Your focus in wrong, Mr Bruni.
A person is "servile" only when he or she does not really believe the message he or she is sending, but sends it nonetheless, in the hope to curry favour of one kind or another.
Sadly [!], Mr Barr, the actual serving Attorney General of the United States, clearly and manifestly, does believe ever word of every defence he offers of Mr Trump, however bizarre and distorted that defence is.
"Servile"? No...willingly complicit in High crimes and misdemeanours? Yes.
23
It is obvious from the outset that Mr. Barr has been serving an agenda. But what is it? Given his fealty to Trump and his Pence-like advocacy of a return to an Old Testament moral order, our best guess about what his agenda is, is the establishment of an authoritarian regime where evangelicals and reactionary Catholics hold high office and call the shots on abortion, capital punishment, marriage equality, racial equality, and immigration, to name just a few. All the more reason for normally uncommitted citizens to become aware of the peril our society is in and turn out in droves to sweep the Republicans from power in the next election.
20
"...he urged a “moral renaissance”..."
And therein is the problem - and he explanation.
Moralism has no mutually acceptable outcomes: One side is always right, the other side is always wrong. Moderation or compromise is the virtue of cowards and traitors.
Morality is responsibility. Moralism is an escape from accountability. The moralist is always innocent, for he can always claim moral ends - not his own behavior - as the rationale of his actions. To a moralist - if heavens fall to right a self-proclaimed injustice - so be it. But some of us care if heaven falls - and some of us don't see the injustice to begin with. Barr may be moral - but he doesn't have any morality - there's a difference and Barr doesn't recognize it.
10
Another day, another gloomy afternoon, another unprecedented, perverse bout of mendacity, obfuscation, misdirection. A sinking heart and sadness ensue. Yesterday was rotten, but today is invariably worse. The inspector general's report tells us that the Mueller investigation was legitimate and legitimately conceived, determines that the Trump Barr Republican allegations are nothing but conspiracy theories. Imagine my surprise upon reading that. Imagine our surprise when Barr, who takes every opportunity to publicly muse about morality and godliness, demonizes the Mueller investigation and the public servants of the FBI, all on behalf of the morally exemplary Mr. Trump.
8
"To appreciate his perspective, you must travel back two months, to the University of Notre Dame, where he delivered a speech that garnered some headlines but not nearly enough of them. You should read it."
His speech is on the official DOJ site. In the speech, Barr endorses his own specific flavor of religiosity. I believe that is a violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Yes, he also maunders on and on about his own peculiar morality, and the vast militant secular conspiracy to undo his own religion.
2
After reading all of the reports, I’m baffled. Are we not fighting for the freedom’s of all and the truth? The Horowitz report points to grave injustices at the expense of at least one individual. Barr simply expressed these injustices, including the falsifying and fabrication of documents by one of our intelligence agencies. And now the hypocrisy that I struggle with has another lever to divide our country. Facts are facts... you preach. Can you possibly write something that takes politics out?
2
Blind faith is right, Mr. Bruni. The Christian virtues of justice (oh, the irony), courage, prudence, etc. are Trumped by Barr's profound personal prejudices, his mean spirited self-interest and his allegiance to a secular anti-Christ. We can only hope for a Scrooge-like Christmas miracle that will turn Barr into a moral human being and an ethical Attorney General who upholds the supreme law of the United States of America.
1
Undoubtedly there is a positive correlation between the viciousness of the comments and the number of recommendations they receive which means that there is a split, a division, schism in the country which is only becoming more evident. Sign of intellectual laziness when you employ insulting accusations like "moral, malign power, Trump does evil and Barr washes him clean!"What happened to Ms. Sullivan's suggestion that comments should retain an element of civility? Perhaps the person who would write such tripe has never taken a law course, and thus does not know how difficult understanding the law is and how anyone who graduates from law school deserves praise. Passed 1 year of law school through correspondence which actually took me two years, but came to understand just how exacting a discipline it is, and Barr deserves the same respect that was accorded any of his predecessors such as Eric Holder or Edwin Meeks or Richard Nixon,Commenters are seldom able to be specific in their criticism of the president which lack of precision weakens their case.Last truly informative comment contained the little known fact that Lt. Col Vindman,"Oh say can you see by the dawn;s early light?"emigrated to the US at the age of 3 which led me to speculate whether he spoke Ukrainian well enough to understand events when he was posted there.But commenters should clean up their act, and accusations deserve substantiation and go easy with the unnecessary insults.
Barr, Pompeo, DeVoss and the like are on the Christian train. Somehow believing Christianity is under assault and with that the sanctity of the Constitution and the very existence of the all white, all Christian America that God had intended. Maybe religious zealotry should be the lone religious test for Senate confirmed government service. Any person with any history of religious extreme orthodoxy or zealotry should not be acceptable for such positions. Clearly the orthodox cannot be trusted as to truthfulness if they believe God ordains every action. The extraordinary influence of the Christian right catalyzed with Ronald Raegan's political association with the Moral Majority has in no small part led us to this moment. The propaganda-ization of Christianity is one of our most problematic and existential threats. If all these folks can claim such piety how in good conscience and in the eyes of God support a heathen such as Trump.
5
In last night’s news reports, equal time, if not more time, was given to Barr’s outlandish defense of Trump and criticism of the “deep state” as was given to the Inspector General ‘s report. In every case dealing with Trump’s out of all norms behaviors, the news media has given just as much time to his delusional defenders and Trump’s personal fantasy explanations as to proven facts. No wonder we live in a hopeless divided nation.
Fox News is the full time defender of Republican delusions, and numerous studies show that the more a person watches Fox, the less tethered to reality they become. Meanwhile the main stream media in their devotion “both-side-ism”, ignores the proven facts and acts as if there is no objective reality - just a string of disjointed speeches from political,opponents with none given any more validity than any other.
This behavior is going to lead to the destruction of our Republic. The New York Times is a partner in this crazy behavior. The Times takes gleeful pleasure in trashing Democrats while minimizing Republican’s steady escalating attacks on the norms that hold our government together. No where was this more clear than in the Times coverage of the last election.
3
Why do you still refer to him as an attorney general? He is Trump's attorney - no different than Michael Cohen or Rudy Guiliani.
5
Amazing insights. Thanks Mr. Bruni. Mr. Barr is a disgrace. I am very surprised that Notre Dame invited him to speak there. I am all for freedom of speech but giving hypocrisy a platform is troubling. Barr is no patriot.
4
I believe Barr is and was Barr before Trump. He campaigned for the job of Attorney General chaffing to put his ideas in practice. Trump did not instruct him to kneecap Mueller. Barr chose to do so. His occasional religiosity speeches reflect the core of the man. Barr needed no belief training to embrace the deep state, Ukraine conspiracy theories. Take a step back and consider the Attorney General wanders around the globe with his hand picked prosecutor with a tin cup attempting to find evidence of wrongdoing by his FBI.
