainly, he will be treading on dangerous ground, when he demands that the "cops" arrest their own boss.
For his sake, I hope he is 100% clean, which is unusual for any NYC party regular.
5
@Peter Zenger
Compounded by Stacey Abrams “winning”. I am so sick of this. And then Pelosi has the nerve to say that Trump won’t accept Democrats winning in 2020. Can they really have so little sense of what they are doing?
@Peter Zenger Is Nadler the President?
1
@Peter Zenger, she did win by 3 million votes
1
So what are they going to do when Trump declares the 2020 vote illegitimate? Will they recommend contempt after hours of debate and weeks of thinking about it?
What's the plan? Will they write a letter?
Tell us the plan to get Trump out of the White House when he declares the elections illegitimate and then further declares martial law, which he can do with any pretext and the stroke of his pen.
What's the big plan? Where are the guns? Have they thought that far ahead? I've been warning about this for at least a year.
Because that's the obvious endgame, that's where all this has been leading us. And that's a certainty.
Have they talked to the police and the military?
13
@Fourteen14
The only people to declare elections “illegitimate “ have been the Democrats. I didn’t see any marching in the street or Antifa riots when the Democrats took the House. Hillary is still out peddling the idea that she ran a great campaign and that the election was “stolen” from her. Democrats are simply sore losers. Instead of getting to work on making their party a viable option they opt for show trials. There are 9 separate commmittee investigations of Trump in House committees. This is pure harassment and the American people outside the bubble are taking notes. It’s not coincidence that Trump has his highest approval rating since being elected but the Dems are so stuck in their own hubris that they can’t see the writing on the wall.
Did anybody noticed a staggering disproportion between the deafening cries about the coming end of the Republic and the cause of these cries? Even if Barr would have committed a crime of not releasing allowed for release redacted parts of the in 98% available report - his offense would be so minuscule in comparison with the level of the rage of Democrats who are claiming that Barr committed one of the worst crimes in the history of the country, that any uninvolved observer would find this situation comical.
2
You can make all the distracting noise you want. What matters is this: Trump says the report exonerated him. So why is he so worried about us seeing it?
20
What is the point of performing an investigation, if the check&balance branch of government cannot read the full report and all of the underlying evidence?
BillBarr is not fooling anyone.
Ms Sanders was documented as a liar concerning a made-up reason for firing Comey. Pretty important lapse of integrity. Why should the People even listen to or read her words? Many, many reasons for a Republican to primary Trump. How many more do they need?
Resign Ms Sanders, and take one reason off the list.
16
@Able Nommer
The full report has been made available to the House and Senate judiciary committees to read - not one Democrat has done so. All this is is a talking point.
Of you are held in contempt of Congress on in the middle of the woods will it make a sound? 1. No one cares about this Dem attempt to pretend “something is going on here” or that Mueller didn’t find no collusion even though the Resistance said he would. 2. Congress held AG Holder in contempt in 2012 re subpoena but not resolved in court until 2018 — well into Trump presidency. So see you in 2024 Nadler. 3. This is all bad political theater and fake drama to sell news.
1
Nadler and Pelosi seem way out of their depths. Their halting, stuttering way of talking, and their hedging and waffling language do not give me confidence. We need stronger, younger, more confident democratic leaders in congress.
5
bla bla bla....The senate is not going to impeach him even if he "shoots someone on 5th ave in broad day light:. get it. Vote him out. Them democrats did nothing,do noting,will do nothing to ensure the health and vitality of this country. Trump has whether you agree with him or not did tax reform, got rid of a lot of cumbersome regulations so the financial system runs better,and a list of other things. The economy is OK and Nadler and then Shift will babble on till the rest of us will stop reading your newspaper because of the ad nauseum of it all.
1
Ok. So why so scared about letting us see the report? That’s all we want.
14
@Jay N. :
Or, God forbid, his tax returns.
Being the first President to refuse to so was the first sign that that a massive mistake was made in electing him.
Too, too late now
Sad. Bigly sad.
2
The House Judiciary Committee has a tough job. Justice and injustice are interpretations. Just interpretations depends upon truth and require that it not be impeded. Those with a warped lense bring a distorted world back to their mind and false interpretations are highly defended by a distorted mind. It is not just a cliche that "the Truth shall set you free". Justice points to being impartial with all the evidence that is brought to it - that there be no conflict between justice and truth. It accepts the evidence brought before it - omitting nothing. From this standpoint does it judge.
1
We are inching toward 2020 and the question of whether this so-called President will allow the elections to go forward or he'll claim his two "stollen" years.
The Republicans, meanwhile, are busy gerrymandering and disenfranchising legitimate voters, all to further their program of protecting the privileged status of the soon-to-be white minority, further the privatization of the nation's public service sector and public lands, and solidify the oligarchy they've been installing since the arrival of Reagan.
The real issue, which hangs over the world like a ghostly specter, is CLIMATE CHANGE, which these same people have denied and lied about for 40 years. That issue threatens our very existence, but these truly and astonishingly evil people are blocking the most important paths to progress.
We have children! It's imperative we force these criminals out of the way.
16
executive privilege burying anything that could expose him.... government run media... owns the courts... purist nationalism... legislators afraid to speak... fear mongering... scapegoating... AND envious of and obssessed with dictators....
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
10
Good. Nothing to hide? Then be transparent.
13
The foreign intelligence committee has not been allowed to see the full un-redacted report. Let that sink in. All agree that Russia interfered with our 2016 election. If we are to protect ourselves from foreign invasion, we must allow our federal representatives access to the reports and information to take action against such foreign invaders. I am confused by those who think Barr and Trump have us covered.
12
President Trump calls this vote "Chairman Nadler’s desperate ploy."
It wasn't a Chair action, sir. The full committee voted for the measure, with a 24-to-16 contempt vote, taken after hours of debate over the future of American democracy.
“Why this rush? Without any valid legislative or administrative reason, we can only assume Democrats, led by the chairman, have resolved to sully Bill Barr’s good name and reputation.” asked Representative Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the committee.
Have you read the 27 page contempt report, issued by the Committee on which you sit, sir?
The Committee's 27 page contempt report lays out the full history of why Barr is held in contempt, and the details of Barr's strategy to bog up the Congressional committee with obfuscation, evasive tactics, and non-response responses.
After weeks of waiting for Barr to respond to requests for information, the Committee issued a subpoena on April 19, 2019 directing the Attorney General to produce an unredacted copy of the Mueller Report as well as the underlying materials by May 1, 2019.
On May 1, Barr responded that he would not comply with the subpoena. On May 1st, Barr also stated he will not testify before the House Judiciary Committee.
What do you suggest, Rep. Collins? Wait several more weeks for Barr to comply with a subpoena that he already said he would not comply with?
The Committee rightly acted to show its contempt for the AG.
Let the chips fall where they may.
16
I love when Trump haters try to make him look guilty by saying he ‘hand picked Barr’. Well, of course he did. Every member of the cabinet of every President. his hand picked. Silly
3
No, it is about Trump supporters trying to use Barr to exonerate Trump. Of course Barr as a handpicked Trump politician will be willing to lie in order to make Trump look good.
10
He picked a person that had published he would provide coverage, in the form of an unsolicited legal opinion. This is the hand picking part.
11
He’s baiting the democrats to impeach. There will be no conviction and he thinks he can ride it to a 2020 win. Should they take the bait? Are there 18 GOP senators who would prefer President Pence?
9
@Cycle Cyclist
Would take 20 Republic Senators to vote to convict and that just won’t happen.
Bigly sad.
2
@Blank
If the Democrats knew how to do their job they could certainly find ways to get at least 20 Republican Senators to vote for impeachment.
There are always ways.
I wish Jerrold was still his old beefy self. It would add so much to this three ringed circus of a hot mess.
5
If you want to see overweight people, why not watch footage of a recent Trump rally?
16
Just have to ask the folks commenting here who parrot AG Barr that the report was complete exoneration. Do you know how to read? I’m a teacher. When students in class spout nonsense and then have no evidence to back their claims, their fellow students call them out. Read the darn report.
20
@TGD
Just reading the first two or three paragraphs of each volumes’ summary puts to the lie their false contention that Individual-1 is ‘exonerated’ of anything.
7
May there be a special place in US history for William Barr. He to be remembered as an American traitor, a Trump sycophant and a rather officious, small time political hack.
24
@Joe Miksis
Barr engineered the pardons of the Iran-Contra criminals just before Weinberger was to testify that Bush I was intimately involved in the operation.
7
Trump is reacting to what he sees as a liberal Dem lynch mob and he's not wrong. By the time this gets resolved we'll be past the 2020 election. What a waste of time and money.
4
@Mike:
""What a waste of time and money" -- absolutely right, thanks to the abhorrent behavior of Trump and his minions.
Well at least he's secured one spectacularly difficult accomplishment: even before the end of his first (and, dear Lord, hopefully last) term in office, he's got an absolute lock as the Worst President in U.S. history.
And that takes some doing!
Sad.
Bigly sad.
6
@Mike:
Well, at least you got half of this correctly: this likely won't be resolved until after the next election.
As for the other bit: rather than it being a "Democratic lynch mob", Trump knows only too well that it's only a matter of time before his malfeasance and utter lack of ethics catch up to him, with ugly results and consequences.
Sad.
Bigly sad.
1
After hours of laborious, self-indulgent debate "over the future of American democracy" Nadler's DNC Politburo members voted--"surprisingly"--to hold Barr in contempt. So Jefferson and Burr were there, too, right, "future of American democracy"?
This has nothing to do with "American democracy" other than it's another contemptuous, self-severing display of deep-swamp madness.
There is an economy to care for, a China on the rise, healthcare to grapple with, and a Pentagon to build and the House is bringing the American people another Punch and Judy Show from the noxious ooze of Washington.
Time to close down the day-care center till 2020 and let the American people decide which of the Congress's deep-swamp munchkins can return.
Where's our Sovietized mass-media when you really need them, shooting selfies with Nadler?
6
The fun part is going to be watching people let their lives be ruined so as to keep Hillary and Barack from taking the heat.
7
@Dr. John
Neither Hillary nor President Obama committed any crimes.
13
@Blank. That is being investigated.
Dr. John:
Please explicate.
2
Nobody is above the law. Period. There is a balance of power among the three branches for checks and balances. I am sure that inside of the GOPs' minds know that our POTUS is not innocent, but a dictator-wannabe, corrupt, incompetent, racist who is out to manipulate policies to deepen his pockets.
The Mueller Report identified at least ten acts of Obstruction of Justice. How can find a way to prove that the entire GOP should be charged for Obstruction of Justice since they are protecting the corrupted President?
19
@Goahead "Nobody is above the law?" Does that include illegal aliens?
3
@cleo
Seeking asylum in the USA is not illegal.
11
The Democrats do not have the votes and it is clear this is a political move. The Mueller report cleared President Trump and the Democrats simply cannot stand that they put all their hopes into a farce. The Democrats lost in 2016 and will lose in 2020. Vote for America--Vote Republican.
7
If you think the Mueller report cleared President Trump, you obviously didn’t read the report and are listening to the talking points put out by Trump and Barr. I also assume the 700 and counting former Federal Prosecutors and former DOJ officials (Republicans and Democrats) who said the evidence of obstruction in the report would result in a felony indictment for anyone else besides the President (due to DOJ guidelines that a sitting President can’t be indicted) are also lying? Perhaps you didn’t know about that because it wasn’t mentioned on Fox.
9
"Politically motivated?" Well, of course, since this is involves politics and politicians. But what was the Clinton Benghazi "investigation" if not politically motivated? One of the GOP leaders even stated proudly how the ultimately pointless charade had at least weakened her standing politically. So, now that Trump is involved, he handpicks an attorney general who promises to protect him, and he does so by "summarizing" the Mueller report and saying that there's no problem. If Nixon had him and McConnell, "watergate" would still be nothing more than the name of a hotel.
More to the point, this investigation was about how Russia interfered with the election; how they tried to manipulate American operatives; if Trump or his aides, intentionally or not, aided their effort ... SO THE RUSSIANS WON'T BE ABLE TO UNDERMINE OUR NEXT ELECTION. If Trump really wants to make America great again, certainly that should include making our elections safe from foreign influence. And anyone -- and I mean anyone -- who believes anything this cabal of liars and thieves really needs to contact me about some beautiful beachfront property in Arizona.
14
@Dan Shiells:
Best comment I've read so far.
It's frightening how many of our citizenry have deeply drunk the Trump Kool-Aid; our national intellect is in serious, serious doubt.
Sad. Bigly sad.
1
Trump: "The Mueller Report completely exonerates me, but now I will use the most extreme reach of my power to quash it."
17
"The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to recommend that the House hold Attorney General William P. Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over Robert S. Mueller III’s unredacted report,"
But he's legally forbidden to turn over the unredacted report,
Could please somebody clarify this? Thanks in advance.
3
@areader
False. Thanks for watching that TV channel we know spouts this drivel.
7
@Blank,
Could you please elaborate what is false?
@areader. Only Barr and Fox News are trying to float that erroneous idea. Please read/watch reputable, objective press from outside the U.S.
5
I had always wanted to watch an actual kangaroo court in session. My wish has now been fulfilled. The utter cynicism of this Congressional charade is breathtaking. And the trumped up (no pun intended) manner in which the stage for this circus was set should have chills running down the spine of any sentient American.
9
This fight is designed to string things along and build the outrage until the IG report is released. If this is rapidly followed by a large scale declassification of everything Russia and everything surveillance right when the "silver bullet" to get DJT seems within reach, the whipsaw may rival the crushing defeat of election night. You don't have to destroy your enemies, just break their will.
3
@Todd Stultz
I don’t think that the IG’s report is going to be a happy moment for Democrats. All the dirty dealing in trying to keep Trump from getting elected will come out. Let someone see if it make an the news.
@Me You will notice that the trolls haven't descended on this post as they do many that don't spout the "popular narrative" All presidents are gone in 4 or 8 years, but I think there is real fear out there that what they are accusing DJT of - and what he has been flailing against will show real and deep conspiracies to remove a sitting president outside the usual constitutional remedies. Government essentially becoming an arm of the "resist" movement. The definition of an "administrative coup" that may leave them wandering in the desert for a while.
It make sense Trump must do everything he can to hide his complete exoneration.
18
The entire Trump Administration is in contempt of Congress.
9
Trump calls himself a patriot yet is systematically destroying Democracy. He’s the best president Russia can buy!
10
My representatives need to see the report I paid for, to determine if elected officials have been compromised. You don’t get to be your own judge and jury as a public official. #nomorekings
9
Obviously, if Trump is totally innocent the Republicans would be happy to release the report and rub the Democrats noses in it. Same with Trump's taxes. All the investigations, insinuations and subpoenas would vanish in the wind with if Trump was forth-coming and innocent. Clearly, he is not.
23
The Democrats are trying to destroy Barr before his investigations reveal the ugly truth about the Obama spying on Trump.
15
@Dr. John: Obama did not spy on Trump and he did not order that others spy on Trump.
30
@Anna The evidence shows the contrary.
7
Please present it here.
17
President Obama claimed Executive Privilege to shield Eric Holder from Congressional subpoenas demanding testimony and documents regarding Fast and Furious.
It worked for Obama.
It will work for Trump.
10
Holder was still compelled to provide documents, or is your memory that selective?
10
An American was killed because of Fast and Furious.
President Obama used Executive Privilege to shield AG Holder from providing subpoenaed testimony and information to Congress about this program.
Democrats backed him 100%, despite the death of an American.
What were they hiding?
7
@Dr. John
Fast and Furious started in 2003 and expanded in 2005-2008? That Fast and Furious?
AG Holder shut down that flawed program.
10
Don't worry, they'll bring-up scandals all the way back to George Washington if it will help them feel better about their Oval Office hero.
18
Today’s Democratic House is responsible for protecting Obama, Hillary, Holder and Brennan at all costs.
They know Barr has access to information that will ruin them, and destroy the chances of the Democrats in 2020.
They are operating with this terror in mind.
And they will fail.
8
@Dr. John...
The more the Republicans conceal.
The more they reveal.
27
@Dr. John
You Rightwing zealots come up with lots of wacko conspiracy theories; but this one's got to be one of the wackiest!
If Barr actually has "access to info that will ruin them, " there's nothing that has prevented him from exposing that info already. Therefore, he doesn't have any!
Keep hyperventilating...
28
I have a keen interest in US politics, and I read widely from a number of sources across the political spectrum,from the New Yorker to the National Review, and nowhere have I come-across the strange notions that are expressed in your comment. I can only conclude that they are ideas from the alt-right fringe, or you've just made them up on the fly. Either way, they make no sense.
20
Wow, Trump’s groupies are really having a collective meltdown over this. Too bad they don’t put that energy into finding steady employment.
17
Obviously the Russians have kompromat on Mueller.
3
If this issue goes to the Courts, they will resolve it.
In about 4 years.
Good job democrats! You just re-elected Trump. Focus s on everything but issues and your responsibility to the population.
8
Is the Constitution only supposed to be an abstract academic exercise for us lowly citizens?
8
@Mike Cos Ever hear of multitasking? Their responsibility is also to defend to constitution from a criminal administration. As far as issues are concerned, why don't you ask 'leader' McConnell why he won't allow any of the Dems 'issues' to be put up for a vote. I'll tell you why—it isn't because he's a firm believer in democracy or cares about anyone other than dark money donors to the GOP.
5
The GOP has chosen to ignore the rule of law for the short game, something voters will not forget, not in our lifetimes. Hopefully we will see a new Deep Throat emerge, a hero to protect the constitution and the people of this country.
10
@GO
I thought the same back in the 1970’s and cheered when President Carter brought America back from the darkness of “I am not a crook!” and his pardoner, Ford.
In 6 short years Americans not only forgot what Republic Presidents did to the nation, they elected St. Raygun and allowed him to perpetrate Iran-Contra and then elected Bush I and allowed him to pardon all the criminals who participated (with AG Barr leading the way) in Iran-Contra just before Weinberger was prepared to testify that Bush I was up to his neck in the Iran-Contra scandal.
Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate.
5
How can trump get away with this all of the time. Impeach him
10
@Murgs
That’s what you folks have been saying for 2.5 years.
3
There is a completely wrong idea in the Constitution that the president isn't a loon, and that normal people will not back lunacy
1
Since the Constitution never defines how to deal with an Emperor, Trump can’t be removed.
"If Crown Doesn't Fit, You Must Acquit"
3
Ever since Trump shocked the Democrats with his win, he has done nothing but make their lives better.
But they still feel they must destroy him.
Because an outsider can it be allowed to be such a great President.
8
Make lives better how? This man is a nightmare. No kidding his parents sent him to rich kid reform school. He is a very emotionally disturbed individual who thrives on chaos to shut him conscience up. I do not know about you but in my book, living with such a damaged, toxic individual is not a "good life" As I said, just ask his siblings why he has sent to rich kid reform school.
5
@Dr. John
John, give it a rest, man! Get a beer and chill!
5
The House should immediately pass a resolution censuring this President, another black mark upon the Trump name to warn the entire world of his lack of character, exactly what he deserves, for starters. Next, we can proceed to deny him the votes for a second term. Our Democratic system and nation will then be redeemed and renewed!
12
There is no such thing as "executive privilege" in the Constitution.
7
@617to416
So why was Obama and ever President since Nixon been allowed to use it?
4
@Dr. John
Once you let a President get away with something once it sets a precedent and people come to think it's divinely ordained.
And remember, everything that Trump gets away with today also sets a precedent. The president will soon be a king. Maybe he already is.
3
@617to416
There is no such thing as an Independent Counsel investigation in the Constitution either. What's your point?
3
Seriously. Democrats need to quit being their usual cautious selves and just do what clearly needs to be done with the most corrupt administration in the history of this country. Impeach and hold the other corrupt officials to account as well. Stop being afraid of 20 percent of the population that make up the trump fools and start holding these corrupt cheats accountable for their actions. Stand for ethics and morality, even if you are the only one in the room who is brave enough to do that.
30
what does mean really? all barks no teeth is not going to do anything. POTUS’s party owns the 2 and half of the branches. The only difference between China and USA that we put people in jail when they bark. As for democracy, and check-and-balance, it is an illusion. anyone who believes equality before the law is a fool.
2
Democrats must call on the people of the United States to show up, as John Lewis says, “to get in the way.” At this point, a letter in the mail from Congress making demands, even certified, even a subpoena is merely an annoyance to this administration.. Only massive protests in the streets by what they surely see as the bourgeoise can drive fear into the hearts of these despots. Democratic members of the House and Senate, clang the bell!
5
It’s as if the Joker has sprayed Democrats and their followers with a gas that prevents their brains from actually working in any sort of rational way. Constitutional crisis? A joke. None of these Dem Congress-folk have even taken the trouble to go read the unredacted version. And it’s a crisis cuz they can’t wait 2 weeks to ask questions of the guy who wrote the report? They must think their voters are dumb as posts. What a farce.
6
@ehillesum
This talking point is posted often on this thread, it is false.
DoJ placing restrictive and unreasonable limits on who and how our Representatives can access information they require to perform effective oversight of the Executive Branch is never going to be allowed.
11
@ehillesum
This talking point is posted often on this thread, it is false.
DoJ placing restrictive and unreasonable limits on who and how our Representatives can access information they require to perform effective oversight of the Executive Branch is never going to be allowed.
Don’t let the Penguin fool ya.
4
@Blank
DoJ placed no such limits. Limits on who gets the Mueller Report were determined by Congress, and Prez Clinton, when the IC statute was passed 20 years ago.
2
The President just declared executive privilege to prevent release ...
...of a document that "totally exonerates him".
Let that sink in.
21
No one is above the law. Mueller found clear and convincing evidence that Trump engages in multiple counts of obstruction of justice. That is clear, and indisputable, even from the unredacted portions of the report. Which is why it is so important for congress to see this investigation through, including review of all available evidence (redacted or not) so that it can determine whether Trump’s acts are sufficient to warrant impeachment. Most legal scholars think they are. Congress also needs to be able to interview key witnesses, like Barr, Mueller, McGahn. The fact that Trump is resisting to stringently is itself further evidence that he has something really big to hide. Time to find out what that is and have that impeachment discussion.
12
@Dr
Please impeach him.
3
Our pleasure.
4
One of the reasons many voters do not trust our elected representatives in either party is that even so-called party leaders take blatant liberties with the truth. For example, committee chair Adam Schiff is quoted as follows: “The committee’s efforts to obtain necessary documents to do our constitutionally-mandated oversight work will not be obstructed.”
What is wrong with this statement? The constitution does not even mention, much less mandate, legislative oversight.
Oversight is an implied power which means, among other things, the ability to “demand” compliance from a co-equal branch is limited. Those boundaries are undefined but certainly a desire to re-investigate something that has already been thoroughly investigated by an independent counsel is unlikely to be within the bounds of legitimacy.
5
@Morgan
“The Supreme Court made legitimate the oversight powers of Congress, subject to constitutional safeguards for civil liberties, on several occasions. In 1927, for instance, the High Court found that in investigating the administration of the Justice Department, Congress was considering a subject ``on which legislation could be had or would be materially aided by the information which the investigation was calculated to elicit.''”
House.gov
4
Correct. Oversight is not constitutionally-mandated. It is an implied power that the Supreme Court has determined is allowed, subject to limits.
@Morgan
Schiff is a complete joke and an embarrassment. Where Ian then evidence he claim to have had for the last 2 years? He has had plenty of opportunities and time to deliver and hasn’t nothing but a lot of television appearances on MSNBC to show for it - but maybe that’s the point.
@ Dr. John
I can see it now, Alex Jones will be Republicans star witness.
5
Note that every Trump cabinet appointee is a greater scoundrel than his predecessor.
6
The American people should charge congress with contempt. Their likability is at its lowest right now and could go even lower. It is the Democrats who will pay the price in the upcoming elections. They will lose not only the presidential election but seats in the house. And maybe senate.
5
@KMW
Factually incorrect:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx
9% in mid-November 2013 was the low when Republics wrestled control of both Houses from Democrats for the first time since January 2007.
Now it’s 20% approval.
3
"Executive privilege" to shield the entire report??? Trump is simply that out of touch with reality to believe law simply doesn't apply to him. He and his think law is only for the peons who can't afford to avoid being held accountable for their misdeeds.
11
Impeachment hearings are the *only* way to expedite investigations of a defiant Executive branch. If the Dems continue to try to read political tea leaves, and do not start impeachment hearings, then Trump will turn investigations into a scrum, which will redound to Trump's advantage.
8
The enormous amount of comments addressing Trumps, Barr’s and Mc Connell negative response to the Muller report shows that Americans are realizing that our country is about to break apart.
Trumps insane demands about no-one from the White House and Dept, of Justice will be allowed to testify are the signs of a coup against democracy is taking place directed not by the people of the United States but by people in command of the country.
Anywhere else in the world this would be seen as a coup by Trump to make America into a dictatorship, lead by him, his family and his associates. Trump a man who all his life has worn outfits, especially his oversized large dark coat hanging loosely over his shoulders and who has looked favorably at rich white peoples crime, has never made any secrets of being in love with the leaders of crime syndicates.
His ultimate goal was to become President, as he naively thought what better way to become extremely rich when you are in charge of the whole country with seeing Putin as proof of his theory.
And now all Americans see what a crook really looks like, Individual one parading around as a mafioso through New York as if he owns the city and today demanding that no one can be allowed to testify against this little man
12
Absolutely, this will go all the way to the Supreme Court. And of course, the court is stacked with Republican appointed judges. That Donald, he's as slippery as an eel.
4
Don't underestimate the Chief Justice. He may be a very conservative person, but he is NOT a member of the Howler Monkey lunatic fringe that inhabits the far-right activist wing of the Supreme Court. And Roberts has the deciding vote now, for better or worse. My feeling is that he respects precedent and caselaw, rather than seeking to remake SCOTUS jurisprudence in his own twisted image like Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and, worst of all, Alito and Thomas.
10
Those legal processes will extend long into Trump's second term.
6
@ivo skoric
He has 44% approval rating.
1
@ivo skoric
I wouldn't bet on that second term.
2
@Blank. But what is his approval rate in the Battleground states? Because that’s all that matters.
I could probably write something somewhat intelligent, but, all I can think is , “lock him up”.
14
For the love of God, Democrats---stop defending---attack. Just watch McConnell telling you to move on. You should start asking him why he's not standing up for democracy and the Constitution--make speeches on the floor of the Senate calling McConnell out for his hypocrisy of supporting a criminal president who obstructed justice and hides the truth, for his support of a man who values what Putin says more than our intelligence services. Call the Republicans out for turning their backs on the citizens over healthcare and giving the wealthy huge tax breaks while the rest of us received nothing. Call them out for supporting the destruction of our environment and not taking care of citizens who were harmed in natural disasters. Start filling the airwaves with the calls for impeachment of the president, with the impeachment of Barr. Cite Barr in contempt and lock him up in the Congress jail. Make the Republicans sweat and feel the helplessness that so many of us have felt during the last two years. Someone have the courage to speak the truth and take the actions necessary to save our democracy, will you? Enough is enough.
22
No one should be above the law. Barr should be held to the same standards (and treated the same) as any private citizen who has acted the way Barr has.
Someone needs to tell Trump we're not living in a dictatorship. Every time he wants to do something illegal, he can't use "executive privilege" to get his way.
And if he's innocent of any wrong-doing, you'd think he'd want to have the complete report released - to prove his innocence. ;)
11
What is the president trying to hide?
13
@Sean P
My best guess...treason, conspiracy, obstruction, tax evasion, money laundering, bank fraud, wire fraud, making false statements, taking emoluments, and using spray tanning products that are detrimental to ones health.
19
@Sean P
My best guess...treason, conspiracy, obstruction, tax evasion, money laundering, bank fraud, wire fraud, making false statements, taking emoluments, and using spray tanning products that are detrimental to ones health.
1
@Blank
Not much of a guess. Do you really think all that is in the 6% of the report that was redacted? And if it was, why didn't Mueller indict or even mention that in the report? Logic is not your friend, friend. Do us all a favor and please don't vote or have kids.
1
Pathetic, tiresome and delusional. The only thing the "resistance" has prevented so far is border security. Unless, of course, you count preventing a few citizens from having a restaurant meal as a moral victory.
8
@SCPro
Ouch.
1
@SCPro
41 House seats swung to the Democrats last November and more than 400 State legislative seats swung to the Democrats over the last 28 months.
10
Trump supporters have been pretty successful at holding neo-Nazi rallies, I’ll give you that.
13
The Democrats can kiss the 2020 presidential election good bye. They will never win after this charade of charging William Barr of contempt of congress. They are losers in my more ways than one.
8
@KMW
Real Americans do not want Russian agents influencing our electorate.
9
Donald Trump is the only president never to have majority approval, despite falling down the stairs into a good economy. And, he only won the presidency on a technicality. And, he can’t bring himself to denounce his neo-Nazi supporters because he knows he can’t stay in office without them. Sounds like Trump’s the real “loser,” doesn’t it?
9
@KMW It's funny how people like yourself levy the 'socialist' charge against Dems, yet welcome a former Communist appaRATchik's (read: Putin) meddling in our affairs. You can't make this stuff up. How do they rationalize it I wonder?
2
Under Barr's stated theory of presidential power Trump could have properly stopped the Mueller investigation if he felt that its oranges (sic) were questionable. This ridiculous theory would leave congress as the only institution capable of effectively investigating the president and by implication they would have to pursue their investigation without the aid of law enforcement agencies such as the FBI which could be ordered off the case. Combine this theory with the ability to withhold information from Congress and to flout congressional subpoenas and the result is a rogue authoritarian president with the ability to ride roughshod over a supposedly coequal branch of government in stark violation of our constitution. If the courts were to uphold this theory Congress would be irrelevant and our constitution would be a dead letter.
10
@Robert O.
Let’s start with Obama’s Executive Privilege successfully protecting Eric Holder from telling us the truth about Fast and Furious.
4
@Robert O., thanks for the "oranges"--sometimes the all we have it the pleasure of remembering the scoundrel's obvious idiocy.
3
@Dr. John
The outcome of that was that Holder handed over the relevant documents. So can I assume that Barr will now do so as well?
5
Good! (Good START)
Nadler is absolutely right: This isn't about JUST the Mueller Report, this is about the *rights of Congress* - and the Constitutional Separation of Powers, which MUST STAND!
14
NY TIMES: This is a “Pentagon Papers”
Moment. Get the unredacted report and publish it.
19
Sound familiar?
President Obama invoked executive privilege to shield documents related to the "Fast and Furious" gun walking scandal from a congressional investigation, marking the first time his administration has invoked the right and the 25th time it's been used since 1980.
In response, a House committee voted along party lines to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.
The White House dismissed the proceedings as "political theater."
10
@Dr. John
There is zero comparison other than the use of some words.
9
@Blank
True.
An American was killed with Fast and Furious weapons
4
Why did the Times refuse to say Holder had been the one held in contempt, stating that Barr would be only the second AG in history to be held in contempt. Times also did not say it was a party line vote re Barr.
1
The Democrats are taking this Mueller Report business too far. They have the entire report of over 400 pages with just a few that are redacted. They just do not like the innocent outcome that was granted to President Trump. Now they are overreaching by charging William Barr with contempt of congress. They are acting like children having temper tantrums. They will never get the unredacted report and have no business seeing it. They need to grow up.
6
@KMW
Some 4 to 7 instances of obstruction of justice are detailed in Volume II of the Russia report and 140 meetings between Russian agents and the Campaign personnel of Individual-1 are listed.
Stop pretending the lies you see on your TV are true.
14
Yeah!!! They have no right to do their job of oversight!!!! They ARE NOT a coequal branch of government. The Constitution IS WRONG!!!!
10
Imagine the precedents that will be set if Congress does not perform its Constitutional duty and hold this administration accountable. Executive power will have no limits. To all those who support Trump and his toady, Barr, try to imagine what happens when a Democratic president constantly asserts executive privilege to hide misdeeds, unethical behavior, and crimes? If this administration was innocent, it would be far more transparent. The American people have the right to know. We have the right to have our leaders held accountable. They are NOT above the law. The Mueller investigation did NOT exonerate Trump. Our country is in a very scary place.
11
AG Barr took a calculated self-aggrandizing gamble and lost his reputation, such as it was. He must be impeached.
11
The United States of America is fracturing before our very eyes. This situation could provoke the Second Civil War.
The full un-redacted Mueller report should be released publicly to all major outlets, including the NYT, the 'Post, and Fox. So a few lesser cases will be compromised, a few toes trod upon; history confirms that almost anything is better than war.
11
@A. F. G. Maclagan
Actually, only the Democrats are imploding in terror of what Barr will bring down on their party regardless the spying on Trump.
3
@Dr. John
FBI Director Wray denied there was any spying on Individual-1’s Campaign yesterday. Try to keep up.
8
I care about the Special Council Robert Mueller's Report because it is about precise aspects of Law. This is why The American People must witness our government functioning as it should, and the constitutional process of our government, and that means as it unfolds in Congress because that is where our elected officials must do their job, as regards our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.
This is not as Barr decides. This is not the Vatican. This is the USA.
Congress must step up. I think that If this goes to the courts, Congress has failed to do its job.
I think the reason Congress must not fail our country and our constitution is because Congress is our elected officials. They are not elected by Wall Street, nor are they appointed by the President; nor should Congress, or ANY branch of our government: be financially compromised by Wall Street; nor compromised in any way by any president, or foreign country or countries; nor any ex-constitutional group, be they think tanks, military establishments; criminal mob; overbearing financial interests; or religious establishments, be it catholic, or mormon, muslim, or any other. These are the laws of our constitution.
Also the Democratic party must admit that the GOP stole the 2000, 2004, and the 2016 elections.
The Democratic Party did nothing about those thefts.
Wall Street loves Trump because Wall Street loves only money. Regulations and laws are necessary in a a civilized society.
9
No one should be above the law. Barr should be held to the same standards (and treated the same) as any private citizen who has acted the way Barr has.
Someone needs to tell Trump we're not living in a dictatorship. Every time he wants to do something illegal, he can't use "executive privilege" to get his way.
And if he's innocent of any wrong-doing, you'd think he'd want to have the complete report released - to prove his innocence. ;)
4
This is shaping up more or less as I anticipated. This fight will be strung along long enough for the arrival of the IG report. The pressure will continue to increase as the left entertains visions of Watergate driven by the prospect of testimony by McGahn possibly revealing witness tampering by DJT. Voices will become more shrill as the Democrats stamp their feet over what they view as obstruction. They will go farther and farther out on a limb.
Finally, the IG report will drop, and I would expect that soon after everything Russia and everything surveillance - particularly questionable surveillance of US persons will be declassified. Cue the sawing sound of the branch the Dems on the Judicial Committee are standing on. They will tumble right into the excrement heap that the declassified document dump creates.
4
WoW Really, maybe he can go hang out with Holder the fugitive from Congressional contempt cronie. What a toothless bunch of fools trying over and over to keep the "Get Trump" joke alive. Give it a rest folks and spend your time in getting ready for him to tear you apart in the 2020 elections with your standard "Everything is FREE" and forgiven campaigns......LOL
8
Fact:
The use of executive privilege to protect internal discussions and deliberations can be traced back to George Washington. However, it was the Supreme Court's 1974 ruling in the Nixon Watergate scandal that established executive privilege as a legal right and set forth its appropriate uses. Since Nixon, executive privilege has been used in every administration, although some presidents invoked the power more frequently than others.
2
Seems like a no-brainer.
1
Democrats know Trump is vindicated. Now, they want names of other Americans so they can attack and try to ruin them, ala Kavanaugh.
7
@SCPro
Trump wound himself up and, like a turkey, started gobbling "No Collusion, Total vindication".
He also said he never paid Stormy Daniels. We are still waiting for the tax returns he promised to release.
Kavanaugh, the accused attempted rapist, was installed onto our supreme court by republicans without investigating the specific allegations of attempted rape! Ignoring prime witnesses !
What a travesty it is, that now sits in judgment of us all.
3
As I read comments to articles about the Mueller Report, I see a common thread saying we are taxpayers, we paid for the report and we have a right to see the unredacted report. We don't have that right. We pay for ALL of the workings of the US government, and there are many, many things we don't have a right to see.
I support the right of the Judiciary Committee to see the full report, along with the right of anyone to see this report who is legally allowed to see it.
I would certainly like to see the full report, but it is not "our right to see it because we paid for it."
3
Trump and his cabal are all gangsters It is time to reinstate the rule of law on these reckless brigands. Impeach, and then indict the whole Trump crime organization.
5
@Joe Miksis
Yet Trump has never been charged with a single crime.
5
That’s a real impressive standard Trump supporters have for their leader: “He’s never actually been charged!”
(slow clap)
7
@Dr. John
Actually, it’s worth pointing out that Mueller laid out a clear and convincing case, citing at least 8 documentable instances, that Trump criminally obstructed justice and thwarted a lawful investigation. Meueller simply elected to defer to congress for further investigation and “prosecution”, and he presented them with an evidentiary road map to do so.
5
There is no credence to the attacks that the effors of the House to conduct these investigations iare "political."
Congress, like the presidency, is a "political" branch of governemnt, which means that, contrary to the judicial branch, what they do is directly accountable to the voting public via the elctoral preocess. The House's actions are no less legal than they are political, any more or less than Trump's tweats and public comments are political. The GOP wants to have it both ways: what the the Dems do is political anc therefore suspect, while GOP resistance and initiatives are pure as the driven snow.
3
Exciting!
Uh, no it's not really at all. It's become a real bore. These are a group of twits, all of them, and the president along with them. This is no crisis, Constitutional or otherwise. It's people playing games with power wasting our time. Trump? He's a pretender in all he touches, turning each event into a show. Our carnival barker president staging a moment. Another moment.
3
Wanna know how to make America Great Again...Lock Him Up!