Barr arrived predisposed to excuse Trump. Pompeo, Mulvaney and Perry drank the Kool-Aid.
2
At this point, Barr has surrendered any claim to legitimacy by supporting and enabling a crook and conman because of his party affiliation. He thought the nation over-reacted to the crimes of Richard Nixon. He sought out the president so as to make sure his malign disservice infects this nation long after his demise. He trusts the monster to further the interests of the few over the many undeserving, however that might be achieved through grift, graft, and extortion. He chose the monster and became one himself.
2
William Barr looks correct after today's Senate Judiciary hearing.
2
Frank Brimi did a superb job of writing here. Deseves full credit at this important time to make us truly undersrand the failing words and ideas of Mr Barr 1
“All these supposedly godly men” who throw the first stone, pray in public to be seen by men, avoid helping those in need who are different, and do unto others before others do unto them.
5
Has anyone seen any similarities between William Barr and Dick Cheney here? Who was the brains behind the Bush Admin - Cheney. Who is hoping to be the brains behind the Trump Admin - Barr.
2
Trump now has 2 fixers: Giuliani and Barr. Rudy does the dirty work, digging for dirt in Ukraine, hiring indictable political thugs, and generally acting on offense. Barr plays defense. Behind his stoic mask, he has a playbook for exonerating Trump at every turn, no matter what the facts say.
No other president needed a fixer. Trump has 2.
2
Seriously, you need to click the link to Barr's speech and read it to understand what a homophobic holy roller we have as the attorney general of the USA. I'm not religious so automatically I'm not a good and worthy American citizen, according to AG Barr. Barr came from a Goldwater Republican home but I'd say it was more like a John Birch Society home.
3
BREAKING NEWS;
trump just stepped out of his trump tower at 5th ave. NYC followed closely by William Barr holding a tripod and a large important looking document. As Barr was pinning the document to the tripod, trump took 50 paces back and started to fire a pistol shredding the document, the Constitution of the United States
There stood Barr cheering madly in apparent ecstasy.
3
Yeah, all too true, but still a lot of blather about Trump and his minions. So what are the rest of us to do about Trump. The nation that put a man on the moon, put a dunce in the White-house. An with all his shenanigans, Trump's followers stand fast, whooping and hollering to "Make America Great Again".
What a joke, and what to do. Never mind Great Again, how about just making it reasonable, acceptable, accountable. That will do me.
7
What a pathetic hatchet job. Barr was approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee and was confirmed by voice vote by the full Senate for his first stint as AG. He came out of retirement to clean up the mess that Washington created and was still confirmed 54-45, almost a landslide in the day of TDS.
1
Welcome to Gilead.
5
“A lawyer at the FBI creates fraudulent evidence, alters an email that is in turn used as the basis for a sworn statement for the court that the court relies on. Am I stating that accurately?"
IG HOROWITZ: “That is correct. That is what occurred.”
Yeah...about that?
Barr isn't the problem.
Obama, Loretta Lynch, James Comey, John Brennan, Andrew McCabe and James Clapper and Susan Rice were the problem.
Time to wake up Mr. Bruni...take off the rose colored glasses.
Maybe Adam Schiff will subpoena your phone records and publish them in his next Intelligence Report. We can maybe find out how many times you were communicating with Clapper, Brennan and Comey from 2016-2017.
That would make for an interesting investigative story.
I wonder if there's some sort of organization somewhere that does this kind of work and then publishes it for the public to learn about how our government works?
1
“Power always thinks that it is doing god’s service when it is violating all his laws.”—John Adams
2
William Barr is a disgrace to America. Period.
His service the Trump Crown is merely a prelude to ascending to the Franz Gürtner Seat at the Hoover Institute.
It will be difficult to find a worse Attorney General.
Imagine: the Department of Justice was established to protect newly freed slaves.......
May Billy Tom Hagen Barr live long enough to suffer his ignominy in history.
This is nothing but an ad hominem hit piece, with Bruni attempting to demonstrate his omniscience by telling us what goes on inside the heads of Barr, Pompeo et al.
How does he keep a straight face? Maybe he uses botox.
Or maybe he has just been a closeted ultra right wing fringe wacko and ultra fundamentalist religious nut his whole life, but just found his muse in Trump and was let loose to do as much damage as possible before Trump is out the door.
Who knows?
1
Barr is part of the Trump idiocy -- up is down, right is wrong, everybody except Barr and Trump are wrong.
Straight face??
You're not really calling THAT a 'straight' face.,,are you?
-The Perverse Servility of Bill Barr-
You've got the nerve to talk about Attorney General Barr, Mr. Bruni...really?
Today, DOJ IG Michael Horowitz has (finally!) revealed that, not only was the so-called "Steele Dossier" really and truly a fraudulent and disgraceful collection of anti-Trump opposition research documents paid for by the Democratic National Committee and the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, but that the Steele Dossier managed to corrupt both the FBI and the Obama DOJ as well.
The NY Times swallowed the nonsense in the "Steele Dossier" whole, didn't it?
Don't bury the lede, Frank.
I wish legal experts, academic and practicing, would weigh in on the inappropriateness of Barr's approach to his role. Time for the experts to stand up and be counted.
7
Trump is McCarthey and Barr is Roy Cohn. We're replaying this dark time in our nation's history again.
On 11-19-19, Barr spoke to the Federalist society, what has become the Jeckyll and Hyde of organization. What it stands for and what it does are two separate things. I would like to provide two statements made by Barr:
The fact of the matter is that, in waging a scorched earth, no-holds-barred war of resistance against this administration, it is the left that is engaged in the systematic shredding of norms and undermining the rule of law. This highlights a basic disadvantage that conservatives have had in contesting the political issues of the day."
"Their holy mission is to use the coercive power of the state to remake man and society in their own image, according to an abstract ideal of perfection. Whatever means they use are therefore justified because, by definition, they are a virtuous people pursing a deific end. They are willing to use any means necessary to gain momentary advantage in achieving their end, regardless of collateral consequences and the systemic implications."
Barr seems to be a spokesman for Trump and his primary duty is to protect trump, which is not consistent with being the "people's lawyer."
3
Trump is McCarthey and Barr is Roy Cohn. We're replaying this dark time in our nation's history again.
On 11-19-19, Barr spoke to the Federalist society, what has become the Jeckyll and Hyde of organization. What it stands for and what it does are two separate things. I would like to provide two statements made by Barr:
The fact of the matter is that, in waging a scorched earth, no-holds-barred war of resistance against this administration, it is the left that is engaged in the systematic shredding of norms and undermining the rule of law. This highlights a basic disadvantage that conservatives have had in contesting the political issues of the day."
"Their holy mission is to use the coercive power of the state to remake man and society in their own image, according to an abstract ideal of perfection. Whatever means they use are therefore justified because, by definition, they are a virtuous people pursing a deific end. They are willing to use any means necessary to gain momentary advantage in achieving their end, regardless of collateral consequences and the systemic implications."