7
Has the republican master plan worked? I'm afraid that the "packed" courts will soon give us an answer.
5
And why not Contempt?
All requests by the Democrat Controlled House for any information by the Trump Presidency has been refused from Immigration, Family Separation, National Security Clearances, Barr's testimony, Trump's Taxes, and the Violations of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution has been refused.
Everything is Executive Privilege?
Did we elect Emperor Caligula or Vladimir Putin or King George?
Trump did the same thing in New York City where he never went to jail for his financial crimes.
Time for Real Reality for this Reality Show Charlatan.
Better him than 300 Million Plus Americans.
5
what we do know is that the President is intent on keeping secret anything and everything. No tax returns, no evidence on the Mueller report, no information on the Russians, no info on the census fiasco, no nothing. And someone who is so intent on hiding everything is hiding something. What are you hiding Mr. President?
5
The time to do the right thing is now. The time to show the bravery and backbone to do what is right, regardless of the political end game; is now. Defend the Constitution and begin full impeachment proceeding at once.
Trump's claim of executive privilege and Barr's consistent effort to enable Trump to continue obstructing the pursuit of truth and justice; requires every morally and ethically committed public servant with the authority to act to do so at once and without hesitation.
As it turns out, executed correctly, and with the highest commitment to doing what is right, the pursuit of impeachment will reveal the utterly corrupted state of the Republican party as it is nearly certain that even in the bright light likely to be shined upon Donald Trump's corruption, the GOP will instead act to support the interests of billionaires and oligarchs, as they have long acted only to serve the few. The Republican politicians have corrupted religious leaders while exploiting wedge issues to stoke the socially disaffected demographic of Trump's core base.
Pursue the truth and the defense of the Consitution Pelosi. Do it because you swore to do so and because it is being forced upon you by Trump's and his minion Barr's willingness to attempt to put themselves above the law every American is under. If you do not, then my suspicions as to your actual loyalties will have been fully confirmed.
Actions, not manipulation and words; are the measure of true character.
3
I see the Times has this listed under Mueller Report. I think it’s time to call the Trump era what it is -a constitutional crisis.
4
All hail to the "con-man-in-chief", our beloved blowhard, the "genius" of the financial world...how any sentient being, who actually cared about the future of this country, who has children or grandchildren who are going to be living here in the years to come, can look at themselves or into their progeny's eyes and support this charlatan, is simply inexplicable. Republicans, you will reap what you have sown.
5
Mr. Barr, as a member of the Executive Branch of government, is supposed to comply with all legal requests from the Legislature.
The request for Congress--not the entire world, just Congress--to be given full, unredacted access to the Mueller Report is a lawful request to have necessary and proper oversight of the Justice Department, an Executive department.
At this point, my considered opinion is that the unredacted report, which has over 50 pages of material that the rest of us will not get to read for a while, shows proof positive that Barr lied in his 4 page summary sent on March 24, which he later said was not a summary despite the document twice saying that it was a summary.
Mr. Barr's been caught in the cookie jar
Now his star is tarred for he has stumbled.
And that's the way Trump's cookie crumbled.
4
Congress was offered restricted access to the report. They refused. Either they are spoiling for a fight - entirely possible, or Democrats want access to the confidential (secret) information contained within it. Since they don't need that, and there are serious concerns about leaks, this contempt charge appears to be a purely political effort to usurp the president. Republicans will be taking notes for when the situation is reversed!
Of course the courts will quite possibly rule against Congress, but that will take a while, and be a further waste of the court's time.
3
What is senate doing? Mitch McConnell will go down in the history a person who enabled the murder of our democracy.
9
RichP, below, hit the nail right on the head when he wrote, "You have the AG stating on the record that a President can legally stop any investigation into him/herself that the President 'feels' is harassment. Wow. That removes all possibilities of any kind of review of Presidential actions."
Barr also stated in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Mueller should have stopped his investigation when the evidence led him in the direction of the president, because, according to Justice Dept. policy, a sitting president can't be indicted anyway, so it's just a waste of time to pursue a line of evidence that points to the president. Nobody jumped on this.
Barr's statement to Congress, and his statement that RichP referred to essentially says that Barr believes that the president is immune from the law. Or, to put it another way, Barr is advocating that, by virtue of DOJ policy that a sitting president can't be indicted, that the president is above the law. Moreover, by allowing the president to withhold any documents he deems "harassing", AG Barr believes that the president is fully authorized to thwart any Congressional investigation (including an impeachment investigation) into his actions.
It doesn't take a constitutional scholar to see how flawed Barr's interpretations are.
6
Democrats, still mad that Hillary lost
6
Actually, Many of us are independents upset at this administration’s abrupt moves towards authoritarianism. And if you pay any attention to recent political history, republicans were losing their minds about the former president’s over use of executive powers. Convenient how that and our national debt are no longer a concern.
15
This is a Constitutional crisis, and the legal case should go immediately to the Supreme Court.
The Constitution does not address executive privilege or Congressional oversight and it is in our tradition for the Supreme Court to resolve the issue.
There is no need to delay things in the lower courts.
The people of the United States must know promptly whether or not Trump can withhold the Mueller Report from Congress.
5
Nadlers wanting to hold AG Barr in contempt in nothing more than payback for Holder being held in contempt.
Barr is also being targeted because he cleared Trump on the Obstruction charge that Mueller did not indict on.
Nadler should simply hold every cabinet member in contempt as they really do have contempt for him. As do a lot of US voters. This may not play out so well for the Democrats in 2020.
4
8 months from today.
William Barr is indicted and found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury and sent to prison.
Barr is in his prison cell, sitting on a stool and looks up to see scratched on the wall:
“John Mitchell was here September 1977–March 1979”
8
It’s not ideal for the country but it’s clear this is heading for the courts. And maybe that is a good thing because half the country doesn’t trust The lower house and the other half doesn’t trust the senate or the President.
3
@James Unfortunately the ruling - whatever that may be, will almost certainly be accepted by the part of the country that agrees with it, seen as proof of court bias by the part that rejects it, and ignored by the part of America that have tuned out of politics and don't vote.
2
Naive question, perhaps, but here goes.....
In Senate testimony over the Mueller report, Lindsey Graham mentioned a “classified room”, where, presumably, members of the Senate were free to peruse the undredacted report. You can watch it yourself; it’s on YouTube. Repeat: members of the Senate, including, I assume, Democratic senators, had access to the unredacted report that the House is currently demanding.
So , presumably, there are Democratic senators that have seen the full report. I’m going to assume there is some statute that prohibits communication of classified material between the House and Senate.
If there is incriminating evidence about Trump in the redacted sections of the Mueller report, then why haven’t any Democratic senators spoken out about the smoking gun everyone seems to think these sections contain?
2
@Bill Lehan
Democrats haven’t bothered to read it under the conditions set by DOJ. Same thing happened with Kavanaugh-Amy Klobuchar was the only Democrat to read the source documents despite them being available under similar conditions. Democrats are too busy giving TV and radio interviews to do their jobs. Wonder if Schiff gets hair and makeup for those appearances?
Time to impeach.
6
@tme143
Please do.
1
Congratulations! Chairman Nadler. You have now told all foreign countries to go on the offensive, China for the latest example,
but there will be others. And now, Rep. Nadler, your name will bear the blame, your's and Biden's.
2
@batazoid
Russia led the way, and it worked. Nadler is trying to prevent a repeat performance by Russia or any other country attempting to take advantage of naive American voters.
8
I could support some, not all of Nadler's concerns. However, when there is a very lightly redacted copy of the full report, available to all, and only a few republicans have made the trip to view it and no democrat has yet taken that walk, then I see no reason for any charge of contempt. From what I have read from many sites is that the redacted info is grand jury information which is protected; it cannot be disclosed or revealed and this law was enacted by congress, both gems and repubs.
It would be far better for Nadler and company to read the lightly redacted restricted report and then, if they have a specific question or many, then ask for more info. But to blatantly hold someone in contempt of congress for NOT breaking the law is a contemptible act in and of itself and is not worthy of respect.
10
Nadler, and the public, have access to the Mueller report with minor redactions required by laws passed in the house.
How ignorant do Democrats think we are?
9
@OldEngineer
What's to hide from qualified members of the co-equal branch??
The non-redacted version is not for the public, but only for qualified members of Congress.
What's to hide?
5
@Kenneth Brady
It is my understanding that an unredacted copy is available for viewing by representatives... and that no Democrat has gone to read it.
1
This is what happens when coastal elites cannot believe their Establishment candidate lost to an outsider?
8
You do know Trump is a lifelong New Yorker who rode a golden escalator to announce his candidacy, right?
19
@Frank
So?
His dramatic support of the American worker disqualifies him from the Club of Elites.
2
@Dr. John: Dramatic support? Like stiffing contractors?
13
Let the all out war begin.
1
@Daphne
RIGHT ON. !!
2
Stupid is as stupid does and Barr embraced it with knowing arms.
3
What is being fought over is "the underlying evidence." For innocent people, there is good reason to fight because, with the Mueller team's documents in hand, the Democrats will apply an hysterical re-interpretation, which will be repeated, embellished and promoted by most of the media.
Oh, the deceit and demagoguery it takes to save our democracy from Trump.
3
It looks like the USA no longer has a Justice Department.
8
Justice is blind and her balance is for weighing gold and power and the sword is for the fools.
1
How bad an AG is Bill Barr? He’s making Matt Whitaker look good.
7
@Robert O.
Tell us about Loretta and Bill talking about grandchildren and golf.
6
@Dr. John
Lol. That was a casual conversation when Bill was long out of power. Barr was AG testilying to Congress.
Fox watchers are so deluded ....
12
We are at the mercy of the Democrats to get to the truth as given the amount of lies, even on things they don't have to lie about (inaugural crowd size) has been overwhelming.
This is not a "different" kind of president, this is a Putin puppet sowing discourse in our country and Republicans seem thrilled at that prospect. Time to fly the flag upside down for a country in distress.
5
Trump brought this deep distrust on himself because, even to amateurs, he always appears to have conflicts of interest. His DC hotel, the Florida estate, his golf courses with presidential seals, his daughter's early attempt to use the WH position to sell her apparel line, and her husband's ability to address both public and private business, screams that the whole family knows their position is good for the family firm. In spite of book deals and speaking fees, most past presidents haven't had so many business ventures that could benefit from such free publicity and immediate profit.
But seeing the unredacted Mueller report and Trump's taxes is crossing legal red lines and could hurt the Democrats. Do they really need more than they have? Wouldn't it be better if conflcit of interest laws were addressed instead to make it unattractive for Trump or future Trumps to occupy the WH? Congress controls the purse. They should make the job of president less attractive to flagrant self-serving egoists so they will look for more lucrative pickings elsewhere.
Everyone knows Trump is a showboat, a dishonest salesman and business with him was buyer beware. Congress should make sure the rules compel a less self-serving occupant for the WH. Or is it also not in the interest of many of their number to do that? Many people I know think the whole government is crooked. Congress should start making laws to prove them wrong if they can?
2
I've heard talk that Congress has the power to arrest and jail those who defy their subpoenas. Only an action that aggressive will make clear to the defiers that Congress means business in its defense of our democracy. Letting the courts settle it is just another way for Congress to surrender its power and absolute responsibility—to both the judiciary and the executive branch.
8
If saving the country from treasonous buffoons is political then - yeah - the Democrats are being political.
14
I'm reminded of that line early in The Lord of the Rings, when the Black Riders are searching for Frodo and the hobbits have sounded an alarm throughout the Shire: "Let the little people blow. Sauron will deal with them later." I think that's the attitude of this administration: let the Democrats go through their quaint little legal procedures. They'll find out soon enough which laws hold any weight, and they're not any that can be applied to this president. But he can certainly find ways to use laws that will stick against the Democrats - and the more brazenly hypocritical he acts, the more powerful he will appear to his base, because they just love seeing those Democratic hobbits squirm.
While I applaud the Democrats for taking any and all action, it's mostly so that they will go down in history as at least trying to do something before democracy died once and for all. Trump has the One Ring and we are all doomed.
3
Democracy dying once and fir all, we’re doomed - the overwrought theme music from the hobbit movies would be just about right
Since Trump and his cronies are trying to keep the TRUTH from coming out, I think it's HIGH TIME that someone who was part of this 2 year investigation to be the HERO and LEAK the unredacted report to the public.
Our country NEEDS such a HERO right about now!
After all, our tax dollars paid for this report, thus we are ENTITLED to see all of it!
2
These morons in the Trump administration should look up United States v. Nixon (1974). Claiming executive privilege on a justice department investigative report that has no military or national security implications gets two thumbs down from the judiciary. No justice on the Supreme Court sided with Nixon then, and Trump can bet his sorry behind none will start now.
Nixon delivered his resignation just 16 days after that court decision. CNN, start the clock!
6
@JSC. The Trump administration will just find a way to claim it does have national security impact. What impact might that be? “Well, I’m afraid we can’t tell you that, because, um, national security.”
4
The president of the United States will not release a full report on an attempt by the KGB to interfere with the functioning of the federal government and that apparently exonerates him of any involvement in an attempted coup in the United States.
How is that not suspicious and bad optics?
8
Bill Barr never had a good name to sully.
16
As a 63 year old who was in HS during Nixon and in elementary school during the Cold War , I can say that this is not the United States of America I was once proud of .
But I still believe that good will win out over evil. I still believe that patriotism for this beautiful Democracy or Republic , as quoted by Benjamin Franklin , that was created by the brave men like John Adams will live on . I must believe . Because the future of my children and grandchildren depend on it .
Vote in 2020 not just for president but for your Senator as if your freedom depends on it , because it does. Trump is determined to be America’s first dictator . If he gets re-elected and the courts don’t step in and do the right thing , my heart will grieve the loss of this once magnificent Democracy I loved and of a country I was so proud of .
21
@KarenE We are not a democracy, we are a democratic republic. And also let’s see some evidence that Trump wants to be a dictator.
5
It’s in the making, otherwise, it’d be too late.
The frog is stewing.
3
Politics
Witch hunt
Using subpoena as a optical weapon
That is the crisis
Scary abuse of power by Congress
15
@Joe Yoh: No, the House is doing its constitutionally mandated job. The Senate, not so much.
15
The parts of the reports that are redacted, are redacted BY LAW. Barr, by law, had to redact portions of the report that dealt with the grand jury testimony. How is everyone missing this? Trump and Barr didn't get together and decide not to include these things. The law states that they can't be included. If Congress wants to change that, they can change the law: they created it in the first place.
The Democrats are constantly trying to trap everyone into perjury and obstruction. They tried it with Kavanaugh. They are doing it to Barr. This is sick and disgusting.
18
It’s about time that Congress held Barr in contempt. I still don’t get it - Barr lied through his teeth. Anyone with half a brain sees that. How do you justify Barr lying to Congress?
7
@Ben Smith: Not true. A court can grant exceptions to disclosure of grand jury deliberations and that was what Democrats proposed that Barr and the House Judiciary Committee would request together. Barr refused. The House is doing its constitutionally mandated job. And you don’t know if Barr and Trump didn’t get together one way or another.
3
@Ben Smith
That is not what Nadler is asking for . He is asking for Barr to ask the courts for an exception , as has been granted before in this type of important situation.
You know ,all of this could have been avoided if the Dems didn’t re write the rules after the Clinton investigation that were once for the “independent counsel “ , not “ special counsel “ that we have now. Before , the independent counsel answered to no one and had complete authority to show the public the entire report . Well the Dems, rightfully so , didn’t like that Starr went on a fishing expedition and turned it into an account of a sexual encounter between two consenting adults. So they changed the rules so that now only a special counsel can be appointed and they must answer to the A.G. Well now the shoe is on the other foot and we blew it . Just like how Harry Reid changed the rules for appellate court judges that you don’t have to have the 60 vote threshold for appointments. That opened the door up for McConnell to extend it to Supreme Court justices .
This is not a very good feeling if you’re a Democrat.
5
Isn't it time to March Americans? You guys stopped the Vietnam war - are you all paralyzed? How long will it take to save your democracy and possibly mine as well.
17
@BettyInToronto Stopping the Vietnam war was a mistake that cost thousands their freedom. We had largely won the ,but then congress lost the will to fight.
What rationale does Nadler and Schiff have for demanding that Barr turn over elements of the Mueller report precluded by law from being released such as the grand jury testimony. Both Democrats understand this. They have been playing a game since the initial report that Barr had received the report. The Democrats wanted the full report immediately and cried repeatedly to anyone who would listen. Why? Because they wanted to put first spin on the report. Sorry, but the independent counsel law specifies that the report goes to the AG. What regard did Schiff and Nadler show to the legal requirements of classified information protection? None! What regard did they show to the legal requirements of grand jury testimony? None! They still demand when they could have gone to court themselves.
They know the history of the legal struggle between the executive branch and the legislative branch and understand that the issues are complex and will ultimately be sorted out by the courts (which the Dems usually have no hesitancy to invoke). So let them.
Now let me question all the lefties who assailed Trump for treason for two long years. You know who you are both in Congress and as writers in these commentaries. Do you take back your words of treason? Do you apologize? Do you believe the Hilary campaign was treasonous for paying anti -Trump investigative firm and spy using many of the same sources close to the Russian govt to try to take down Trump. I bet not. Same song GET TRUMP refrain.
13
@edward smith: If Mueller’s report fully exonerated Trump and found no collusion, why would he object to making it public? Grand jury testimony can be disclosed if a court allows it upon request, which is what was requested that the house judiciary committee and Barr would do together. Barr refused. Hillary Clinton’s campaign engaged in perfectly legal opposition research that was started by a Republican donor. Nothing treasonous about that. And I did not hear any Hillary Clinton supporters chant “Get Trump”, but at Trump rallies his supporters couldn’t get enough of yelling “Lock her up”. Get real please.
6
All of this could take years. And years of the Dems being slammed for interfering with running the country. Perfect ammunition for the Trump cult. But we have an election only a year away, not years, and if we don't win, the Republicans will make sure the Dems' investigation gets flushed. Nadler, etc. should keep it up, no doubt about that, but the public image of the Dems should be of people working for the American people, and of Republicans blocking their every move. Put the emphasis on the good the Dems doing and the spotlight on McConnell and his toadies doing everything they can to get in the way. Who's going to look better come next November? The ones who do are the ones who will win.
9
Every Republican holding office in Congress is betraying his oath of office and is therefore becoming a traitor to the United States. Any voter casting their vote for a Republican candidate is making a decision to undermine our democracy. Why do I state this? Read the letter signed by over 800 former prosecutors. How many knowledgeable lawyers stating in unequivocal terms that indictable crimes were committed does it take for those who support the Criminal in Chief to come to their senses?
16
In Canada, we don't have separate legislative and executive branches. So, it might seem far fetched for Parliament to try to hold a senior public servant "in contempt". But, if and when it happens, there is a way to express Parliament's contempt. Cut the salary of the senior public servant to $1.
These actions seldom come to fruition. But, just threatening them can bring a hauty public servant back into line.