Barr seems to be a spokesman for Trump and his primary duty is to protect trump, which is not consistent with being the "people's lawyer."
Trump is McCarthey and Barr is Roy Cohn. We're replaying this dark time in our nation's history again.
On 11-19-19, Barr spoke to the Federalist society, what has become the Jeckyll and Hyde of organization. What it stands for and what it does are two separate things. I would like to provide two statements made by Barr:
The fact of the matter is that, in waging a scorched earth, no-holds-barred war of resistance against this administration, it is the left that is engaged in the systematic shredding of norms and undermining the rule of law. This highlights a basic disadvantage that conservatives have had in contesting the political issues of the day."
"Their holy mission is to use the coercive power of the state to remake man and society in their own image, according to an abstract ideal of perfection. Whatever means they use are therefore justified because, by definition, they are a virtuous people pursing a deific end. They are willing to use any means necessary to gain momentary advantage in achieving their end, regardless of collateral consequences and the systemic implications."
Barr seems to be a spokesman for Trump and his primary duty is to protect trump, which is not consistent with being the "people's lawyer."
Barr's Christian-like ability to forgive Trump, no matter what the circumstances, make sense when you consider that he is in a head-to-head contest with Lindsay Graham for the #2 spot on the Republican presidential ticket next year. Though one could be forgiven for wondering why these two are so covetous of the assignment. Of late, Mike Pence has been nigh on invisible. The one thing Pence has done is confirm John Nance Garner's assessment of the office.
3
It's one thing to disagree with someone's views on the issues. That's what honest journalists do. It's quite another to smear anyone you disagree with, anyone who agrees with Trump. I believe Barr is an honest guy, and so do most people -- except the loony left. Instead of throwing ad hominem barbs, why don't you make the case that Barr is wrong. Too hard I suppose. Much easier to simply write a screed. And how do you account for Durham -- who knows the evidence and is thought of as an impartial prosecutor -- agrees with Barr and disagrees with the IG that there was sufficient predicate to initiate a secret investigation? How many times in the past -- that we know of -- did the FBI or our intel agencies investigate a presidential campaign? None springs to mind. So, there being no precedent for such an investigation makes the FBI's actions even more suspect.
The IG is an honest guy. He clearly indicts the FBi for either gross incompetence or misconduct. But he has to be circumspect, and it's hard to infer motives. But it's hard to believe the FBI would seek a FISA warrant on Paige based on Steele's dossier which they knew to be bogus -- but their motives were pure in initiating the investigation. Think it through, Frank.
3
@Ralphie
"Instead of throwing ad hominem barbs, why don't you make the case that Barr is wrong."
Frank's piece isn't journalism. It is on the editorial pages. Before the Mueller report was released, Barr misrepresented and obfuscated its findings. His reputation for dishonesty is well deserved. Can you support your claim that most people believe Barr is honest? The IG conclusively determined that (a) the Trump Barr allegations were nothing but conspiracy theories, and (b) the investigation was legitimate and legitimately conceived. For instance, Frank refers us to Barr's own statements. A screed would be something more along the lines of what you have given us here--a speculative rant altogether of evidence.
2
Guess we were wrong to give Mr. Barr the benefit of the doubt upon his nomination. Wish I could figure out what he "gets" out of this unholy alliance?
8
Barr was selected as the worst and most dangerous Cabinet member in Gail Collins' survey. The people understand that when an autocrat can come after his political enemies, we are no longer living in America.
People may become afraid to speak out, and be in the same amount of danger as truth-tellers in police states around the world.
4
One persistent question with all these "President's men" & their unwavering loyalty to DJT remains & may only be apparent in the years to come. And, that is what are they afraid of losing? I think if investigative reporters took a cue from the advice given to Woodward & Bernstein to, "Follow the money," we might see some interesting associations. We still don't know how DJT is tied financially to Putin & his cronies. We also do not know if Barr or any family members & any others like him are not in someway tied financially with Trump & possibly Russian money or. For all their surface piety Barr & the others like him do not appear to fear any afterlife judgment in any world. What is it that they fear? And, why?
4
More than how does he keep a straight face--how does he keep his law license? Any practicing attorney who violated legal and ethical canons would find him or herself in front of a board within weeks.
12
I think that Barr and Trump both suffer from delusions of grandeur and both are serious about WORLD DOMINANCE. This has nothing to do with Barr's Catholicism. Please. This is serious. He is on a power trip that knows no bounds, just like Trump's. That's why Trump got so hot under the collar in Europe recently and left early after other leaders made fun of him. He wants to rule the world. He knows that the POTUS is the most powerful position in the world and he's serious about telling everyone and every country and every organization (e.g., the WTO) what to do. These guys are out of control.
9
Each article one reads about the current administration is more terrifying than the previous one - I get very depressed.
When will we all wake up and see the obvious?
15
"He’s the president’s moral launderer. Trump does evil, and Barr washes him clean."
Such a nice description of a holier than thou moralist who protects the most amoral, malign power abuser in US history.
People ask what's in it for him? Has Trump promised him a set of condos for protecting him from charges of money laundering or worse? Others say he's angling for a SCOTUS nomination but that would be too much work.
No, I think it speaks to Barr's conservative Catholicism, which reveres male hierarchy and obedience to a higher authority. That and the perks that go with his staying in Trump's good graces, no matter what the personal cost.
Today Barr told NBC's Pete Williams that the AG position is designed to be political, not serving the needs of all citizens. That statement says a lot, the most important of which is that Barr is even more shameless than his boss.
2571
@ChristineMcM Christine, Yes to your comment that it speaks to his conservative Catholicism. My hunch is AG Barr is using the President to advance the agenda of Opus Dei, the ultra conservative, secret and elite organization. Moreover , conservative Catholics question the legitimacy of Pope Francis whose liberal agenda comports well with the Democratic Party.
382
@Frank Heneghan The Pope's position on abortion and even contraception is at odds with the Democratic party.
17
@ChristineMcM
I know many "conservative Catholics" who are appalled at Trump's lack of integrity and Barr's defense of it. "Obedience to a higher authority" usually means God. The Pope himself doesn't appear to be a fan of Donald Trump's policies.
113
If Trump shot someone, Barr would claim Trump was a victim of temporary secularism.
5
Mr Bruni I think he reads the Constitution and unlike you he understands it. Seems to serve him well
5
Mike - his reading of the Constitution reminds me of WC Fields remark when he was observed reading the Bible on his death bed: “I’m looking for loopholes.”
The craven fealty to Trump is mind-boggling: It's not like a guy who has twice served as attorney general is going to wind up practicing law at a strip mall in the middle of nowhere if he were to leave. The dude has some options, at least for now.