I had the occasion to be involved with just such an action 40 years ago. The head of our post office was determined to push through expense saving measures that offended many Members of Parliament. So, I arranged to seek out support from committee Members to reduce his salary to a dollar.
Then, we confronted him. He pointed out that what we proposed to do wouldn't work because the government would restore his salary. I agreed. But, I also pointed out that we had the votes to pass such a measure in budgetary committee and did he want that displeasure to be recorded even if it were later reversed?
He thought it over and changed his mind. The "power of the purse" is not a trivial one.
4
@formerpolitician
Elected officials shouldn't serve for money in the United States - but if they do I sippose that's their business. The "power of the purse" arguement perhaps makes more sense in Canada, where The Crown owns all the land.
1
@T.G.The Crown does not "own all the land" in Canada. My experience is that no politician or senior public servant in Canada "serves for the money".
But, public rebukes count. And the threat to "reduce a person's salary to a dollar"is a highly symbolic expression of political displeasure. It can work.
1
Watergate 2.0
7
@Bernie R.
Watergate for Dummies ?
3
I know it could be a long process, but I hope that Democrats don't back down. I hope they don't make any giveaway compromises. they voted, get the full House to vote, go to court and if there is going to be any "compromise" it needs to be a rational and reasonably full report that the House committee gets. Meanwhile, the Democrats need not waste time. If and as soon as possible, just call Robert Mueller to testify. Go right to the horse's mouth, so to speak. And why can't they get an unredacted report from Mueller?
9
According to Sarah Sanders, "The American people see through Chairman Nadler’s desperate ploy..."
"The American people", she asserts.
Clearly, her idea of "The American people" does not include the overwhelming majority of Americans.
16
the Democrats fear what Barr will find in the DOJ'S Investigation on The Steele Dosier produced by the Clinton campaign...along with the FBI putting an undercover informant in the Trump campaign...the truth will hurt the democrats...that's the real story...
9
@rs They'll find that the report was commissioned by a Republican primary opponent before it was given to the Clinton campaign, who chose not to use it. Too bad they didn't. Might have cost our Russian puppet the election.
4
I commented earlier that the focus should be on the work the Dems are doing for their constituents. I'm not saying the Mueller investigation should be discontinued, I'm saying that it shouldn't be all we talk about. It doesn't matter that McConnell and his toadies will roadblock everything the Dems present, in fact it's a positive. Let the country see who is working for the people and who is not. Put the light on what the Republicans are doing to destroy this country by refusing to govern. It's not about passing laws and it's not about the investigation. It's about taking back our democracy on November 3, 2020.
4
Maybe Mr. Barr has sullied his own name. Certainly the report won't do it unless he already has. Perhaps we'll see him as protector devoted to justice. Or not.
2
Yes! Yes! Yes! It is long past time we stopped trump and his Republican Party from abusing the rest of us. Kudos to the Dems for finding their spines.
11
What a surprise.
This isn't the least bit politically motivated.
I'm so glad the Democrats & the press didn't sink down to Trump's level after the election in 2016.
I'm so glad to see so many great people running for President in 2020.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
5
Kabuki of the lowest order.
4
So the pseudo-impeachment has begun...
5
Need more proof of obstruction, Mitch?
12
Those who claim the House’s actions are politically motivated fail to realize the House is the “people’s house”, and currently the majority of Americans agree with the “politically motivated”. If there was ever a way for one party to lose the Senate, the Republicans are providing a road map.
15
ll one more plank in the case for obstruction. Perhaps they could fine Barr $5000 for everyday he refuses to testify.
I wouldn't ne surprised if the Grand Jury testimony included indicting the President and others on obstruction. Which Barr redacted out because they couldn't indict the president.
9
Re: Online NYT Headline
I''m wondering how the "House Panel Votes to Recommend Contempt" is possible. Either one is held in contempt or not. I think the Washington Post online headline got it right "House Panel Votes to Hold Barr in Contempt...." This is the "subtle", but important difference, between NYT and WAPO. "Softball news" coming from the NYT that misleads or suggests something other than what it is. NYT is pro Republican, pro Trump, more and more each day.
2
Nearly 800 former federal prosecutors say they would've charged Trump based on the redacted Mueller report.
Time for select committees in congress to see the full and unredacted report... because IT MATTERS in the context of holding a sitting president accountable to the rule of law.
18
I do not understand why the President would assert executive priviledge.
Do House Democrats not have a right to review the full report? Are Intelligence Committee members not able to view sensitive or classified information? Was the investigation not conducted under DOJ guidelines? Are Democrats not Americans? Are Congressmen and women not elected? What exactly is the basis of the priviledge claim?
18
So it is clear now that the obstructor in chief will be and should be impeached. I did not think that that would be a constructive thing to do before the Mueller report came out, but I do now. The reason is crystal clear for the reason why he should be impeached. He has chosen to stone wall all efforts to let the full congress grade the Mueller report. We the people paid for the report and elected our representatives to check our co-equal parts of government. How can a co-equal part government do its job if it can not read the report for itself and then ask questions before it acts on the facts?
So my first thought about who should ask the questions during the impeachment is none other than Mr. Mueller III. It would be the best thing since sliced bread, and so poetic !!!
3
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a traitor to the American public who pay her salary. The request and subpoena of information that has been requested is an American rightful claim and needs to be accommodated forthwith. For truth and justice to win out over obstruction and lies, all Americans must speak out in defense of our constitution and the checks and balances in place in our great Democracy.
17
Sara Huckabee Sanders is just gofer taking orders from Trump and a den of Liars in the WH.
Just imagine what history will record about her as a spokesperson for the president of the United States.
Obviously she is not thinking about her children years from now when Trump is long gone.
7
As much as I am not a fan of Trump, isn’t it hypocritical of Americans to throw tantrums about Russian interference in the election. US interferes in many countries internal business and elections. So, now you may have a puppet. Simmer down folks. Vote him out if you can.
5
I suspect that this latest maneuver by Nadler will cause both Trump and Barr to fold their tent and slink away. Such is the power of outraged Democrat congresspeople.
4
Those who would be so brazen to protect, cover for, and defend such blatant criminals should be charged as criminals themselves. If Trump and his mafia republicans are allowed to continue unchecked and without consequences our democracy is dead.
10
Pelosi's "death by a thousand cuts" is the way to go. Hearings, contempt suits against Trump and his minions (i.e. Mnuchin and Barr) and firing up the Dem's base will be far more effective than an impeachment move. Impeachment can't possibly succeed with McConnell and his Republican henchmen running the Senate, rendering it as a fool's errand. Surely enlightened Democrats know this. Don't give the right wingers a backlash opportunity with an impeachment move that can't possibly succeed !
11
@dajoebabe "Can't possibly succeed?" You mean, like the impeachment move against Nixon that led him to resign before it even came to the floor of the House? My, you scare easily.
To the extent we still have law and order in this country (and that is doubtful), this situation needs to be addressed immediately. We are already left to the mercy of the courts as things stand and we know how that can go. No one person and his/her cohorts can be allowed to single handedly run this country and escape the law.
6
If (as Trump and the Republicans have repeated as nauseum) the investigation was a complete exoneration of the President, they should be eager for Congress, the American people, and the world see the Mueller Report in it's entirety. They should want everyone to see the underlying evidence as well, as I'm sure it will demonstrate what a thorough, unbiased investigation the Mueller team performed.
Think of the rally fodder this could provide for anyone seeking office! According to their own words, this would be a dream result--not only would the President and his campaign be completely vindicated, Republicans could portray all Democrats of being petty sore losers.
"Methinks thou dost protest too much"
9
All this pressure is gonna give Donny the yips in his next golf game he promised he wouldn't have time to play.
7
wouldn't it be laughable
if it weren't almost outrageously sad?
“The American people see through Chairman Nadler’s
desperate ploy to distract from the president’s historically
successful agenda and our booming economy,”
[Sandra Huckabee Sanders] said in a statement.
“Neither the White House nor Attorney General Barr will comply
with Chairman Nadler’s unlawful and reckless demands.”
[apart from that, i have always wondered
why the focus was on "collusion" and not
on djt's lies, CORRUPTION, tax evasion, theft?]
_____________________
throughout their history, the US of A have induced
at least 80 regime changes, interfering in elections,
backstabbing, using military force, killing heads of state[s],
thus causing extreme discomfort to the people[s] affected.
now, for the first time, the US of A seem to be affected.
but russia is not the worst enemy.
this is not about "east" vs. "west".
nor about "prisons & communism" vs. "freedom & democracy".
the main antagonism, i.e. war, is between "rich" and "poor".
[remember warren buffet saying his side is winning, again.]
are we really going to let them?
1
If the Democrats can somehow retrieve all of the infinity stones, we can defeat Thanos...er, Trump...once and for all.
2
When did Putin contact Trump to tell him he was assisting his campaign? Was it toward the end, as an "FYI", to let him know that the Russian State had already done all the hard work, hacked the DNC servers, sent the data to Wikileaks, just to let him know that the info would soon be public?
Or did they contact him early on, to let them know they were embarking on a great deal of work on his behalf? To let him know, in essence, that Trump would owe Russia if they succeeded?
Who believes Putin is so stupid, as to to do all of that work without the simple phone call binding Trump to his conspiracy? What good does it do him to tell Trump at the end? The answer is none. He told Trump in advance, because that is how he created leverage.
10
@ turgid
Correct . Excellently said . Bravo !!
It’s so obvious. Trump is a thug , Putin is a thug , they made a deal , period .
Why can’t they subpoena the interpreter’s notes from that disgraceful Helsinki meeting where Trump threw his own country under the bus ? What did Putin and Trump say to each other there ? It was a quid pro quo , no doubt .
14
Great comment! In my eyes, Trump is a traitor. There’s no proof....yet....but it’s out there!
We have outright criminals in the executive branch, criminals who feel cornered. Arrests need to be made.
14
The majority of American voters don’t really know what impeachment means and that’s why they’re against it. I only know because Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains it very well.
10
Impeaching Barr should follow, along with contempt charges for Mnuchin and anyone else who refuses to cooperate. Some jail time would probably have a salutory effect, as well. Impeaching Trump would also change the rules of evidence and force him to comply or be found in contempt of Congress, in and of itself an impeachable offense. The Demsocrats have little other choice left at this juncture. Impeachment is not about removal, it is about accountability and protecting the integrity of the Constitution and institutions of government. If they can't run on this and win in 2020, there is something seriously wrong with the country.
14
President refused to testify because he was afraid. He’s still afraid and now taking the Fifth. Not all the testimony is protected. It assert privileges every day in my practice as a lawyer. You separated what is privileged from what is not; produce what is not privileged (generally the vast majority of documents) and create a privilege log (identify document by date and state why it is privileged), so that the party that seeks production can evaluate and a court can easily review in camera if necessary. It is extremely rare that a blanket assertion of privilege is in good faith. From thirty plus years in the litigation business take this tidbit-the first question (beyond privacy issues) one asks when deciding whether to assert privilege is “what harm will it cause if produced?” If the answer is “no or little harm” you don’t fight production. If you are fighting hard, the answer is likely “significant harm.” I produce helpful (to my client) privileged material without waiving privilege, all the time.
4
None of this makes any sense to me. What a strange, twisted, pathetic excuse for government you have.
9
@Flossy...years in the making. We shall overcome. We do agree with your comment and will right this ship in time. I am confident our military will save us from this wannabe dictator. The guy has absolutely no clue but that's why he's beloved in the bottom 30% of our country.
I'm in full support of the House of Representatives withholding pay for anyone not complying with subpoenas including those in the WH.
3
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler is a tough, no-nonsense guy. So why, when he says we're in a "Constitutional crisis," is he reluctant even to utter the I-word? Impeachment must be on the table. This is obstruction and assertion of what Republicans loved to call the "Imperial Presidency," when it was Democrat Barack Obama, that is the essence of the crisis. Donald Trump is now moved beyond obstruction into criminal contempt and executive overreach that in essence is an attempt to overturn [aka a "coup" to overthrow] the Constitution and Congress as a co-equal branch of government and to replace it with authoritarian rule. The House absolutely must regard such a massive obstruction under the flimsy guise of "executive privilege" as Article 1 in obstruction of justice by Donald J. Trump. They must move forward, as the Watergate investigation did, on two fronts--seeking intervention by the courts and hearings on impeachment. Our Constitutional democracy is now openly under attack and dithering and hand-wringing by the House Democrats only plays into Trump's "tyrannical" (as Rep. Nadler said) hands.
6
If you’re so certain there was obstruction (and underlying malfeasance in the first place), stop playing footsie and go for impeachment. There’s a reason Nadler doesn’t - upon delivery of the Mueller report Dems suddenly realized that actual resolution of the matter won’t be favorable to them. Better to drag it out rather than take an L, they seem to have concluded
5
We have two alternate and contradictory views of reality, and are putting our judges in the position of having to choose between them (or find some way to avoid a choice). This is a clear failure of our citizenry, which should discuss among itself and make the decision of what is real and what is fake news.
Instead, our citizenry has divided into three camps: the Trumpsters, the antitrumpsters, and the moderates who want a compromise between the two realities.
The moderates do not want to plunge into our political cesspool and swim around until they get enough facts and insight to decide between the two views of reality. Some do not want to spend time and effort on the matters political that they usually avoid. They want to make their decisions on the basis of moderation and compromise, rejecting the heated rhetoric of both sides. They want everyone to be nice and move forward, leaving past disagreements aside on what is real, or papering them over. They do not want to take sides; instead, they want the sides to go away.
Politically, they are lazy, selfish, and cowardly (imho, of course). The Trumpsters are nuts. They must be forgiven (and marginalized), because they know not what they do. Moderates could be sane, but do not want to take the effort and risk. They shut the Thanksgiving dinner fights down, shifting conversation to safe topics, rather than undertaking the risk and hard work of moderating them. They will cost us our form of government.
1
So, the administration does not object to Donald Jr.'s appearance before the Senate committee ( Republican led ), but only to those appearing before the House committees ( led by Democrats ). Please Senate Dems, do your homework and sharpen up those questions. We're counting on you to shed light on the actions of this "lawless administration." Be bold!
5
For those looking on this from afar, the US democracy looks broken. Surely Barr should be jailed.
15
Absolutely appalling! I will NEVER have anything to do with the Republican Party ever again. Donald Trump obviously hiding information. Republicans want to save yourselves- do the right thing and get rid of Trump. This is a horror show for the United States.
6
Sir:Does your region have a college nearby.Sign up for non-credit constitutional class.
I think this President would try to arrest anyone from saying anything bad about him and Barr, McConnell, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh would support the President.
4
I do not believe that democrats and republicans have an honest disagreement about the facts. I believe that most republicans know full well that Trump is a crook and a liar and an incompetent. I believe that Barr knows that he perjured himself. I believe most rank-and-file republicans know they are in the wrong.
The problem is that they just don’t care. They hate liberals that much. They hate them for their smug self-righteousness and their condescending attitude, and all manner of perceived slights. They hate them for winning the civil war and the civil rights war and the culture wars. They hate liberals because they exposed watergate and Iran-Contra and Plamegate and Abu Graib.
They are motivated by a toxic mix of spite, self-loathing, bigotry and tribalism. I don’t see it ending with Trump. We have sad sick angry brothers and sisters and they are here to stay.
30
Contempt of Congress? How about contempt for the American people and the Constitution? Some might say triggering a wholly unnecessary constitutional crisis, as Barr is doing, should be grounds for the ultimate punishment. It is treason, after all.
15
The House should impeach Barr or do whatever it takes to remove him from office. A more partisan hack has never been seen. Our highest law enforcement official in the entire country is a liar and a perjurer.
16
Top ranking Dems refused to view a very lightly redacted Mueller report because it wouldn't be available to everyone. Grand jury testimony in the report is being protected at this point which is the legal standard as I understand it. Perhaps a judge will rule it can be made public.
Trump behaves badly a lot of the time. However, Mueller's in depth investigation found no collusion with the Russians which is what the media and the Dems have been feeding on for 2 years & which Trump has been tweeting about for 2 years. Love or hate the President, all Americans should be glad of that finding. Re. obstruction? I'm not a lawyer, but think that would be an uphill battle. The Dems should just go for impeachment if they truly believe some deep dark information is being hidden from them.
Why don't they?
6
What IS obstruction?
Not a legal term so... pls explain
@Catherine
I didn't see the media "feeding on" Trump collusion with the Russians. I only saw Trump doing his utter best to make as much smoke as possible, followed by Mueller jailing many of his staff and 13 Russians, and a report that gives at least ten instances of obstruction of justice and that asks Congress to take it over from there.
And now, when Congress tries to do exactly that, all of a sudden Barr refuses to answer the House's questions, whereas Trump is so afraid that Mueller would testify about the report that he wants to prohibit him from doing so.
In other words, once again Trump is doing everything he can to make as much smoke as possible.
In such circumstances, it's not up to you or me to simply guess what Trump is hiding, it's up to bipartisan congressional committees to investigate and find it out.
3
@Adam Stoleri
Sorry you missed the point. Obstruction of justice.
Democrats are going to lose in 2020 and jerry nadler is one of the reasons why. I really don’t want to vote for trump (Hillary in 2016) but this democratic spectacle is pushing me away.
9
@Mike Engen
In that case, start reading the Constitution, and you will know why voting for a Democrat is now more important than ever, if you want to be a patriot.
5
It should be clear to members on both sides of the aisle that Donald Trump is continuing to obstruct justice by stringing his objections out in court until the 2020 elections.
The Republicans want to retain their power as the majority in the Senate, on the Supreme Court bench, and in the Executive Branch. The Trump Republicans have markedly, made no secret of ignoring the Constitution and the needs of the American people. They abandoned their oath to serve the country when they saw that greed, avarice, racism, sexism, tax fraud and low wages were okay with their president.
Senate Republicans haven't bothered to vote on anything the Constitution says they are responsible for, like troop movement, tariffs, trade wars, leaving international accords or threatening war. They have lazily, and corruptly, let Trump do as he wishes -- a man disdainful of the law, human beings, truth, fact -- so that they can keep their base happy, a small group of rich donors, a vociferous group of Fox News fans, and the silent rest, who "always vote Republican".
A subpoena is a legal order to appear, and it's a misdemeanor to disobey it. Barr, Rosenstein, any persons part of their inner circle at DOJ must recuse themselves from determining whether they can be prosecuted. If not, the law and the Constitution mean nothing.
The Declaration of Independence calls on Americans to abolish their government if it does not protect their safety and happiness. It's time to vote the Republicans out.
7
Instead of just whining, House Republicans should explain in detail why they don't believe contempt of Congress is unnecessary and why this is a Democratic manufactured crisis. I'd love to hear what they have to say.
6
Wasn’t this a democracy at one time?
8
After America wakes up from this nightmare, it should reconsider the overwhelming powers given to its president who in this case can abuse them to be the ultimate judge of his own crimes. So far for democracy.
5
This will take years. No one is going to do anything. We are watching the beginning of the end of our republic. For what? Just a run of the mill con man and his ego. What a sad end to our noble American experiment.
5
So Trump wants to bar anyone from seeing the report that “exonerates him”. That makes perfect sense.
13
I came home from work to specifically watch CSpan to listen without the talking heads. Many of us have read the Mueller report in detail three or four times ,
America does have a very good public school system and we learn civics and develop critical thinking skills.
If every GOP representative now doesn’t want to see the report it is like a victim of domestic violence just keeps walking into a door. We all know the truth but refuse to acknowledge the insidious harm being perpetrated
We know abuse is taking place but see no evil when it is time to take a political stand , the GOP show there hatred for democracy decided that
the Constitution nor the American people matter.
A big step forward happened today for the American people and democracy. We will overcome this madness.
These madmen are going down the only people breaking the law is the con man in charge and his minions, traitors to democracy just go and live on Russia or Saudi Arabia don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
5
Trump and his minions have held us citizens in contempt during his whole career. It's time we reciprocated.
7
The vote was strictly along partisan lines.
How plausible is it that Trump and Barr are flouting "the law" when not a single Republican can be found to support the charge of "contempt of Congress"?
Why doesn't this look instead like still another partisan witch hunt which the Democrats can't stop themselves from pursuing, no matter how ginned up the pretext?
Desperation and incontinence on their part does not make a Constitutional crisis on the part of the American people.
3
As a very educated tax-paying person I thoroughly believe the political gamesdmanship must end!
3
My guess is that virtually none of the commentators to this article have read the full Mueller Report and know how inconsequential the redactions are. Moreover, they are wholly ignorant of the law regarding release of grand jury testimony and evidence, etc. Barr has been imminently reasonable and is simply following the law. Congress has been given the opportunity to view the unredacted report, it just can't have a copy to leak from. The courts will eventually validate everything Barr has done.
This is political grandstanding at its worst. Democrats, stop harassing Barr just because he is going to look into Comey, Brennan, Clapper, McCabe, et al., and try governing for a change.
8
This sorry episode has raised new things for voters to take into account as they go into the voting booth. Since the politicization of the judiciary branch is now complete and out in the open, one must now pay attention to the types of judges that one’s preferred candidate would appoint. With the current conservative Trump court now in place neither May we expect any subsequent Supreme Court decision to be apolitical and/or impartial.
1
Sadly, the good part of all this back and forth comes from the president's demonstration that the system of checks and balances built into the constitution looks more like a swiss cheese when undergoing a stress test. So much for the framers of this document.
2
@Erik van Dort, when one side on the seesaw has been riding around with a giant hangman’s noose on its saddle horn for two years, that extra weight upsets the delicate checks and balance slightly and the other side is entitled a little free rein with executive privilege, in my TV Western-based opinion.
2
Any idea when the Dems or the media will start calling trump’s coverup a coverup
9
Mitch McConnell and his ilk are the real reason the system of checks and balances are crumbling. Saying this is all Trump's doing is giving the imbecile too much credit. It started with the precedent-setting blockage of Obama's SC nominee to replace Scalia. That just revealed their true nature and agenda, which they are so obsessed with, they're completely a-okay with the reckless endangerment this democracy. At some point, one has to question whether this is just run-of-the-mill party politicking or if something more nefarious and sinister is playing out before our eyes. Every violation of Trump's oath to the office of the presidency, every abuse of power, and blatant act with intent to obstruct a legitimate investigation into his misconduct, is enabled by these complicit Republicans, who, in my mind, are as guilty as this shameful president.
27
Nader has a tin ear to the desire of the American people to see a resolution to problems as opposed to additional, unnecessary “investigations” which are, of course, just Democrat fishing expeditions.
12
Sir:I ask,what is your definition of" unnecessary investigation ".
4
Fishing expeditions? How would you have responded if say the final 400-page Clinton investigation report was culled by the DoJ to 4 pages and they released with significant redactions? You and the rest of the GOP chorus would not have tolerated it. yet in the end, Trump appears guilty of far more serious crimes then Clinton. I'm hardly a loyal Democrat but I have to say I'm sick to death of Republican lies, obfuscation, and half truths. My hope is this this political sickness called Republicanism does after the next election. That what this stink party deserves.
5
@Roger Werner
Just so you know - Nadler opposed the release of report on Clinton. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
This is purely a symbolic gesture, but perhaps a useful one if it makes House Democrats more courageous about beginning impeachment proceedings.
2
Wait... so, Trump is going to “review the materials,” this would require him to read, and for that matter more than 160 characters. 400 pages of content written above a 3rd grade reading level is really going to push the limits here, we have a long wait in front of us. Maybe he’ll have storytime instead of nightly TV time? More likely he’ll just have someone read Barr’s summary to him and stick with the plan of “secrecy.”
11
Lol. Reading and Trump don't go together.
1
Good. I hear they teach a great refresher course on the Constitution in the Congressional lock-up. And perhaps it will dawn on AG Barr that he actually works for the American people, not just DJT.
11
Democrats MUST confront this lawless administration. Our constitution does not permit the President or his cabinet and sub-cabinet officials to block legitimate investigation and oversight by Congress. There is no doubt at all that the Judiciary Committee's desire to see the Mueller report in its entirety, with all evidence, is completely appropriate and definitely tied to a legislative purpose.
11
This situation is not black and white. Congress's subpoena power is not unlimited. There is information--such as a highly placed intelligence source in another country--that if it were revealed via subpoena by Congress would do great damage to the country's interests (and the source). I am disappointed in both sides. The House is showing no recognition of the legitimate limits to their subpoena power, making them appear as unreasonable (and political) as Barr does.
5
"The executive privilege assertion was Mr. Trump’s first use of the secrecy powers as president. The Justice Department described it as “protective” to allow Mr. Trump time to fully review the materials to make a final privilege determination."
About how long will it take, breaking the 400+ pages of the Mueller report down into 280-character tweets (and how do you count the characters in a redaction?), for President Trump to read the document? I realize it matters not, that his mind (such as it is) is already made up, but it would be of some reassurance to know that, yes, he actually did read something longer than a one-liner.
4
Kerri Kupec has two Twitter accounts,one of which is personal wherein she issues a disclaimer that her tweets do not represent the DoJ. However, in looking at her "official" Twitter account as a representative of the DoJ, it is clear that the content is the same and that she is a spokesperson for Trump.
How did that happen that the DoJ has hired a spokesperson for Trump? Why is a DoJ lawyer speaking out on behalf of Trump?
What is going on that the DoJ has combined with Trump in his quest to hide his crimes?
We need some answers to those questions.
13
"Unfortunately, the only side who has made accommodations is the attorney general, who made extraordinary efforts to provide Congress and the public with information about the Special Counsel’s work.”
Extraordinary? What Republican Mueller himself wrote is that Barr instead completely distorted the conclusions of his report.
And then Barr went on to refuse to even appear for House hearings at all.
So what exactly did he do to "accommodate" Congress, more precisely?
And where in the Constitution is it written that somehow Congress should "make accommodations" when a special counsel report describes obstruction of justice and leaves it to Congress to investigate and act in the first place ... ?
This GOP government has gone completely crazy.
14
@Ana Luisa
"What Republican Mueller himself wrote is that Barr instead completely distorted the conclusions of his report."
Nonsense. Mueller said no such thing. Read the letter.
4
A huge thanks to the House Democrats, for doing their job. This can't be easy for them, but they're rising to the occasion .
17
Things have gotten so bad, that when Democrats wanted to see a copy of the constitution, they were denied. The president declared that the constitution falls under executive privilege.
6
William P. Barr just made history. Our grandchildren will read about him if our country survives the Trump presidency.
7
The real "constitutional" crisis was reported by the UN regarding human driven extinction and environmental destruction.
This is the clattering collapse of a long broken and untenable conceit to guard privilege, and convince a large portion of the world it is participating in decisions about their own fate.
Complex rule sets invariably collapse on themselves. Electing Trump was the last great act of nihilism.
Time is running out, and our eye is so far off the ball it is no wonder we do not understand the score.
4
Every Dept of Justice official who does not agree with the refusal by Trump and his lackey Barr to turn over the Mueller report, should walk out in a show of support.
4
trump just won again. the democrats who are aware of the prognosis are running and screaming silly. due to the executive privilege claim, this will now go to the court system leading to the supreme court and will be settled after the 2020 election. In the meantime, there will not be anything available to leak, take out of context, spin, amplify and echo by the sleazy democratic congressmen (women) taken illegally from the grand jury, redacted or underlying evidence sections of the report. After 2020, this largely becomes a mute point. Hopefully now Barr will very aggressively investigate and prosecute the democrats who funded and proliferated the obstruction of government function caused by fake Steele dossier. Of course, the democrats are trying to discredit Barr by the contempt charge because they see this coming, but it will not matter just as it did not matter for E Holder.
5
“Unfortunately, the only side who has made accommodations is the attorney general, who made extraordinary efforts to provide Congress and the public with information about the Special Counsel’s work.”
So, redacting large portions of a document over the course of several weeks, and writing the equivalent of a grade school book report while withholding comprehensive summaries written by competent by members of the team who spent 2 years working on the investigation is “extraordinary?” Talk about setting the bar as low as you possibly can. Imagine if he had show up to testify, his actions could have been considered “Herculean,” or even “against all odds,”
6
Trump, with the assistance of "Pastor" Pence has the unmitigated support of the evangelicals.
Trump personifies all that the Christian evangelical movement stands for. He is their Jesus and their direct messenger from God. They have high expectations that he will bring the Apocalypse and they can be "raptured" and taken to Trump heaven. Unfortunately, they will find that Trump and his ilk are in the "other" heaven.
If you think I am making this up, just take the time to talk to one of them.
4
The histrionics of the GOP judiciary committee members today was almost as bad as the Cohen hearing. Why are the republicans so eager to debase themselves for an admitted crook and conman?
8
I hope the Dems just keep going. These tactics are certain to get Trump re-elected.
7
This should more appropriately be called "Contemptible Congress".
2
Trump's obstruction of justice continues.
4
We all knew it would come to this so let’s do what is right and begin the impeachment process.
The GOP has gone off the rails. Any voter that approves of this larceny ain’t going to be voting for a Democrat in 2020 anyway.
4
This is great news! The Democrats are trying to use their new congressional political power to run roughshod over the administration. The Mueller investigation is over, the Trump administration cooperated and did not, as they could have, assert executive privilege at that time, supplying massive numbers of documents. Now the poor D's are struggling to remain relevant and are merely stoking their base for the upcoming (losing) election.
9
@ComradeBrezhnev This is great news! That citizens of the U.S. hold so much loyalty to a spoiled rotten brat who has schemed his way into the White House that they don't even care if Democracy is going away. The Executive Branch must be held accountable. But I guess folks like you are still claiming Obama wasn't a US Citizen.
16
Careful! You and the rest of the “R’s” are projecting.
2
Great Job Mr. President! The American people are behind you!...that's why we elected you! Keep up the Winning!
4
I'm sick of winning, alright. 'Cause it's all by Putin, not America.
3
The democrats have just kissed 2020 goodbye. We don’t need these creatures of the night running congress by subpoena and relentless and unending investigation of political enemies. Talk of jail is stupid, it can only lead to dark places.
6
@Hjb
Yes, whereas quoting Mussolini, inciting violence at rallies, defending racists, talking vulgarly about women, lying about tax returns and release of reports can only lead to sweetness and light.
13
Impeachment is the only way forward for Democracy. Otherwise truth is Trumped by lies.
3
I see you’re for total unaccountability then? Millions of Americans are horrified by what they see occurring in our executive branch and we want answers. You might be fine with constitutional violations, but we are not.
12
Banana republic or no different than Iran that speaks English.
Just wait until this confrontation sinks in to the markets and global economy. The 100+ years of stability that US political system has come to mean to the global economic system is coming crashing down.
78
@Burning in Tx
As I write this the market is up 97 points, I'd like to see the short sales made yesterday by any member of the grifter family and friends.
5
The Democrat strategy is always the same when they don't get their way or what they want. "we are the victims" and therefore we must protest, file a law suit, hold someone in contempt, or maybe we'll just attack them personally via the media on a daily basis. My parents were Democrats and they're probably turning over in their graves at this point. My father was awarded the distinguished service cross in the military and was a proud patriot who was a Democrat. My mother worked when it wasn't fashionable and they shared the work around the house. I'm unsure if the broad untruth of us vs them engulfed the party or if it was merely the one great untruth of "Always Trust Your Feelings" that destroyed the Democrat party as it once was.
12
@Dixon Duval Taxpayers paid for the investigation.
10
@Dixon Duval
What exactly do you object to? The democrats expected Trump and his administration to honor their oaths of office? The democrats expected Mr. Barr to be the Attorney General, not the attorney for Donald J. Trump?
if your parents are rolling over in their graves, its because this country is slowly being destroyed by this criminal and his gang of ruthless republicans who don't give a whit about the rule of law as long as they get what they want.
For the record, if Trump / Barr have nothing to hide, all of these things would already be available for the public to see. The fact that they are trying to keep every witness from testifying and hiding evidence of corruption is despicable.
Just like Trump.
52
@Dixon Duval. Just pretend hillary or obama are doing all of these things....yea, I thought so...
18
The only things still redacted are unlawful to release. No Dems have viewed the minimally redacted version that has been available for some time now. This is all driven by Dem panic at the impending storm of damning evidence about to drop. IG report, criminal referrals, DOJ investigations into orgins, of infamous political dossier, FISA abuses, spying on political opponent, etc. The classified materials Trump will release when the timing is right.... Comey, Brennan, Clapper, Ohr, Stzrok, Lynch, McCabe, etc. and goofballs like Schiff and Smellswell and 75% of the media are all seriously exposed and lashing out like scared gerbils. Going to be fun to watch.
8
We now know for certain what we could only speculate on before. Barr's summary of Mueller's report was not factual, and there is more in the report that details Trump's unethical and possibly even illegal activities. This is Trump's desperate attempt to thwart the legitimate investigation by Congress. Trump will stop at nothing to protect his secrets. The American people deserve to know the truth. Not Trump's version of the truth. Congress must be relentless in uncovering whatever it is that Trump is afraid to be made known.
3233
@Ms. Pea
Not just Cogress, but the entire country, deserves to see the full Mueller report. Only then can any remaining doubt about Trump's innocence can be fully expunged. It should be released.
133
@Ms. Pea YEP and its hidden in the 8% that's redacted and the other 4 % that the dems havent even looked at. Its in the GRAND JURY information - there is a Russian spy there that Mueller must have missed!
How desperate of a soul do you have to be to think you know better than the investigation team and the report?!
32
@Tenkan
The Muller repots lists episodes that might be construed as incidents of obstruction but also explains why the same incidents might not have been obstruction. For example, Trump might have fired FBI Director James Comey to impede the investigation, but the report also presents evidence to show that he fired Comey because Comey refused to say publicly that the president was not personally under investigation, which is what Comey was telling the president in private.
17
I fear that the C0-equal Balance of Power has become so warped that the Country will never be the same. Every time Trump acts and Republicans remain compliant (or worse, co-conspirators) a precedent is set. The road to despotism is paved in this manner.
You have the AG stating on the record that a President can legally stop any investigation into him/herself that the President 'feels' is harassment. Wow. That removes all possibilities of any kind of review of Presidential actions. What if Nixon did that?
You have the entire administration rejecting the authority of Congress to issue subpoenas and provide oversight, and now the use of 'Executive Privilege' to seal off any and all documents the President sees fit, for any reason at all.
Any time a precedent is set it moves the bar and is used to justify similar actions. The future of the country does not look particularly bright as I see no change in the President's actions (they've grown worse each day) and not even the merest hint of Republican discomfort with what is happening.
"I am completely and utterly perplexed by those who argue that perjury and obstruction of justice are not high crimes and misdemeanors." Mitch McConnell and the other Republicans no longer see that as a problem. Woe be it for the United States of America.
2347
@RichP
In his capacity as President, Trump has the ability to classify or de-classify all forms of material.
Apparently in this capacity, Mr. Trump felt that it was appropriate to share many items with Mr. Putin which he does feel is appropriate to share with the US Congress.
85
@RichP If I could leave this country, I would truly consider it. I hate what is happening to it. I hate what it is becoming. I have been resisting and fighting now for the past two years. I've really no choice but to continue. But, America the 'great' isn't so great right at the moment. It is supremely disheartening.
223
@RichP Barr's letter feeds right into the attempt to shield Trump, McConnell and Barr himself from scrutiny. Badly done, Mr. Barr. Badly done.
50
You all think he is trying to hide some evidence of guilt, and that’s perhaps true. The other possibility is that he is just trolling you all. He’s been doing it over and over for three years and you all keep falling for it. It exposes your derangement which is an advantage for him.
10
@Kev He is not that smart. Clearly he is trying to hide. He is a con man and afraid of being exposed through an official investigation.
6
So what's the strategy? Let the privilege request go unchallenged and look weak or take it to court and look like you care about constitutional responsibility?
1
@Kev. Let's say you are right. How do you propose we proceed? Just let it go?
1
This is an insult to America. Barr is a good man, and this is more from people who will never stop going on and on about Trump. He has spent 90% of as President defending himself. ALL of this is nothing more than fake drama created by people who are still mad because he won. America and the Atty General deserve better behavior and respect from it's people but 30% of the Country has acted like little kids throwing a tantrum; it is a tragedy. Trump has out performed any President in History when you calculate the small amount of time he has been allowed to work. I did not vote for him, but I love America and I will vote for him this time. It is a documented fact that the first attack on Trump started 48 hours after he was elected; he had not even moved into the White-house. Barr called this like it was and Trump will win again. The opposition at this point have made themselves look like a joke.
7
What will be released in the next twelve months will be the declassified documents that confirm that agencies of the federal government spied on the Trump campaign. Those documents and that conduct will matter to the voters. The Democrats would like to think that the voters care about President Trump’s tax returns but they do not. Voters care about their economic security and they also care about a government that spies on its citizens.
14
@Jonathan
1. If that's the case, then why isn't Trump releasing those documents now? And why didn't he release them when the GOP still controlled Congress, so that they could act against those Democrats? And by the way, when will he finally start the investigations that would lead, as promised, to Hillary being locked up?
2. Poll after polls shows that today just like in 2016, a majority of the American people want Trump to keep his promise to show his tax returns. If you belong to the minority that believes that we should stop asking presidential candidates and presidents to show their tax returns, could you please explain what your arguments would be ... ?
22
Nonsense. First, the trump administration is the most corrupt and nefarious in the history of the US. Second, he is a know-nothing imbecile who cares only about his base, publicity and enriching his family and friends. Third, he’s committed numerous treasonous and anti-American acts. Fourth, the voters want the tax returns released. What’s he hiding? Fifth, trump’s not concerned about spying on Americans, he’s concerned about spying on him. Sixth, before trump, where was your concern about spying on Americans? My guess us that it was nonexistent. Trumps a chump and he needs to be removed from office
10
@Jonathan
You claim to speak for the more than 150 million registered American voters? Anonymously? Now there is something not worth caring about. Here is an edit to your post, so it conveys the truth:
"The Democrats would like to think that I care about President Trump’s tax returns but I do not."