3
This cult of angry abusive controlling men & women who intend to change the rules rather than follow them, is done with us. No sharing, no caring and if you don't like it, watch out. They aren't interested in being fair or honest, it is their world and we just live in it. Except they are not the majority. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness and ever lasting stream.
4
Barr's servility makes complete sense to me. He would have made a good legal counsel to the mob and his attitude is what caused the word 'toady' to arise. Maybe not what the US needs in an AG - but there is a logic to it.
I could check out the Notre Dame speech - but would it say anything that surprised me? I doubt it.
3
Barr, like most of the GOP, is a master at projection. He sees his bad deeds in others, never in himself.
The FBI and the CIA, traditionally very right wing agencies, now magically transform into liberal connivers, spellbound by the wicked wizard of the left, Obama ...and Lindsey Graham has the cheek to suggest that they have "reverted" to Hoover style machinations (as if Graham would ever have had a problem with old J Edgar, back in the day).
5
Which leads one to think...any skeletons in his closet that could be subject to blackmail?
4
I see Sean Spicer is a contestant on Dancing With The Stars. I wonder what William Barr will be?
5
@Nick Big Brother?
Nothing in the least perverse about it, Frank. It's hard-headed, rational thinking.
Barr is a mediocrity and knows that this is his last ticket to ride. After this job, it's a carrel at Heritage--sorry, a fellowship--or a Dean's job at Pepperdine or Liberty.
So he's doing everything he can to stave off the living death of life without a car and a driver.
2
Barr is scarier than Trump for the single reason that, unlike the president, he is competent, albeit in a frighteningly malignant manner.
7
Barr's an honest guy, unlike Bruni and most op-ed writers at the Times. The FBI's "secret" investigation into Trump-Russia began almost immediately after they received info from the Aussies that a low level Trump volunteer at a dinner with an Aussie diplomat claimed, after imbibing quite a bit, that the Russkies had dirt on HRC. How about that? Everyone on the planet thought the Russians or other actors had probably hacked HRC's server and had her destroyed emails. So without speaking to the Aussie, G. Pap or anyone in the Trump campaign, they launch their investigation. That story is ridiculous.
And then the FBI used the Steele dossier, which they knew to be unreliable to support FISA warrants to spy on Carter Paige. Clearly the IG says that was not right, so we're supposed to believe they'd -- for some unknown reason -- lie to spy on Paige, but they were straight up and unbiased in going after Trump? Barr says that's bogus and Durham -- who has a broader mandate -- also says his info doesn't jibe with what the IG says. So Barr is somehow corrupt? Ridiculous. But it stirs up the loons who hang out here.
5
Trump and Barr are a perfect pair. Unfortunately, they are in the wrong country. They pay lip service to democracy but govern under the philosophy of "we know best."
Barr believes we all need to attend church (except the president), adhere to traditional values (except the president), tell the truth (except the president) and be held accountable under the law (except the president). With that governing philosophy, no one should be surprised if Barr tells Trump to ignore any Supreme Court ruling against him.
Undoubtedly, GOP leadership would agree.
6
Barr's just one of the swamp creatures that Trump dredged up and drained out and into his administration. Had he not done this, we would have
scarcely known that just under the surface, Barr was a real threat to our Constitution all along. Trump has a real talent for finding these people. But the question, as always, with Trump, is why? We live in hope that the Senate trial will finally connect the dots.
6
It is all beyond my comprehension - the lies and thwarting the rule of law and our Constitution. I feel like Alice living in Wonderland. What has happened to truth and facts?
6
Terrific article, Frank. You have a wonderful command of the English language.
2
If it in not in "you know who's " business interest it is not in the interest of the USA and vice versa. He said so early on. Weren't you listening?
2
Admittedly I haven’t thought much about it, but I can’t readily think of another AG who has debased himself and his office as thoroughly as Barr has since the dark days of John Mitchell. Here’s hoping Barr ends up with the same outcome; incarceration in federal prison.
4
It is surely time for modern society (perhaps especially American society) to consider its deference to religious faith and to those who profess religious belief. Claims to belief, however sincere, are patently no guarantee of virtue. On the contrary, doubt / including self-doubt and self criticism are anathema to much traditional religion. How else can we account for the monstrous crimes that have been committed down the ages in the name of religion and by professed believers in our own time. Once Barr, Pompeo, Pence and their ilk have convinced themselves that they are doing «The Lord´s work», there can be no room for self-criticism, self-irony or even shame. True belief precludes the right of others to disagree with or oppose the will of the true believer, not even a democratic right. The Founding Fathers strove to keep church and state at arms´ length. They had very good reasons for doing so.
6
Yes, instead of promoting justice, Bill Barr undercuts it. Although he can use big words, and pretends to promote big concepts, in truth, his is a partisan effort to protect Trump as he has other Republicans. It takes little perceptiveness to see that he applies different standards of executive power to Democrats. Trump has found his Roy Cohn and America is in more danger of losing our way because of it.
1
As Mr Bruni suggested, I read the text of Mr Barr's Notre Dame speech. What I read was a remarkably far reaching, perhaps scattered is a better term, screed that intimated persecution of religion. Particularly Mr Barr's brand of religion, the only brand that can be accepted as a true reflection of the Framers intent as they contributed to the shape of our Constitution. This is incipient paranoia with a capital P.
This is also revisionist history. The framers were anything but united in their religious views, hence the inclusion of a prohibition against the establishment of a state religion. Religious persecution was well known in their world. People fleeing religious persecution were and continue to be immigrants to America. Protection from religious persecution was deemed to be necessary since it reared it's ugly head repeatedly on these very shores.
The Constitution and the United States Code are the laws that Mr Barr has sworn to uphold. They apply equally to Catholics, Atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Diests, Hindus, Sikhs, and members of any other religious or irreligious persuasion. Contrary to Mr Barr's thesis, religious education does not guarantee (nor would it seem predispose excessively) moral or ethical behavior. Witness the real world, awash continuously in scandal surrounding religious leaders and institutions.
2
Does the A.G. serve the President, the people or both? There is an inherent conflict as the president"s appointee and his duty to the nation. The independent counsel statute was a solution that failed due to its overreach and political bias. So here we are with only the courts and the congress able to hold the executive accountable. The Congress is a political body that is not required to do justice. The courts move much too slow against the executive. Does anyone have a suggestions?
I once asked a defense lawyer friend of mine if he'd ever defended someone he knew was guilty. He said his job was to give his client the best defense he could. If a guilty man gets off, he said, it's the fault of a prosecution that didn't do its job. Remember this when you wonder how these intelligent men can defend Trump.
4
Paul - as an attorney, I understand the duty there. However, Barr’s client is the United States, not Donald J. Trump. It seems he has forgotten that.