So there, your vote is counted. One anonymous someone from the northwest of somewhere does not care about Trump's tax returns. Got it.
9
Obama began the spying on all the Republican candidates in 2016 because he was the commander in chief. He was reasonably helping the Democrat party and candidate. They thought Hilary was the best one to run. The Steele Dossier was started to use to damage Trump- and it is a mixture of fact, conjecture and lies. The Democrats declared war on Trump and now they have to reap the results. It's not at all about right and wrong- its about power and strategy. Of course Trump asserted executive privilege.
4
Obama isn’t involved in this - neither is Hillary Clinton. This is Donald J Trump, whose campaign was aided by Russia and who is fearful of these facts being made public. Nothing more, nothing less
14
I gave a lot of personal slack to Trump thinking there were many good things he has done, even inventing the hope that his hatred and barring of southern Hispanics was intended to save them from the military and the cops, but this time he went too far. Now he looks guilty as sin.
I want Congress to know the federal government has mental rape electronics. Even if it endangers me because I've been a stubborn difficult man for the government for 35 years after I called them so this would never happen again. It's worth trashing the government, but I'll settle for making the technology known to condemn them. I do it for the People.
2
The President of the United States, who so swiftly sung the chorus of 'complete and total exoneration' is now soiling his pants over the full release of the Mueller report.
Sounds to me like the actions of someone with something to hide. It is now the duty of Congress and the Judicial branch to uncover it.
23
Well played, Mr.Mueller. "Give a man enough rope ... "
Tender your resignation. Mr. Barr?
17
Why is this crazy president allowed to do this? Where is our justice system, checks and balances? Why isn't it working? He is stacking the system with people who are doing his bidding. Why are these people doing this? Have they given up on our democracy? Are they afraid of all the immigrants, the liberals, the religions they do not understand or want in this country? Do they remember why this country was founded in the first place? Government employees who have access to all these documents should be as courageous as the kids who attacked the gunmen recently and leak them - unreacted Mueller report, Trump's taxes from the last 10 years, and more. We need the truth about this conniving, unscrupulous, vindictive, power hungry, greedy, lying poor excuse for a human being. We need to focus on pushing through policies that do something good for all peoples and vote this idiot and his cronies out of office next year. Lock them up! I'm very worried that all these illegal things he is doing is going result in his blowing off the election results in 2020 if he loses.
23
Oh, indeed, and it’s lots worse than you recount here.
3
Trump doesn’t want the Mueller report contents to further show, along with his withheld tax returns, that he’s a fraud, in addition to being a pathological liar and racist.
20
Good. Take it to the hoop, Democrats. You're all-in on this one.
16
If her vote on the Kavanaugh confirmation didn't convince you, her current comments prove that Susan Collins is just another lying, hypocritical ultra-right wing conservative running dog lackey. Expecting her to act like a reasonable, rational human woman is now officially a fool's errand. Downeasters, do your duty and vote her out.
20
For those wondering just how desperately afraid of an honest Attorney General willing to ''go there'' to investigate the Deep State, you now have your answer.
The Washington swamp-dwellers of both parties fear exposure above all else, yet Democrats think they need such creeps acting as a hit squad lined up against this political outsider President.
That is the real shame here.The Dems need a Harry Truman clone or a Jack Kennedy in the Congress to lead them.
3
Republicans need to remember that their oath to the Constitution trump’s their loyalty to the crooked pretender in the Oval Office.
4
Pray tell Mr Trump, why the need to protect yourself when you have been fully exonerated?
16
I am a U.S. citizen. I have reviewed my citizenship oath.
2
I wonder what goes on in Barr's mind in the small hours of the morning. He's got to know that Trump is going down, one way or another, and he'll take hostages. How can Barr disentangle himself now? Even if he wanted to, it's too late, he's in too deep. The price you pay for making a pact with the devil.
It's spine chilling to look at the depraved depths to which this Administration has sunk in a few years. After eight years of integrity and exceptional leadership in the White House. As if some kind of bubonic plague of the soul has erupted and spread through the GOP.
15
Trump is not going anywhere.
@joe: his recent extreme aging suggests otherwise.
2
Just imagine the egg on the Dems face when a judge refuses their request. It will destroy their chances of winning in 2020.
6
@Randy
You really believe that the only thing important in life is to destroy Democrats chances of winning in 2020 - at no matter what cost?
If yes, why?
3
Mueller patriotic duty is to stand up and speak the truth.
America is waiting.
12
Since when can a POTUS use Executive Privilege to cover up incriminating evidence against him? That makes NO sense, unless you put it in the context of a dictatorship. Then it makes all the sense in the world.
18
Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! What a boring parody of a Greek tragedy, led by the guy who defended Bill Clinton by claiming republicans engaged in a "partisan railroad job." I too am curious about what is in the Mueller report that could be considered "obstruction to justice", and why Mueller didn't clearly said so? And a threat to our government institutions? IN help out!
4
This will show who is in charge of our government. Trump or the American people. Trump should have been sent to jail years ago for tax evasion and many other infractions. It's beyond belief NYS didn't prosecute him. We wouldn't be in this mess now.
9
Time for some serious leaks
17
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”- The Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty speaks to setting us free from Donald Trump. We are yearning to be free of him, his corruption, his lies, his inept being, his contempt and his appointees’ contempt.
Whatever it takes, even impeachment.
7
I supported the Republicans when they demanded Eric Holder produce documents regarding "Fast and Furious". I supported their contempt charges. Now, I support the Democrat's investigations of Trump and his lackeys. Our 'public servants' always seem to want to keep most of what the government is doing a secret, but are OK with agencies constantly spying on guiltless Americans. THROW ALL OF THE BUMS OUT !!!
8
"House Panel Approves Contempt for Barr" is how history should remember him.
9
The truth should set all of us “free” from the political clutches of this lying ego-maniacal that is pretending to be the rightful president of this country.
1
I have only one question about this vendetta over the last election. What are you folks going to do after Trump wins in 2020? The democrats, far left and msm are just handing him more votes by the week.
6
@Ted338. The only person who thinks it’s a vendetta about the last election is Trump (and his supporters).
Most of the rest of the world believes that according to the U.S. Constitution, it’s not ok for a president to invoke presidential privilege to protect himself from airing any details about an investigation into himself (What if Nixon had tried to do that?), and it’s not o.k. for him (or Mitch McConnell, or any one citizen) to be more powerful than Congress.
2
Although not a specified reason for finding the Attorney General in contempt of Congress, given Barr's completely disingenuous behavior in mischaracterizing the Mueller Report before its public release, the brazen creation of the "false narrative", it is fitting that the House take such action against Trump's de facto private attorney. Barr has deliberately chosen to not be the People's Attorney but the legal cover for a dangerously corrupt and criminal President. He is deserving of no sympathy or consideration by the American people.
3
The oversight authority of congress is the lynchpin of our democracy. Otherwise, any rogue president like Trump can become a dictator. I shudder to think that the Republican Party is trying to make our democracy a single party rule as in communist party. It is clear both AG Barr and President Trump are guilty as accused. The only one that is left is Mueller, he needs to explain to congress why he did not provide his conclusions in his report. Trump certainly deserves credit for testing our constitution. I do not have much faith in Supreme Court. Trump likes to be a dictator. He is jealous of authority Putin, Kim, Xi and the likes have.
4
This Constitutional Crisis will probably be resolved by the Supreme Court. If not, we will become a tyranny, albeit a shaky one.
The action of Executive Privilege over the Mueller report was openly described as an attempt to coerce Congress not to vote to hold Barr in contempt. It was to protect Barr, and Trump. Isn't that blackmail? I'm glad the Democrats weren't cowed by it. It is deeply surprising to hear such language from Sarah Huckabee Sanders' about Congress. If Trump obliges her to say such things, it's wrong and embarrassingly tasteless, but it also sounds like she says them with gusto and true animosity.
5
I think that those who believe in the rule of law should just admit that we have lost. We should emulate our leaders and simply refuse to comply with any court and see what happens. The Second Amendment is looking more useful by the day
1
Kerri Kupec spokesperson for the DOJ seems to think that the department of Justice is a co equal with the House of Representatives and I maintain that it is not. The dept. is not, to my knowledge, mentioned in the Constitution and is a subsidiary department under the office of the President much as is the Department of Defense. If the access to the evidence is to be blocked it may be done by the President but at his peril.
2
Thank you, Dems! You did the right thing. Let's try and save our struggling democracy.
4
"Democrats said they did not expect Mr. Barr to break the law and unilaterally release grand jury secrets. Rather, they said they had repeatedly asked him to join the committee in petitioning a judge to unseal material for the grand jury for committee use. He refused. "
What a giant waste of time for Democrats to continue.
2
Is contempt of congress grounds for disbarment?
3
Of the top 10 things that matter to me this whole charade ranks as no 88. I bet most people really don’t care. I care about the economy, jobs, people at bottom of economic ladder getting a fair share. I am not a fan of Trump but this witch hunt by congress fueled by media is such a waste of ttime and resources. It is hard work to get meaningful legislation passed on improving the economy and quality of life and of course none of members in Congress want to do it except grand standing.
3
I'll bet you wouldn't be saying that about a Democrat president and a Republican Congress.
2
@Sri. One cannot pass meaningful legislation when just one person can, and continues to, block the Senate from voting on it.
2
@Jordan F.
Like Obama said, "Elections have consequences."
Huckabee Sanders says “faced with Chairman Nadler’s blatant abuse of power, and at the attorney general’s request, the president has no other option than to make a protective assertion of executive privilege.”
Can't she see the hypocrisy in a her own words regarding abuse of power?
I can only laugh at this never ending American tragicomedy.
6
Barr has put forward NO extraordinary effort of any kind- and any weak effort he did put forward certainly wasn't to make the report's findings transparent. He didn't even read the report by his own admission- only Mueller's summaries. The sheer laziness of this administration is impressive, until you realize that they just simply don't care. It doesn't matter what was in the Mueller report because it was never doing to have any bearing on what the administration claimed about it. These people really have no business near anything of value, let alone our government and it's Constitution.
4
The entire Trump-Pence administration is a national disgrace.
If Barr (or Mnuchin) continue to flout their constitutional responsibilities the House should clean out the jail cell in the Capital Building and place such appointed law breakers into it.
USA must remain a country based upon the "rule of law" and not deteriorate in a country based upon the whim of elected officials who care nothing for the laws they've all sworn oath to uphold.
3
Nadler and the Dems are afraid of the investigations conducted by the Inspector General as well as other investigations which will expose the prior administration's abuse of power. Nadler is in a hurry to damage the AG reputation and attack DOJ so he will term the investigations and the findings political and biased. What a hack.
The unredacted report will not change SCO conclusion, has he even read the report he already has? Probably not. All political, waste of time for the country.
Is there a way to charge Nadler for abuse of power and in contempt of the constitution? Why Congress is acting like it is a superior branch demanding the Executive branch break the existing laws such as disclosure of Grand Jury material?
5
Why not just declare that laws don't apply to elected or constitutional officers? Seeing as how any attempt to hold them accountable for their actions descends into a political grudge match with scores of high-priced lawyers billing taxpayers and since it always winds up in courts that move too slowly and have no means to enforce their decrees, just grant them all immunity the day they get sworn in. Better yet, dispense with that oath of office because "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" is just a matter of legal opinion that will end up in the Supreme Court too. When we know that elected and constitutional officers are literally above the law, maybe we will be more careful whom we vote for and their character will count for more. At the end of the day, laws or no laws, the character of our leaders is what preserves our democracy.
17
@abigail49
Citizens, who have taken the citizenship oath, are our leaders.
@abigail49
You are really talking about Pres. Obama and Eric Holder, right? Because you have prefectly described their shared fetish for secrecy and their refusal to admit official actions to Congress.
2
Barr has turned out to be the biggest clown in Trump's circus, Trump's greatest show on earth. Barr has based his position cowering to Trump, and upon the specious basis of unwarranted executive privilege.
Barr will go down in history, right next to John Mitchell. May be he can serve his time in the Capitol jail, which hasn't been used for centuries.
All the while concurrently, Trump has been touting his billionaire status the media for years. And today, Trump has now been confirmed by the NYT, as the biggest billionaire debtor, ever, in the United States.
Is this any way for our President to run our country? We need to stand up to this ilk, and protect our democracy now, or chance losing it forever!
15
The Trump Administration needs to be purged of all the Russian sympathizers and non-American traitors that are polluting our government and country. This country deserves so much better than the Trumps and the McConnells, the Millers, the Grahams, the Barrs and the rest of the traitorous republicans than are selling out this country.
13
It is evident that the Republican-led Executive branch along with the Republican-controlled Senate are complicit in obstruction of justice.
I remember Watergate, and then there were Republican Senators who cared about the fate of America's constitutional rule of law. Apparently now that is not the case.
I hope and pray that individuals of honor and courage with the capacity to expose this criminal cover-up will do so, for the sake of our nation's historic constitutional rule of law.
If there is no such person, we American citizens may take as a model the historic Candlelight Struggle of 2016-17 waged by citizens of South Korea. Get your candles and your walking shoes ready.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016%E2%80%9317_South_Korean_protests
7
Donald Trump is attempting to destroy the separation of powers crafted by the Framers of the US Constitution.
We the people, have the power to remove him from office
on election day in 2020. I call upon every American to come together and free our country from evolving into Fascism.
12
George Orwell said:
“A people that elect corrupt politicians, impostors, thieves and traitors are not victims... BUT ACCOMPLICES.”
Wake up, America.
19
While we’re at it, can someone hold Sarah Huckabee Sanders in contempt? Far from being a press secretary, seems her only job is to make divisive, idiotic statements in defense of Trump and his cronies no matter how deplorable their actions.
27
@Bob Hawthorne That couldn't possibly happen. She is beneath contempt.
4
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler was right to declare that we are now in a "Constitutional crisis" where the Executive branch has refused even to "turn over one page" to Congress from all the various subpoenas that have been issued by Democrats and that we face a "tyrannical" Executive. Despite that, Rep. Nadler was unwilling to see this as an impeachable offense which it seems most certainly to be. The Democrats must either seek a quick resolution in the courts or move to impeach Donald Trump. And given Trump's disregard for the "rule of law," they may be setting themselves up as the bad guys in the run up to the November, 2020 election if they continue to dither over impeachment where documents must be released and testimony provided. It's not clear how fast the courts will act which may be the Trump strategy of continued obstruction. However you look at it, we have a major challenge to the Constitution with its co-equal branches of government that provides "checks and balance" on each other. As of now we have Trump throwing down the gauntlet to authoritarian rule where the Executive can disregard Congress and an unenforceable contempt citation on his Attorney general is unlikely to change that.
8
I wonder how the president's ratings are these days. Certainly, considering the rampant national anger, they've tanked into single digits.
Oh wait, sorry -- for a second there I forgot about Trump's little tanked base.
6
We need a Daniel Ellsberg for the modern age.
1. Mueller report with attendant supporting material
2. Financial data on Trump Inc since inauguration
3. Taxes
Why? Very likely he has committed -
Obstruction of justice
Violation of the emoluments clause
Criminal activity and bank fraud
16
And this ladies and gentleman is why he and Mitch McConnell have stacked the bench. The system is now broken and the law only applies to those who can't afford the own judges.
16
So the Constitution is a PAPER TIGER???? The paper it’s written on is worth more than the words that founded the USA? Now is the time for all good citizens to come to its aid, or we are doomed as a Democracy.
2
Look, the reality is that if the courts rule against the Republicans they will not obey anyway. You all should know that by now.
7
Good luck House Panel
The House (not just a panel) voted for contempt of AG Holder in 2012.
President Obama delayed it, successfully, until his last year in office, when Holder, finally , 4 years later , appeared.
3
I don't understand what anyone sees in Trump anymore? He promised all this transparency and yet fights it at every corner. Just a few weeks ago he praised this report and said he had no problem with it being released, now it appears he's hiding something? If he's so innocent why would he care?
14
Time for the Special Counsel to act on behalf of his country and release the full report himself.
13
It is a tragedy how split the country is, that more than a third sees nothing wrong with what Trump is doing but would be howling if it was a Democrat. Another third either doesn’t know or doesn’t care. For those who are worried that this could backfire on Dems, don’t. His supporters will hate liberals no matter what. They turn on Republicans in a flash if they dare to criticize him.
This is the right, necessary, and constitutional thing to do.
14
This move by the House should be the first of many more in enforcing the law. Barr should read history from the 1970s...Nixon's AG John Mitchell went to prison for his behavior.
13
The fault for much of this lies with the American people all across the political spectrum. For much of the past century they have allowed the President and the Executive Branch in general to gain a huge amount of power, while allowing Congress to evade its legislative responsibilities, even when it comes to its most serious responsibility, declaring war, something it has not done since 1941. (Yes, for you who are not aware, neither Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, nor Afghanistan was ever declared as a war, around 100,000 dead Americans notwithstanding.)
People tend to support increased executive power, when they politically support what the President wishes to do, ignoring the fact that once the power is transferred, it remains there when the office is occupied by someone with whom you disagree. Simultaneously, people tend to support Members of Congress with whom they politically agree without regard to whether those Members understand and support Congress itself as a co-equal branch of our government.
If we, including our schools, paid a little less attention to the world of gadgetry and a little more to civics, our country would be much better off and, individually, we would likely be less surprised and self-righteously outraged when things occurred that we didn't like, while actually being in a much better position to make the effective changes we would like to make.
Of course simplistic views are easy to have, meaningful understanding being much harder.
22
The ones who are" stoking a fight" are Trump and Barr. Barr wrote Trump a letter telling him to claim executive privilege for the Mueller report, basing it on a Reagan era issue. This is flimsy, since Reagan was not investigated.
House Democrats are well within their rights to ask for the evidence as they investigate other matters related to Trump and his finances, especially after 10 years of Trump's tax returns were published today.
Trump got breaks as a real estate developer, but that doesn't explain why he was close to the top of all American taxpayers in losses. I've run my own business. I understand about tax losses. But losing a billion in ten years defies a simple explanation. Trump is trying to cover up now.
19
You should read the 27-page contempt report. The material is pretty dry stuff. However, Barr is up the creek; the paddle is way, way down. This point in particular is very compelling:
"On March 14, 2019, the House voted 420 to 0 in favor of a resolution calling for 'the public release of any report… except to the extent the public disclosure of any portion thereof is expressly prohibited by law' and for 'the full release to Congress of any report, including findings, Special Counsel Mueller provides to the Attorney General.'"
We can quibble about the underlying evidence but Congress stated their intent unanimously. When do you ever hear that word from Congress? "Unanimously."
As I've said previously, Barr deserves contempt with or without executive privilege. His complaints about Grand Jury testimony only make things look worse. He could petition a court to order for the release of Grand Jury testimony. He has not. Another point made in the report.
13
@Andy It passed unanimously, but the Republicans didn't mean it. Now that it's for real, they are against it. It was just another one of their lies.