2
Bruce Ackerman describes the election of 1800 and its institutional consequences brilliantly in The Failure of the Founding Fathers (2005). He describes the effort of defeated Federalists, as a lame-duck majority in Congress, to radically expand the judicial system and install life-tenure judges as something that could never happen in modern America, because of the depth of commitment to two-party system and peaceful transfers of power. The spectacle of Barr's perfidy, and that of lesser GOP stalwarts, in discarding the rule of law demonstrates how fragile is liberty, and how important the civic duty of eternal vigilance. Barr has a terminal case of political ambition, but he will be of more interest to future generations as an exhibit for how self-righteousness and self-delusion can lead someone into the depths of the Inferno.
4
One thing that I will never understand is why Robert Mueller didn't stand up to William Barr after A.G. Barr spun the Mueller Report into something like an insignificant and flimsy piece of investigation. Barr particularly sandbagged Robert Mueller on the second part of the report that contained serious examples of Trump's obstruction of justice. America has not recovered from Robert Mueller's passivity in the face of an A.G. who seems to grow more emboldened with his own grandiose ego by the day.
14
Can’t agree more. Mueller ducked and we lost our chance to revive America.
5
My impression of Robert Mueller on the stand was that he did his duty but age and frailty were weighing him down at the end. I am waiting for his younger and more vigorous team members to come forward and help shoulder his heavy burden, but so far silence.
2
Mueller's investigation was money wasted. His passivity to Barr's whitewash and to the Congressional interrogators did more harm to Constitutional restraints thanything Trump and Barr have done. He was clearly the wrong man for the job...a Washington insider afraid to challenge.
3
Times columnist William Safire called him "Cover-up General Barr in 1992 when as Attorney general for George HW Bush, Barr buried evidence relating to sales of weapons of mass destruction to Saddam Hussein and to the Iran-Contra affair which sold US weapons to Iranians to raise funds for supporting the Contra movement in Nicaragua.
Also, Barr himself was apparently involved in this affair from his work at the CIA during the Reagan administration.
So Barr had already acted to protect a guilty Republican president, and himself, before. Why wasn't this enough to disqualify him for the AG job this time around, at least as far the Democratic Senators on the Judiciary Committee were concerned?
Barr also had failed to recuse himself from ruling on an issue that he was possibly facing charges or at least questioning from then Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh. (https://www.nationalmemo.com/bill-barrs-remarkable-history-of-scandalous-cover-up/?cn-reloaded=1)
Yet Democratic Senators asked no questions about Barr's role in pardoning Casper Wienberger and five others before the independent counsel could compel testimony by Weinberger that could blow the lid off Bush's (and Barr's) involvement in the scandal.
Why no questions about this episode at Barr's confirmation hearing last year? Now it seems that Barr is at it again.
8
These people do not twist themselves into moralistic pretzels because they love power, authority, or Trump for that matter. They are simply rotten to the core, always have been, and are the embodiment of evil among us. They all need to be defeated or we are finished as a country.
11
OMG Frank Bruni ... thank you for clarity and truth.
Listening to BARR and the rest of the CONservatives is liking being in a room with ZERO oxygen and your article is like breathing fresh air and high O2 content after suffering the effects of the alternate universe garbage!
7
Well said. It's kind of fascinating how Barr can be such a stooge.
5
Just an irrelevant old man who made a lot of money in private practice and saw the opportunity to grab at the limelight one more time. His first turn as AG isn't well remembered -- although he did his best to cover up Iran Contra. He's pathetic and certainly history will not be kind. He says he doesn't care what people say about him after he's dead. Good because it will be a scathing indictment of a selfish fool who put himself above his oath of office.
8
When they cram in their lips..."I hope no one sees through my lying mouth."
1
"The wonder is this fluffy, funky omelet of unscrupulousness." It's sentences like these that make Mr. Bruni my favorite columnist--which is a competitive race.
5
It is good to read the comments of readers because many of them say clearly what the NYTimes is reluctant to state: that the GOP is a religious-fascist party and that conservative Catholics are just as important to it as the evangelicals. (There is not space to explain fully the fascist part of “religious-fascism party;” it is enough to say that authoritarianism, destruction of democracy, racism, and massive corruption are key parts of the definition of fascism and the GOP fully qualifies.)
In general, evangelicals provide a very large part of the GOP voting bloc while conservative Catholics implement the policies of the GOP and Trump. There are so many of them, starting with the seven Catholic members of the Supreme Court since Reagan, plus Barr, Mulvaney, Cipollone, McGahn, Leo, etc., etc. Many of them have had excellent Catholic educations, acquired law degrees from prestigious law schools, then serve a party dedicated to doing the opposite of Catholic social justice principles.
I do not have a full explanation for why well-educated Catholics serve the GOP and Trump and the majority of white Catholics voted for Trump, if the Pew polls are accurate. Obviously abortion and opportunism are part of it. But there clearly are other reasons. I wish that the NYTimes would assign some reporters to find out the reasons before it is too late to save democracy.
7
@Historian excellent in depth and cogent explanation for what the right wing represents. Absolution on Sunday and adherence to a pope of sorts during the week.
1
Silly to waste energy hoping for sudden appearance of conscience in the Trump syncophants. They are at this point pure evil who long ago sold what tiny souls they had. Now we get to answer the question "Gee why do the people in Russia or China or Myanmar tolerate such Autocracy? We in America defend our democracy!" Oh yeah? When they shut the NY Times and WP down, and they will, THEN will you resist? How?
5
We're in a time of wildly grandiose, arrogant, disturbed men.
Barr, Trump, Ailes, Epstein, Manafort, Flynn, etc.
Capitalism has always had these people, but they have never been so emboldened to come out of the closet.
Will boundaries keep falling as they did in Nazi Germany...or will millions of misguided citizens wake up and stop it?
9
How does Trump manage to find and pervert these, undoubtedly, intelligent people to his machinations knowing full well his penchant for throwing people under the bus?
2
Barr wants a seat on the SCOTUS.
2
Bill Barr needs to be impeached as well. It's obvious to even the most ignorant, he is Trump's lapdog. He is not acting as the nations top lawyer. Someone should tell him the word is lawyer, not liar. Get him out!
7
Free will independent thought adherence to and utterance of fact based analysis seems to be absent; absent in a whole lot of our countrymen. However, men like Barr have access to the whole truth with factual guidance on hand daily. Why do they choose to ignore damning overwhelming evidence only attentive to exculpatory or even manufactured evidence. Their vocational training should demand greater factual rigor yet so many of the President's men have no such character.
They seem to operate with the a zealotry that is found only within the most subservient of religious fervor. Has Republican partisanship gotten to this level? Perhaps it's absolution on Sunday that creates the myth that all transgressions be acceptable for forgiveness awaits on the weekend.
3
Amen Frank!
1
There isn’t a republican who is not on the list you started, Frank.They are all fascists. Barr is just the most dangerous fascist of them all.
3
@Dra
Sorry they are all Republican Party members.
Face it, whatever the Republican Party was, it isn't any more under the leadership of Donald Trump.
1
I gotta hand it to Trump and his lickspiittles : They manage to constantly renew my outrage over their craven behavior. I keep thinking they can't possibly get any worse, sink any lower, find new material of the gutter variety, but they do. It's the only thing they are good at.
3
Barr, Nuñes, Pompeo, McConnell, Graham, Gaetz, Jordan and nearly every other Republican in Congress have left their love of country, their honor, their honesty and their integrity in the mud in order to latch on to a Trump teat. They seek power and longevity in office and offer fealty to Trump rather than serve the interests of the people of the U.S.
Oh, they will tell you they love America. But, nearly everything they say or do serves Trump, themselves and large corporations. They lie, distort and misrepresent in order to further the interests to their masters. They suckle at the public teat while denying our citizens equal opportunity and equitable treatment.
They have dishonored their oaths of office and committed treason because of their direct actions and the lies they tell in furtherance of conspiracy theories initiated by our enemies. They refuse to take action to thwart future attacks on our elections. They invite foreign interference, accept campaign funding from foreign actors, including our enemies through surrogates and push conspiracy theories that protect those who attack our election systems.
They don’t have even a shred of decency left that would cause them to feel the slightest bit of shame or embarrassment while they blatantly lie to our faces.
And, Trump is worse than all of them as he leads his jackals, our country and our people into the depths of Hell.
8
You are absolutely correct but now I cannot stop thinking about Trump’s teat.
1
Barry should join John Mitchell as the second Attorney General imprisoned for conspiring to abet impeachable crimes.
3
William Barr has proven, over the years, to be an untrustworthy hypocrite, skilled at defending the indefensible, bartering justice for profit, implementing his considerable rhetorical and intellectual skills to achieve personal power. It is no surprise that he sells out to Trump. How ironic that his monarchical, aristocratic propensities buttress the cruelty and idiocy of the Vulgarian in chief. Even Dante, no slouch at backing the wrong cause politically, would probably place this nasty piece of work down in the eighth circle of hell with those who value expediency over integrity and prefer distortion to truth.
6
There is much to note in this excellent piece.
Some of the parts I enjoyed most were: "He’s the president’s moral launderer. Trump does evil, and Barr washes him clean. . . . But he has bought into the autocratic delusion that Trump equals America, that national interest and presidential prerogative are inextricably intertwined. So he’s Trump’s advocate, come hell or high crimes, as surely as Pat Cipollone or Rudy Giuliani is."
He's also Trump's Roy Cohn -- a personal attorney willing to bend the rules, even into the illegal zone. He has no notion of working for the people of the United States.
We're at a confusing time. On the one hand we see clear evidence that Trump has abused his oath of office and used the presidency for his personal gain, with apparently the full support of his Attorney General and congressional Republicans. At the same time, we no longer know who our 'leaders' are working for. Is it the USA or is it Russia? There was a photo yesterday of Trump in the oval Office with the Russian foreign minister. Lavrov is standing in a commanding way behind the desk, while Trump is seated and like a little boy, has a big grin on his face.
4
Bruni quotes Barr as saying that “men are subject to powerful passions and appetites” that must be restrained for the benefit of the community. I’m sure that Barr shares Marx’s view that religion is the opiate of the people. Where Barr parts company from Marx is that Barr thinks that’s a positive aspect of religion. Barr also obviously believes that while a good king is better than a bad king, even the worst king is better than no king at all.
1
Sorry, Frank, nothing or no one can wash Trump clean. The family - including his Dad and 3 older children are dirty - and it is caked into their beings through the generations. Your employer, The NY Times, won a Pulitzer Prize for the extensive reporting on the family's finances.
"David Barstow, Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner received the award for explanatory reporting in recognition of their work providing an unprecedented look at the Trump family’s finances and poking holes in the myth that Mr. Trump has cultivated of himself as a self-made billionaire. They reported that Mr. Trump had actually inherited much of his wealth from his father and had participated in questionable tax schemes, including outright fraud."
4
FBI/Comey kept the investigation of the Trump campaign secret until after the election while reopening the Clinton email investigation days before the election. FBI/Comey "mistakes" likely cost Clinton the election, but Trumpublicans howl that Trump is somehow the "victim" of the deep state.
2
Frank you missed one. Barr is also "suggesting" that if the Congress wants to enforce the emoluments clause of the Constitution, it should pass the appropriate legislation to do so. Not sure what his reasoning is, but to a simple lay person, seems pretty silly. Is the Constitution not an enforceable document?
1
Sharp as ever, Frank. Barr's petit précis of the entire Mueller Report remains shocking to anyone with an iota of reason. Only the 'great' ones can pronounce with such hauteur from their moral mountain. We must raise the bar, no?
2
I find myself wanting to speak directly to Bill Barr, or maybe write him a letter which I doubt he would read. It would say the following. dear bill, please don't tell me who I am. please don't presume to judge me. you and I are of an age. we lived through protests in this country that ended the Vietnam War. I even attended UC Berkeley when the governor of California was Ronald Reagan--not confident enough of his reception at our campus to risk a visit he was so universally loathed. so I guess you could say that I consider myself an activist. from my first introduction to the writings of Gandhi when I was in high school, to the present where I involve myself in social justice activities through my synagogue. not jewish, but my self described radical atheist partner is. we attend meetings and we involve ourselves in planning events that will help educate folks around black lives matter, housing/homeless, the israel-palestine conflict and Sanctuary/immigration issues. we do not attend Services nor are we remotely involved in the spiritual practices. we've made friends, we feel comfortable there where all are welcome, and our rabbi defines what it means to be a good person or a Mensch if you prefer. so I guess my message to you is that as an American, I find your overreach into my personal ethics pretty darn rude. signed, single mom, widowed at 31, proud of my 3 adult sons, all of us atheist to the core. (what have you done today for the homeless, bill?)
3
Let us not forget that Richard Nixon never went to jail for crimes he committed as POTUS. But George Mitchell did go to jail for crimes he committed when he was Nixon's Attorney General.
3
@RLW
That was John Mitchell. Loved his wife Martha, she was great. John not so much.
2
Does anyone wonder why there is a concerted effort by the Media to belittle Barr? Barr is and has been an outstanding member of DOJ, but simply not agreeing with what the Media and the Democrats regarding the Mueller Report has been his sole failure.
3
@hapEguy
Barr belittles himself by his actions as well as words.
3
"Donald Trump famously said that he could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not 'lose any voters.' ”
He wouldn't even lose any votes in the Senate, and that may be the scariest thing of all.
3
Trump runs the White House just like he ran his real estate business. Surround himself with yes men because Trump is always the smartest person in the room and always right. It will take decades to repair the damage done to America. We must vote Trump and the entire corrupt Republican Party out of office. Our vote is all that's left.