10
@Andy
Doesn't matter what the House is asking for, unanimously or not. The fact, ignored by this paper and the Dems for weeks, is that the statute authorizing the Indep Counsel, and the regulations that address the report, are very clear that Congress is NOT entitled to the report. The law is that Mueller sends the report to the AG, and only the AG has the authority to decide whether the report gets shared with anyone.
The House cannot, via a subpoena or otherwise, seek to compel Barr to do something that a valid law says he does not have to do.
2
@Andy,
Thank you!
"except to the extent the public disclosure of any portion thereof is expressly prohibited by law"
So great to see people saying Barr is absolutely right.
1
I'm concerned that what we'll learn is that there is no strong precedent which will compel courts (especially the now more right-wing Supreme Court) to order trump and his administration to comply with the requests to release various documents. No one has tested the limits of presidential and Executive Branch power like trump and this administration have, and it's unclear that existing legislation, jurisprudence and/or rules of order are potent enough to counter these disturbing efforts.
9
Jeffrey Toobin (CNN legal analysts) stated an interesting question on this - "How can Trump claim executive privilege when a lot of these events mentioned in the Mueller report occurred before Trump was elected President?"
14
The New York State Assembly and Governor Cuomo now need to approve what the New York Senate approved today. The release of tax returns to Congress, as well as allowing New York prosecute someone if the president pardons them, for a federal crime.
If New York State tax returns reveal Trump committed tax fraud, the Mueller Report will become a moot point. At that point, Trump has committed a felony.
15
Barr is well-regarded and appears completely rational to most Americans. He quickly released the report and redacted only that which was required (minimal). His cooperation has been exemplary.
This is another political stunt that will not help democrats.
8
He only appears rational to Trump apologists. To everyone else he is a lying, hypocritical partisan hack, just like Trump.
11
Whenever Trump supporters say something will hurt the Democrats, I know for sure that it's the right thing to do. It always means that the Democrats are on the right track and that Trump is vulnerable. Why else would a Trump supporter feign concern for the opposition's public image?
3
he appears rational to most irrational americans.
3
Anyone else getting drained by all the back and forth when nothing is actually happening? Someone actually DO something. Our democracy is being taken away from us and the Republicans don't care. It seems like Dems don't care that much either as they are just watching the implosion occur.
5
Protective alright. He does not want The Base to see the truth. Although I doubt even if it walked up and punched them in the collective face they would accept it. Because then they would have to accept their culpability and studies have shown that even when faced with stark cold facts people prefer to deny responsibility.
12
Trump once again ramps up the tension. I am with the House, Barr is in contempt and contemptuous of the checks and balances. Trump wants his way, nothing else. His diehard supporters are still with him. Our government is failing us, because of the person who has been elected. He must go. We creak forward and I fear the government will not function very shortly.
9
So I don't remember Eric Holder going to jail - while I support this vote what will the real consequence be? Otherwise, these folks could give a rip whether they are told they are "in contempt of Congress" - they display this attitude daily. The entire Administration is in "contempt of Congress". Our system of governance is in grave danger. We have a Senate Majority Leader who has assumed the mantle of quasi-dictation. If he doesn't like a bill or legislation or, well just about anything -it dies. Who elected him to be the King?? Trump and his minions are of the opinion they are not answerable to anyone-except maybe Fox News. Normally I would put my faith in the Supreme Court to at some point make it clear that we have three co-equal branches of Government, and that the Executive Branch is not above the law, and must cooperate on some level with the Legislative Branch. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has also lost it's legitimacy, starting with Bush v. Gore and it's been all downhill from there. I do not know where this is going, but ultimately the only recourse will be for the people to vote this cabal out of office. Sadly there are millions of Americans who find nothing wrong with Trump and his corrupt henchmen. Our future democracy is very much uncertain.
10
What is hopeless about these proceeding is the claim by Republicans that the whole affair is only political. However, every time an issue is raised foe a vote the Republicans march together too. So it seems the Constitution is meaningless.
It is highly unrealistic to think these members of congress all agree on every important vote and vote party line. What it screams is they have no independent brains and certainly no courage.
We might as well only vote for on Republican and one Democrat and let the two of them go at it. All the rest now are just window dressing.
3
"Oooo" say Barr, Trump and McConnell, "We're really scared."
By the time democrats finish hand wringing, "searching for more evidence," poll testing, worrying, and arguing amongst themselves, it will be 2023.
Trump is corrupt, and so is Barr. The republican Senate has been silent in the presence of evil. The SCOTUS might allow the President to stop any investigation, (if he believes it to be unjust,) and horde any evidence he chooses. It looks like Trump has them all.
Willingness to not play by any rules appears to have advantages. We'll never get our trillion dollars back, the two Supreme Court seats and many federal judge positions are filled for the next generations, and the President has the authority to obstruct, lie, and conceal.
7
As an outsider I was flabbergasted by the way the republicans in the committee casted their votes just now, live on CNN. Walking away while mumbling 'no', not looking up from their phones and generally seeming unintested and arrogant, having the clerk repeat herself because they couldn't be bothered to pay attention. Do they think this is a game? Very ugly behavior, not fitting for elected officials in a democracy.
17
It's a great republic if you can keep said Ben Franklin ,the question is now real as Trump's desire to be Puti/Kim moves along with GOP support.
1
Problem solved!
Except for the fact that Barr won't face any actual consequences whatsoever. This is literally nothing more than a "sternly worded letter."
2
Why is is that when someone lies, they always use the "American people" as a shield? Most often when I hear it these days, it doesn't sound like me!
Here you have Kerri Kupec saying, "The American people see through Chairman Nadler's desperate attempts . . . "
I am an American person, support Congressional oversight of the Executive, and see that she is a mouthpiece for ad hominem attacks and false attribution . . . but I don't remember talking to her or anyone about that before this. She is sorely misinformed.
Kerri, here's my phone number, I've a thing or two to say as an "American people."
15
The full, unredacted report (excluding redacted secret grand jury materials) has already been made available to Congressional leaders. The Democrats chose not to review that version so they can keep up this ridiculous narrative. The secret grand jury material has to be redacted as a matter of law. Barr would literally be breaking the law if he provided that material to Congress. If Congress doesn't like this they should change the law. Absent such a move, the Democrats should shut up.
2
Barr lies. Sanders lies. Trump lies. Fox lies. You lie. Barr offered a redacted version a few committee to see. One time only. No notes. No discussion with other members of congress. No oversight, no accountability , no democracy. That is the Trump administration enabled by the lymg, hypocritical Trump apologists.
4
America is not exceptional, contrary to what we like to think. The Trump Administration is a fascist coup aided by Russia and abetted by the Republican Party. This has been clear from before the inauguration, and has gotten clearer and clearer each day. Now all can see it, and not just those who were far-seeing. At the end of the day, the military will have to decide which illegality is worse - obeying a traitorous, criminal commander, or taking the law into their own hands? You know that he will never leave the White House except in handcuffs.
7
Democrats don't want to use *arcane* laws calling for fines and/or detention. Why not?? & what would Mitch do???
Bring back stockades in the public square. I've got a tomato I'm itching to hurl.
7
The next year and a a half will be centered around the Nixonian "What did Joe Biden know and when did he know it?"
(Yes, he was involved in the hoax/coup)
Holding all Government Officials accountable to Uphold our US Constitution and protect all Americans is their number one job.....if they abdicate,,, violate ...obstruct ..and hide wrongdoings then we have remedies for these actions.Nobody is above our US Constitution.....
God Bless America......
4
Hey Sarah Huckabee Sanders, stop throwing around lines like “The AMERICAN PEOPLE see through (this) desperate ploy to distract from the president’s historically successful agenda and our booming economy.”
You don't speak for me.
You mean "Supporters of this president..."
Stop insulting Americans who are capable of clear and independent thought.
15
I say find him "In Contempt"...who cares? I guess you can add it to his Wikipedia page like "Eric Holder" who by the way was part of Obama Administration and everyone agrees Obama Admin was completely scandal free. See what I mean, who cares? Let Old Man Nadler use his "Respect My Authority!" subpoena powers to get kids off his lawn...he just looks like an old man showing off his powers the more he does it. Nobody cares.
Granted that there political motivations both in Barr's refusal to submit the uncensored report and in the Democrat's desire to make public Trump's many legal and political manipulations.
Nevertheless, a much more important principle is involved here. It is Congress' right to oversee the executive branch. It is a mistake for Republicans not to accept his point. They must realize that what goes around comes around and they have seen it in just the last six months. It is their own power that they are giving away and in doing so, they will create a greater unbalance of power between the two branches. Presidents are also contributing to this dislocation, but they don't care because they are there for a short period of time. Congress is there forever and what you lose now, you may not regain. So think hard.
3
The time is long overdue for policymakers, local, regional and national, of all parties and isms, and at all levels, to refocus their concerns, efforts and mantras from Law & Order to Personal Accountability, for what is said and done, which can have harmful implications and outcomes; temporary or more permanent ones.
7
The American people see through President Trump’s desperate ploy to hide his criminal activity and to obstruct justice at every turn. He is dragging his top aids and his party into his snake pit. The US Constitution shall eventually prevail.
28
Two wrongs don't make a right. While the Lefties and Righties are mud wrestling, who's doing the hard, unglamorous work of governing?
4
That Republicans are so averse to protecting our constitution in order to protect this incompetent, criminally minded president signals to me that they also have something criminal to hide also. Did they all accept illegally gained Russian money, laundered through the NRA? Or has Putin promised Republicans in Congress a fortune if they agree to destroy our system of checks and balances? I feel like the entire Republican Party has joined together to commit treason against the United States.
27
Hold all of this reprehensible administration in contempt!
26
Well done!
15
I recall studying in school about the Old West, and about how cowboys used to corral their dumb, errant cattle into submission.
Thank you Congressional Democrats for reprising this tradition with dumb, errant Trump, Barr, and their fellow lost sheep (er, I mean, cattle).
We greatly look forward to the day your own cattle drive ends at the pen.
13
It was weird watching the vote. Such a stark contrast. The democrats looked like a cross-section of America; black, white, Asian, Hispanic, male, female. The republicans were all white men plus two white women.
What a strange and sad group the republicans are. They are completely foreign to me. I will avoid them, ignore them and always vote against them.
58
The Trump administration is an unending nightmare from which it seems our country cannot awaken.
To this day, many people I know, and I myself, still feel the incredulity we felt on the evening of the 2016 election.
”This ill-mannered, ignorant, consumately unpresidential braggard cannot BE the President of the United States of America. This liar. This buffoon.
This surely cannot be true. Surely.”
And still, more than two years after taking office the unprincipled, undisciplined fool, this man of lowest imaginable character, swaggers and boasts and calls names. He has gained no manners, no grace. On and on, he pretends to be that which he cannot begin to comprehend. Sowing discord and rancor.
This nightmare must be brought to an end. Our nation yearns for true and righteous leadership, for deliverance from lawless corruption.
The power of this Great Divider’s ignorance and hatred must be swept away.
25
Amen! Amen! Amen!!!
2
Next up - Trump gets an Idi Amin suit, from the fashion line of Ivanka, and a lapel-full of medals like the old Soviet Generals. Can’t wait to see the hat.
26
@JMH: Not a hat, but a gold-plated crown adorned with fake jewelry.
6
Registered Independent and two time Obama voter here. Okay, it's official, totally loathe both parties and won't be voting in 2020. You guys happy now?
2
@Glenn Baldwin
Sad Glenn. Your president is a criminal. I think you and I might do well to vote accordingly.
6
@Glenn Baldwin: You happy with doing away with the constitution?
6
@Glenn Baldwin You loathe both parties? Why, because the Democrats are trying to do what the Constitution tells us they MUST do, have oversight of the Executive?
Why are they hiding the Mueller Report, even from those authorized to see nation's most sensitive secrets?
Who should you be worried about here?
8
What a fake issue...The Mueller Report is available to Nadler and others without redaction, but it is not available to the public. Nadler can view the full report anytime he wants to. This is all for show, politics, they pull the country apart on purpose. Shame on the Democrats. I hope they lose in 2020 again.
7
@Joe: Nope, the Mueller report is not available to Nadler and others without redaction.
6
We have a presidency as reality show and this is what you’re complaining about? Of course the public should be able to see the report. If it takes a little sideshow for us to get to that point, so be it.
5
Thank God.
William Barr is legalizing every obstruction of justice that Trump commits.
What an empty, empty suit.
17
This is insanity. Dems: Get over it. You lost. Trump played a better game. Barr will be fine. When this is all over he will have a highly-paid partnership of his choosing at any law firm in the world. Nadler and Schumer will not -- probably because they will be in jail along with Comey and his FBI spies.
5
obama used privilege constantly with holder who was censured before congress ,it's a nothing with no consequences except to throw the vote in 2020 because americans are defiant against this Democrat circus which has accomplished zero.
3
The democrats gave Barr the key many years ago. Guess what? He used it the whole time that they were bickering. Sure am glad the new dimmies didn’t get rid of Nancy. She’s our only hope.
1
what a clown show. Please keep this up Democrats, drag it out a few months, then begin impeachment hearings. Trump will strole to reelection.
7
As your Lindsey Graham would say, “I don’t care.”
2
I'm sorry no not really. I will be voting for anybody that runs against this bafoon. At his point a shoe box would be smarter..
7
@ mkm
And you Republicans keep up this obstruction and enabling an out of control Executive Branch led by Trump. The American people are watching.
Thank you to the Congressional Judiciary Committee for standing up for the American people and the rule of law.
This Executive privileged ordered by Trump will not end well for him. We are in a Constitutional crisis due to his own agenda to protect his own hide rather than the country he swore to protect.
There are three co-equal branches of government, and the sooner you all realize this fact, the better our country will be. Thank god the American people flip the House of Representatives, or all this coverup would have been buried and there would have been nothing anyone could have done about it. Elections have consequences and you are witnessing the results. Protecting our Democracy.
Very proud day! Hooray!
1
The long, and much anticipated, dreaded constitutional crisis is here
12
One might wonder why the Democrats are talking about possibly doing something sooner or later but are not doing everything right now, today.
The clear conclusion is that they are all - Trump, the Republican Congress, the Democratic Congress, the Supreme Court - on the same team. They are layers of the exact same corporate party. They're all equally compromised and part of the scam.
What they work on together is the power of the status quo over the small desires of the People. They use the Constitution, the myth of America, and the Flag as control icons like the Bible, designed to keep People dumb and obedient.
America is an anti-democracy, a rigged system with rigged laws. This is not our government. It is our master with goals alien to our interests. We are used as their raw materials of wealth and power - bodies in war, workers as slaves, and out dollars as taxes and profits.
This government and its politicians have been playing us for decades. Fed lie after lie from grade school on, we got fat and believed their lies.
This Amerika has been using us - everything we've been programmed to believe is godly and beneficent is something else altogether. This has never been our government and it's not our country.
5
Good. Now for the rest of them.
2
No one, particularly government officials, are above the law... period! Without the rule of law and the means to enforce it, we are a lost nation of chaos and criminality. Exactly what Trump and his ilk has wreaked upon our country. They must be held accountable!
8
This is what Trump has always done in all his dealings whether it was with a contractor, band or any other entity with which he did not want to pay or comply. The first step is to hire a Roy Cohn type who will threaten and obfuscate, then if this did not work he would blame, then sue the aggrieved entity. The last step is always a smooth talking gambit in an attempt to get those around him once again to play his game. Every bank or lender around the world knows this about Trump and would not lend him a dime.
And yet we put the full power of our presidency in his corrupt hands. The whole thing was tiresome and shameful when he did these things on a personal level, but now it involves the fate of our democracy. if we don't vote him out next year, shame on us.
19
Do you think the Times might have mentioned that the vote was strictly along party lines, no aisle crossing? Nah. That might indicate that it was a partisan play rather than a constitutional crisis.
5
@Dave Oedel " . . . during a grueling debate that ended with a vote along party lines." Straight from the article. Maybe read past the headline.
4
“... during a grueling debate that ended with a vote along party lines.”
It’s right there, all you have to do is read.
Wait, I see the problem...
5
@Dave Oedel
Fourth paragraph...last sentence:
Our fight is about defending the rights of Congress, as an independent branch, to hold the president, any president, accountable,” said Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, the Judiciary Committee chairman, during a grueling debate that ended with a vote along party lines.
3
The Grand Old Party has turned into a bunch of terrorists intent on taking over the USA. They are aiding and abetting the corporate take-over of our government. They should be treated as terrorists, and there should be jail terms for those who would overturn our American democracy.
7
@IonaTrailer I agree - I live in mortal fear of Republicans and consider them the terrorists I have the most to fear from in this life.
1
I guess Ms. Pelosi will have no choice but to impeach Trump and that is exactly what he wants. War on the home front and war internationally are the only two ways that he can survive until 2020. Who cares about democracy or the well being of the country with FOX News braying lies in the background.
8
It may just work... or it may backfire. If his approval ratings are any indication, I think it may backfire.
Trump is the best test for the ,”checks and balances “ Americans claim to have in their system.
5
Somewhere, US Presidential Supervisor Vladimir Putin is smiling, even laughing at his enormous successes in hacking and subverting western democracies.
All he needed was a compliant vassal, and he found that in Trump, probably a decade ago, and gave him the much needed cash he needed.
You possibly cannot write this script up - yet, it is true. If that is not the case, Mr.President, you need to explain what you are hiding.
8
Many comments make clear the President's destructive acts and their consequences for our democracy. I worry that he may try to distract the nation by provoking belligerence from Iran. Keep your eye on Bolton and Pompeo.
9
The real crisis in all this back and forth between Congress and the White House is that the country’s business is not getting done. We have become little more than a pathetic political theater with each side in high dudgeon claiming moral superiority. To my fellow Democrats: Chill. Expend your energy finding a great candidate for President. To Republicans: Chill. Stop huffing and puffing about conspiracies to bring down Trump. Do some real work.
2
Let's be realistic about this. What exactly do you expect the democratic house to get accomplished when we have Mitch Mcconnell in the senate??
4
Interestingly, this whole misadministration has repeatedly demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they are entirely beneath contempt.
4
At what point does Congress, currently treated as illegitimate by the POTUS, consider the trump POTUS and administration no longer legitimate?
Time to withhold all funding to the trump administration.
3
And so...who is going to enforce the contempt charge? Will Barr go to jail? Will Trump go to jail? Establishing guilt, so far, has done nothing. I'll be more hopeful when we know "how" these criminals will be prosecuted.
1
I think we are getting closer and closer to impeachment, even if the toothless toadies, known as Republican Senators, are too afraid of the would-be dictator to convict him.
Let's hope there is an indictment under seal now, so that Trump can go to jail, if found guilty, when he is no longer president. Our democracy needs a strong repudiation of this man and his cronies, or we may not survive in the manner our Founding Fathers envisioned.
4
This is all going according to Putin's plan.
Our country needs a hero now more than ever.
9
So it boils down, once you play out all the scenarios, to "trump" always having the upper hand over any power of Congress. So it comes down to where the military and police fall out and whether or not the people will rise up against a criminal tyrant.
5
Remember this; It's highly likely Trump is a Military/C.I.A. electronic robot. Give him the benefit of the doubt as this may have been all about good intentions gone bad.
The truth will set you free Trump.
1
Another of trump’s associates takes the fall. This is getting habit forming.
1
Let's see ... so the report written by (staunch Trump supporter and GOP) AG Sessions appointed Republican Mueller, which in the part that was already made public by Trump appointed Republican AG Barr, shows that Press Sec. Sanders lied to the American people, and now the same Press Sec. claims it's not a good idea to respect the traditional congressional hearings and congressional investigations of such a report, because ... it will distract the American people from the booming economy.
Did something more ridiculous ever happen before ... ?
3
This era is gonna go down in the history books. The beginning of the end of our democracy. The executive engages in authoritarian strongman tactics, his party is complicit, the "opposition" too timid to even give a full-throated defense of the rule of law, and - let's face it - a flawed constitution that didn't account for such abuse.
5
Wow, sets quite a precedence down the road when a Democratic president doesn't feel like cooperating with Congress. I guess if all you Republicans can defend it now then you'll be okay with it in the future.
2
@Sharo This was already done with the Obama admin and Eric Holder
Now it's time for the American Bar Association to disbar him so that he no longer has the right to practice law. Contempt of Congress is a crime.
7
What happens if the court rules in the House’s favor & Trump ignores the court’s ruling?
Who has the law enforcement to compel Trump to give over the documents?
1
The "Constitutional Crisis" talk has GOT to go. It is the latest fake tagline du jour.
The system is working it is supposed to work. Congress can investigate, but it has limits. Presidents can assert privilege, but it has limits. The DoJ can assert legal opinions, but they are only opinions.
When compromises cannot be reached and both sides cannot agree, it gets taken to the courts.
This is exactly how the system is SUPPOSED to work. There is not Constitutional Crisis, this is simply all three branches performing checks and balances on each other. As it should be.
We don't want an authoritarian Congress anymore than an authoritarian executive branch.
So, congressmen, journalists, op-eds writers, stop using the totally misleading term Constitutional Crisis. There ain't one!
2
@Marvin
Yeah, I don't think that phrase means what you think it means...
3
Except dear sir you forget one thing or choose to overlook at the Supreme Court now has to illegally placed members.
1
What I want to know is why everyone seem to throw away their reputation when they go to work for the Trump administration if you can call it that.
3
Two thoughts: Is this another Trump distraction because of the Times' report about Trump taxes? And secondly, the case might move swiftly through to SCOTUS, where Roberts just might surprise us all by voting against Trump, if for no other reason than to protect Roberts' reputation in the annals of history.
4
The Republican playbook is exhaustively predictable; Deny and Deflect. Time to take the gloves off their delays can’t last forever and eventually the truth will be revealed and far sooner than many may think. Not certain what a 1-2 month delay into opening up the full Mueller report or exposing Trumps financials/tax history will buy him. He is being exposed from so many different angles and interests and the dam of resistance is beginning to show cracks. It’s only a matter of time.
2
Tit for tat partisan response to Obama's attorney general Eric Holder being held in contempt of Congress when the Republicans had a majority. Vicious cycle continues. Now just do people's work. Pass immigration reforms, health care for all in addition to the current medicare care for all those 65 and above, tax cuts for middle class working Americans etc.
4
Are you not even enough to believe that that will happen with the current senate?
Representative Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the committee: “Without any valid legislative or administrative reason, we can only assume Democrats, led by the chairman, have resolved to sully Bill Barr’s good name and reputation.”
Just how at this point would that even be possible, Rep. Collins?
4
Collins yet another shill for trump. Add in true fashion can't really come up with an original thought on his own
The Democrats acted correctly in moving to hold a contempt vote against "Attorney General" Barr. They must proceed forward in this fashion without flagging, fail or compromise. The Democrats must also stop, entirely, listening to or responding to anything Trump or his minions do or say; their words and actions have been well proved now to be nothing but lies and obfuscations in the service of power acquirement. Democracy hangs in the balance and upon sustained and successful Democratic prosecution of presidential impeachment for felonies committed by said president over the past two years as outlined in the full, unredacted Mueller report.
1
The Breaking News heading included “escalating the battle” Yep! Nothing worse than escalating the war...except beginning it and prolonging it. The question always arising for me: What of this have I helped cause, and what can I do to end this and all warfare? The answer can always be found in my heart.....
Like that line: "The Judiciary Committee (“the Committee”) is currently engaged in an investigation into alleged obstruction of justice, public corruption, and other abuses of power by President Donald Trump, his associates, and members of his Administration", especially the phrase, "the Committee".
Robespierre could have written it--both "Committees" wanting the same thing. Nadler's probably hunting down a tumbrel for future use right now.
2
I don’t care if fines and detention don’t have much precedent. We’re in unprecedented times. If Republicans change the rules of engagement, so do we.
3
I’m not a Democrat or Republican partisan. I am a US Citizen and the President’s claim that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and never lose a voter has caused me endless, unnecessary worry. No decent human being would ever say such a thing. No patriotic US Citizen would vote for such a person. Only people who want to destroy our Constitution would vote for such a person.
Now, Attorney General Barr says the President and himself are above the law and that lawfully elected members of the house can be disregarded for upholding their oath of office. How long until actual law courts declare that?
Thank you, Democrats, for standing up to Authoritarianism. It’s an ugly thing regardless of the party that started it. My votes go to the party that ends it.
14
I don’t disagree in principle with the recommendation for the House to hold Barr in contempt. However, I am concerned this plays into Trump’s political hand, and that by 2020 election time he’ll have an argument he’ll benefit by. As hard to understand as it is, he has strong support among many, which seems based on his nationalistic “promise” of prosperity and safety and “greatness,” as well as the false fear of “socialism” without him. With Trump, it seems the nation as a whole constantly faces a no-win situation ... and the climate for making actual progress for the national good is compromised by endless legal bickering. Being right in principle for taking action is, as in “just war” ethics, not worthy of pursuit if what ultimately is to be accomplished is not likely to eventuate.
1
At this point we are dealing with autocracy. It looks like crafty Trump found an added shananigan to escape justice by hiring Barr as Attorney General, who must assured Trump he would help cover up any wrong doings. That part was already obvious, at the time Barr was interrogated by Congress prior to his nomination. The writing on the wall was even then. Nonetheless, for the sake of democracy and justice, there must be some kind of loop hole one can deploy to expedite and expel both men or else, we allow the rule of law be permanently violated.
5
Thank you House Judiciary Committee.
The nation has put up with more than two years of Trump's bullying. I know the Democratic leadership wanted to avoid confrontation, but when the rule of law as set forth in our Constitution gets consistently kicked and sullied, there comes a time to fight.
This seems to be the first serious counter blow to Trump's attempt to overpower Congress. Let the battle begin; it cannot be avoided. I believe the American people will all come to realize this battle is for us. It is either Trump or our democracy.
3
We don't really know yet why Trump and executive branch are guarding the full Mueller report. We won't know until we read it! But we certainly know it is a political ploy. The Republican regime loves to paint the Democrats as the "guilty until proven innocent" party. I hope the Democrat leaders emphasize the need for oversight and transparency, without insisting that Trump must be trying to hide something.
We all know how much Trump loves to distract and deflect, to stir the pot, to rile up his base. The Republicans in Congress desparately want their party to retain power, and they think Trump is a means to that end, so they will go along with his games. But the American voters don't have any reason to fall into Trump's traps, and we are smarter than that now!
1
@DR
There's little else in the report. Most Americans realize this.
Oh, I see. Most Americans know that there is nothing more in the redacted Report without having ever seen it. Makes perfect sense.
Mueller conducted a criminal investigation of Trump, and stated his findings in a report. Trump's Justice Department refused to turn over the full report to a Democrat-controlled Congressional committee, so the committee is holding the AG in contempt and Trump is claiming executive privilege. These matters are likely to reach the Supreme Court.
Mueller's report has triggered a crisis all across the government. In the end, either the report will be disclosed or it will not be. The most amazing thing about all this is that this monumental dispute is unlikely to have a political effect because Trump has done so many outrageous things, one more will not change much and, no matter what Trump has done, the Senate will not remove him and his supporters will not budge.
1
Sure hope the Democrats in Congress find time in their busy schedules to address the meat and potato concerns of ordinary Americans that got them returned to the majority in the House. I'm not reading about anything but their obsession, well-justified though it may be, in taking on all things Trump. Have they looked at the President's popularity ratings? With the economy chugging along fine on all pistons, he's more popular than ever. They are playing right into his nefarious hands, alas, and we the people will be the ones to pay the price, left out more than ever.
1
The argument Democrats need to give Trump a pass and focus on issues people care about sounds nice but is a red herring.
In almost every case, McConnell will kill popular legislation from the House once it reaches the Senate. If he doesn’t, Trump will veto it.
The party of Trump won’t allow House Democrats to succeed in helping ordinary Americans, because they only care about keeping power by all means necessary. Remember Merrick Garland?
The “let’s move on” mantra is sheer cover up. If the party of Trump could waste our tax dollars and countless hours on the fake Benghazi nonsense, then serious evidence of Trump’s tax cheating, violation of the emoluments clause, and obstruction of justice, etc., demands Congressional oversight.
Republican hypocrisy is so blatant it’s almost hilarious.
2
If this autocracy isn't addressed, the Democrats can pass all the "meat and potatoes" to everyone's content, but it won't mean a thing to an executive branch "governing" on Trump's whim.
2
All but one of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, and all of the Democrats, voted to require the Department of Justice to produce the entire Mueller report and supporting documents to Congress. He has now refused. I'll be interested to see how the Republicans vote on the contempt sanctions.
3
A major legal question is whether the Roberts 5, the "conservative" majority, will overrule Trump's claim to executive privilege. Based on their ideology and decisions, the likelihood is very slim.
thank you Mr. Nadler.It's about time someone showed some moxie around here.
3
Is there such a thing as a contempt of democracy charge? That would include Barr, Trump, McConnell, and the whole lot of them.
3
“Without any valid legislative or administrative reason, we can only assume Democrats, led by the chairman, have resolved to sully Bill Barr’s good name and reputation.”
This is what we are dealing with. A hijacking of the American Government.
A loyal Patriot, a defender of freedom and a true American would state: Sure go ahead, in the end the light of truth will shine. These Republicans, want neither light nor truth, they only want Absolute Power and they feel Trump is the horse to carry them there. I'd dare say they already were there, but the American people spoke and took back the House in 2018. Despite, voter suppression and disinformation.
Stay the course, real American Patriots. Your country, your children and all those who died in WWII fighting for the freedom we once knew are counting on you to do the right thing.
5
At worst, Attorney General William P. Barr lied to Congress. At best, he purposefully misled Congress.
AG Barr has refused to appear before Congress. He has refused a Congressional subpoena for an un-redacted copy of the Mueller Report, a report that which states that Congress should see the Report and to take action against the President, as "no person is above the law."
And Barr recommended to the President that he claim executive privilege on all things related to the Mueller investigation, which the President has done. This is a further obstruction to keep the President above the law.
After this contempt citation is voted upon by Congress, it should move to impeach Barr, and begin impeachment proceedings against the President.
The administration has provided to options to a quick resolution of this impasse. Impeachment is the only way the people will be able to get the Mueller Report.
2
What we are seeing is the culmination of the takeover of the US government by a group of elites that was set in motion by a memorandum sent to the US Chamber of Commerce by Lewis Powell before he was nominated for the Supreme Court of the US by Nixon.
There is a good possibility that these elites will be successful.
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@kirk
And it only took them fifty years. That’s not bad considering the sweeping ambition of their plan. The sad part is, we had their play-book all the while and still lost.
10
@kirk
I fear you are right. We must stop this abomination that is in the white house.
He must be voted out come the next election. That also includes the GOP. Turn the senate over to the Dems and put more Dems in the House. That is the only way we can save our once great country.
1
No one elected Mr. Trump as king; his job is to serve the people of the United States, and he is not doing his job. Therefore, it is time for Congress to do theirs and to determine whether Mr. Trump is competent and in adherence with the Constitution of the United States, which does NOT allow for the President to ignore the laws of the land. Mr. Trump continues to act more like the top assistant to Mr. Putin than the Leader of the United States.
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@AJB What congress is doing at the moment is building a record, so that when it gets to the federal courts it will be apparent that they have exhausted all remedies available prior to going to court.
We all know how bad Trump is, and keep talking about him. I think we should start going after the GOP elected officials who are allowing (or helping) scofflaw Trump get away with his illegal behavior. They will be on the wrong side of history and we should hammer that home in the next year and a half while Dems in the House get the facts through whatever means they can.
I never thought I would see my country in this sad state, including our sliding standing in the world with our allies.
3
There are 17 Republicans on the committee. Which one failed to vote?
11
This is true. None of the stories currently online indicate which of the 17 Republicans was absent or abstained.
2
@Scott My guess it's a Republican in a toss up state.
2
@Scott 17 failed to think!
The very worst part of this story is the line, "a grueling debate that ended with a vote along party lines". So all of the Republicans have now completely and utterly abandoned their constituents.
This is a fight that they are inevitably going to lose. They can stall and hold on for a little while, but that's it. I'm not sure what the point is, they're not even accomplishing anything particularly useful. Just my humble opinion.
39
The GOP is officially morally bereft. Soulless creatures more concerned with their jobs than the country they’ve sworn to serve. Shame on them.
4
And every single Republican on the House Judiciary Committee voted against holding Barr in contempt. Hardly surprising, but shameful nonetheless!
47
There are 17 Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, but only 16 nays. Someone was absent or abstained.
4
Where are the headlines and articles about all the Republican's who are not supporting our Constitution?
I want to see names named, and what states they are from, and how exactly they think what they are doing is in America's best interest.
47
This is all part of Trump buying time.
The Democrats know this will end up in court and Trump will just make it drag on and on.
It's the NY State bill to release Trump's taxes that's the real deal here.
25
@Joe Absolutely correct!
What many people fail to realize is this is more than a mere case of Republicans vs. Democrats. What's happening here is a full-on assault against Congress by a president who consistently oversteps the mark by ignoring the U.S. Constitution.
And 'Executive Privilege' will never alter the fact that Donald Trump is hiding something.
41
Mr Trump is looking guiltier and guiltier...
33
Read the Mueller report. Read the New York Times. Read the Washington Post. Google Trump. Do your research and then try to say, in good conscience and as an American sworn to our Constitution, that Trump and Barr should not be impeached.
Congress is an equal branch of government. Read your kids history books and then see how dangerous this moment is in American history. Impeach the thugs!
54
@H.A. Hyde
Congress is an equal branch of government. The House is not.
1
I woke up from a nap a few minutes ago, awash with relief that my dream, about a disgustingly corrupt, mean-spirited, pig-eyed, would-be dictator in the middle of a successful coup attempt against his half-awake country's democratic form of government, couldn’t actually happen in the United States of America. Not in the country I defended and my sons defended, as have millions who came before us, hundreds of thousands of whom gave their lives in that defense. Well, guess what, America? Now, where's that bottle of Xanax gotten to again. A few of those and a swallow of belly fire and someone please wake me when we have back the country where my dream really couldn’t come true.
27
To borrow a phrase from our phony president, “lock him up!”
25
Barr is held in contempt for his refusal "to join the committee in petitioning a judge to unseal material for the grand jury for committee use." ???
Can’t the Dems do this. Why do they need Barr. Can a lawyer explain it to me please
1
@Steph,
Republicans asked Nadler the same question. Nadler said Democrats can do it themselves, but he wants to hold Barr in contempt and needs something to accuse Barr of.
So the Democrats are holding AG Barr in contempt because he refuses to break the laws covering Grand Jury testimony and national security . Now who's lawless? Has one Democrat yet visited the SCIF, and actually read the 1.5% redacted Mueller report?
4
@Tony Ross What law is this? Are you aware of congress's responsibility and power? For example: Contempt of Congress
Congress has the authority to hold a person in contempt if the person's conduct or action obstructs the proceedings of Congress or, more usually, an inquiry by a committee of Congress.
Contempt of Congress is defined in statute, 2 U.S.C.A. § 192, enacted in 1938, which states that any person who is summoned before Congress who "willfully makes default, or who, having appeared, refuses to answer any question pertinent to the question under inquiry" shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a maximum $1,000 fine and 12 month imprisonment.
Before a Congressional witness may be convicted of contempt, it must be established that the matter under investigation is a subject which Congress has constitutional power to legislate.
Generally, the same Constitutional rights against self-incrimination that apply in a judicial setting apply when one is testifying before Congress. This is the NY Times T, not Breitbart.
3
@Tony Ross, did you actually read the article? If you had, you'd know your assertion is incorrect.
4
@ Tony Ross: No, the Democrats do not hold Barr in contempt for refusing to break the law.
2
“Waiting for Trump to thoroughly read.” Maybe there’s an illustrated version?
20
FYI, the Committee voted to cite Barr for contempt. Yes it was along party lines, but it was a committee vote. Politics need not always be first and foremost in your reporting.
5
Trump is just playing rope-a-dope. The AG serves at the pleasure and support of the president. They all do. Eric Holder did, they all do. It's all politics . Trump is not a Russian spy.
This is about him being a Russian spy. It’s about obstruction of justice and the principle of democracy.
1
@Michael G Wrong. The AG's job is to represent the American people. Period.
1
What a circus...a complete waste of tax dollars and house members time...means nothing and may backlash on Democrats in 2020.
4
Awesome! Totally Awesome!
Remember this day, folks.
It's the day the Dems officially lost the 2020 elections!
Hopefully, the Left will show their total loss of morals or credibility and begin impeachment proceedings!
Oh happy day! Our President has secured his re-election!!
Thank you, Mr. Nadler!!
3
@DB
Apparently you don't realize that you're cheering on the very thing threatening to make our Democracy obsolete.
NO PERSON IS ABOVE THE LAW.
And that includes this president.
5
@DB 1) He's certainly not "our" President, he's Putin's puppet.
2) It's dubious that he was ever elected, so. presuming he will be "re-elected" is quite a stretch.
2
At long last. Someone has to stand up for the Constitution and our democratic republic. Represent!
14
"Democrats were equally apocalyptic in their language. “I can only conclude that the president now seeks to take a wrecking ball to the Constitution of the United States of America,” said Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas."
Do you really believe this? Hasn't Trump done enough to persuade you that Sheila Jackson is doing nothing more than stating the obvious?
6
It is important for President Trump, in light of his massive losses,to demonstrate he had no financial indebtedness or reciprocities nor was he ingratiated or obligated to any foreign power, especially hostile ones.
Instead of stonewalling & bluster, he should prove his innocence quickly.
The GOP & the nation deserves no less. This is a homeland security issue far more crucial than The Wall.
13
Marty Lederman has a point here:
"The Attorney General of the United States is, from all that appears, entirely indifferent to what Ben rightly calls the “grotesque abuses of power” described on virtually every page of the Mueller Report, almost all of which involve efforts to corrupt, for personal ends, the processes and substance of investigations undertaken ..."
https://twitter.com/marty_lederman/status/1124829191868944384
3