2
Is there a single aspect of the Trump debacle that's the most infuriating and contemptible? Perhaps this - it would be one thing for ANY president to be a megalomaniac who attempts to lean towards autocracy. But to witness this from a fundamentally not-bright criminal/traitor with a personality disorder and attention deficits who, technically elected but never selected by the majority of the electorate - is beyond loathsome. For Barr to enable any of this simply guarantees his inclusion (aptly and - finally - unambiguously identified as such by Rick Wilson) among the traitors.
2
Perhaps a supreme court seat awaits Trump's toady AG Barr who much like Roy Cohn fights all who question Trump's right to do whatever he wants. Trump lies so he may promise anything and walk away from you the next day. Rudy will be dumped if he presents problems for Trump like getting indicted which seems to happen to most toadies hanging around Trump for a ride on Air Force One or a suite at Mar A Lago .
1
William Barr is not the country's top lawyer. But Rudy Giuliani is. That is the grave and present danger.
Frank this all started a long time ago when Karl Rove declared that he wa going to make it his goal to have a permanent Republican majority, in other word a fascist state. His allies and soldiers were Lee Atwater, Dick Cheney , Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay. When the tea party raised its ugly head they embraced them as the opportunity it was to further their agenda and lay any blame for its failure on the tea party. When trump came along this turned out to be their "dumb luck" in having a candidate that was politically ignorant but knew how to bully, manipulate the media and lie effectively. Their first actor celebrity was Reagan but now long gone and now they had another. So it is no surprise that these Republicans be it Barr or a Graham or even those that have been convicted of their crimes embrace trump. They see him as their path to finally destroy our democracy and Constitution and assert their permanency as a de facto dictatorship. Barr is an anarchist and a traitor to our country, its laws, its institutions and its values but he is not alone in the Republican Party. If we hope to survive this we must overwhelmingly vote every Republican out of office.
1
Of course, Bill Bar is not the nation's attorney and the Department under Barr is no longer just or interested primarily in the pursuit of justice but would rather strengthen nonsensical conspiracy theories hatched in some imaginary deep state.
And the U.S. Senate is no longer a legislative body concerned with the will of a majority of the people who elected them. And the Supreme Court has moved from the impartial control of a blind seeker of extremely conservative values far removed from the moderate middle path of Justice previously trodden---all these institutions have been transformed into the government of Trump, for Trump and by Trump--- to do His will.
3
Yes, you are correct in every observation, and your style of expressing your views is incomparable. Thank you, as usual, for your judgment and literary genius. I don't think I exaggerate. You are exceedingly superlative.
2
The only coup here is the hijacking of the presidency by Trump and his lackeys and sycophants.
Barr is doing everything in his power and beyond his power to stick it to the Democrats. He was often quoted through the years saying he loved to stir things up and overturn the apple cart (my words) every chance he got. He seemingly is stirring things up and finding great pleasure in doing so. Even though he remains stone faced during interviews, occasionally he lets his guard down and shows a glint of pleasure with a smug grin when the interviewer points out he is stirring things up.
The Times did a wonderful story on him and his background. They interviewed numerous people and sources from his early days and right up through today. He has always been made out to be rigid and inflexible when doubted or when his authority was questioned.
Trump and Barr may be opposites but in one way they are exactly alike. They are the final arbiter in all things they touch and do not dare question their authority.
They are the kings, and the sooner we get that through our heads the better off THEY will be.
1
When I saw Barr on the news last night, I wondered whether his lips could be any more firmly attached to Trump's posterior.
5
Hypocrisy is, actually, the lifeblood of religion.
This is because organized religion is an instrument of power, not spirituality. The fundamental precept of this power relationship is the notion, which nearly all religions covertly embody, is. “We’re right, their wrong.” This despite the fact that there have been untold permutations of religious dogma constituted and imposed on humanity throughout it’s history, and that the obvious question ought be, “Why this version?”
In order to cement their power over their adherents, religions almost universally claim divine inspiration. Nonetheless the stories religions tell about the the divinities they espouse nearly always display human, not divine, characteristics. The exceptions to this are religions that are so esoteric that they have small followings.
All this is so because religion is about earthly power, and the control religions maintain is social control over the secular lives of human beings. That power is not a small matter, considering the size and wealth of the world’s largest faiths. The exercise of that power had a great deal to do with the Reformation, after all. Perversely, religion has come to equal morality in most peoples’ minds, even though moral behavior is no more than the rules that the human species has evolved to allow people to live together in the communities they require for survival.
So Barr’s use of religion to attempt to control others ought not to be surprising.
Barr is a critical cog in the Trump aristocracy & at the core of the conspiracy theory machine. Trump finally found an AG who would swear his total loyalty to Trump alone, and not at all to the rule of law, the country or the people.
Barr will do anything, tell any lie, break any law, attack any critic to preserve his position as Trump's number one consigliere. He owes his own immense power only to Trump's survival.
1
You see in Barr, reagan's genius in choosing religion as the wedge to destroy the objective reason that kept our system stable and working for us.
Religion requires conscious dissociation to maintain faith in spite of all the evidence life throws at us every day. reagan used that mental habit people have to get folks to conflate politics with their religion and to help them justify completely sidestepping objective reason in all things. How? By encouraging them to assert their beliefs as "irrefutable truth" then insisting that any strongly held belief had equal standing with truth in the real world where it had never been allowed that standing by anyone in public office before.
Today we have Congresspeople who behave like entirely different people off camera and in their offices shouting Russian propaganda at public officials as if it were objectively reasonable to do so.
1
I’ve had two theories to explain Barr’s actions. Initially I assumed he was just angling to fill the next Supreme Court vacancy. But his actions, as well as those of Mike Pompeo, remind me of Scott Walker, former Governor of Wisconsin. Walker, who broke his campaign promises in his zeal to completely destroy labor protections, was able to ignore criticism because he thought he was carrying out God’s will. Barr and Pompeo are now bringing their religious intensity to their public duties, which gives them the “strength” to ignore the Constitution. Evangelists (amazingly) are convinced trump is the chosen one. Does this explain how even an immoral man can attract diehard sycophants to his administration?
6
As the joke goes, Trump was the Chosen One because God ran out of locusts.
2
William Barr and the rest of the cabinet are on a ride to the bottom with POTUS. My question is - how is the US going to recover its equanimity after this period of instability of governance? Compare the state of your nation now with what it was when President Obama left the White House – its seems like another world. Things have degraded so much on so many fronts that I fear they will never rebound to a world where civility and truth carry the day. And were POTUS – perish the thought – to win re-election, we are all sunk. I think the Democrats have no choice but to fight the looming shadows on the horizon with every available resource - and I dare any free-thinking Republican to join them.
4
William Barr is not a Catholic. Notre Dame students are smart. They understand Barr is not a Catholic. It's worth quoting Alfred Freddoso at some length in order to demonstrate the point.
"...the first role of Catholic philosophers does nothing to undermine either the distinction between faith and reason or the distinction between the natural and the supernatural; nor does it in any way derogate the many impressive attempts by Catholic philosophical inquirers to show that a wide range of revealed truths... can be made as evident as any other significant conclusions established by non-believing philosophers.
Indeed, mainstream Catholic philosophy, while openly acknowledging the limitations and deficiencies of natural reason, has always insisted that some revealed metaphysical and moral truths are such that every human being of normal intelligence has a natural inclination to assent to them, especially under the guidance of wise teachers--and this, despite the fact that personal sin and cultural corruption can render us blind to what should have been obvious to us even in the absence of Christian revelation."
In this context, Barr is most obviously one of the blind. Faith need not apply.
2
I can't believe I'm typing this... but I miss Jeff Sessions!
160
@captain canada I hear you. I was talking to a friend on Sunday and we both said the same thing. Oh and we miss bush. Not good. :-)
10
@captain canada
We live in strange times indeed, when a despicable racist clown like Sessions, clearly has stronger ethics than Barr.
7
@captain canada
No you really don't. I'd rather have Eric Holder.
8
Thanks for this Frank Bruni - Barr's morality is twisted like a corkscrew!
4
Perhaps it's time to follow the example of many states and elect the Attorney General at the federal level. No more hand picking of surrogates by the Administration with the public hoping that the person selected will remain neutral, impartial and will follow the Constitution. Let's have the Attorney General elected on the same ballot as the President and Vice President, so that Americans will have the choice of having an AG of a different party to the one in the White House.
2
No one needs to be perplexed about Barr's motivations for selling out to Trump's criminal behavior.
Barr is now....and has always been.... a completely loyal Republican operative.
He fought again the independent counsel investigation of the Reagan-Bush administration during the Iran-Contra scandal.
And he encouraged President Bush to pardon Caspar Weinberger, Reagan’s former defense secretary , who had been indicted on five felony charges, including lying to Congress.
Barr is available for whatever the GOP needs, legal or not.
13
Bill Barr's speachifying on issues of morality, in the context of this Administration, has all the sad ironies and lack of credibility of FLOTUS's "Be Best" anti-bullying "campaign." This Administration, and the Republican Party, are awash in cognitive dissonance, and the pages of your newspaper point this out day after day. As a psychotherapist, I know that cognitive dissonance creates significant emotional distress in most people...but not among the few among us who are sociopathic. Trump has spent a lifetime attracting fellow sociopaths to serve him, and has assembled an enthusiastic cadre of bellicose toadies. I've spent a good part of my career helping people pick up the pieces of their lives after destructive relationships with narcissists, but I have no answer to our current national pandemic of sociopathy when it comes to this Administration and his cult following. I hate to be pessimistic, but even if Trump is a one and done president, it'll take many, many years to heal from this crisis.
16
@zorbz
Excellent comment.
The media need more input from psych professionals to understand the confusing mess of all this "cognitive dissonance."
Your line about Trump attracting fellow sociopaths is significant.
@zorbz
"... it'll take many, many years to heal from this crisis."
Decades?
1
Frank, for how many centuries have zealots used their religion as an excuse to perpetrate evil? Groups of people have been subjugated, wars have been fought, genocides have been attempted, all in the name of religion. Why should this moment in history be any different?
14
Barr is in the hierarchy of "The Family." I would urge all readers to watch this Netflix presentation. It really is an eye opener.
5
How does he keep a straight face? Judging from his dour expression, I wonder if he's ever smiled, much less laughed. My question is more along the lines of "How does he sleep?"
10
In response to Mayer - one of the few honest lawyers?
All I need to know about the President's lap dog AG is included in the Dept. of Justice's 1992 publication "The Case for More Incarceration" in which the last sentence of the introduction reads "The benefits of increased incarceration would be enjoyed disproportionately by black Americans living in inner cities, who are victims of violent crime at far higher rates than whites and persons who live outside the inner cities".
Sounds more like honest racism to me.
4
Frank I do wish you had not used the word “spastic” in your article. I am a big admirer of your writing but that word has long been used as a hurtful slur against people such as my son who has Down syndrome. I abhor it. I also hope the NYT does not do its censorship thing on this comment. Anyway, keep up the good work but please be mindful that word is loaded with pain for many people.
2
When Barr was first considered for his current position, the conventional wisdom was that he is an old school conservative wedded to the rule of law and mindful about his legacy. What a colossal misjudgment, reminiscent of Hindenburg's appointment of Hitler as Chancellor because this would "control" him! At least Jeff Sessions, no paragon of virtue, had the ethical rectitude to recuse himself from the Russian investigations because of his involvement, something Barr would never have done.
If Trump is reelected and Barr is in office for another four years, we will see an unprecedented level of corruption in the Justice Department.
11
When it comes to Barr, his belief, his behaviour, his lickspittle genuflection to the president says "the will of the president, bar naught".
4
You're a generous man, Frank Bruni, offering Barr the easy out of "deluded", "hypocritical", "servile".
He is all those things. In spades.
He is, too, a vile husk of a human being, filled with evil and contempt.
Despite laudatory pre-appointment commentary and his skillfully manufactured appearance, Barr is a criminal of the first order.
He knows precisely what he's doing, he intends to do it and more as opportunity presents.
While the analogy is tired by now, Barr is a model of high-ranking Nazi apparatchiks that used to have us wondering how a person could behave that way, how a man could be bereft of morality yet consider himself champion of all that is good.
We're awash in such people today.
For all this cynical blather about crisis of morality, for all the incitements to war against liberals, Barr, Trump, Pompeo, Pence, Carson, Perry a shipload of others have doomed the church, and Christianity generally to an ugly death in America. They are hideous avatars of the worst ever committed in the name of God, the Pope, Franklin Graham.
As their scheme proceeds these fools become more convinced of their godliness, they tighten their circle, leaving ever more Americans at risk, without a political home or a country.
As Conservatives do, they've gone too far and done so singing hosannas to their own superiority.
One wonders where "good" Christians are, if they are. One thinks of the Antichrist, and Hannah Arendt.
One wonders how Barr has a license to practice.
14
interesting!!! well-said.
1
The original villain McCarthy (as distinguished from today's Bakersfield, CA contender Kevin) had his Roy Cohn. Trump has Barr.
4
@Jim Steinberg
No. This situation is worse.
Cohn was a transparent private attorney who never served public office. He ranted and threatened, but couldn't protect McCarthy from himself.
Barr is a powerful office holder with control over laws and enforcement. He is more like a Nazi general.
Bill Barr should never have been confirmed by the Senate. His memo on the all-powerful, unitary executive (unlimited presidential power) alone should have been enough for the Senate to reject him.
Bill bar does not believe in 3 equal branches of government or the separation of powers. Barr thinks that the president is a king, so he doesn't not allow for oversight authority by the Congress.
Once confirmed as AG by a corrupt, Republican-dominated US Senate, Bill Barr should have been impeached by the House after he lied to Congress.
Immediately after assuming office, Barr's manipulation and spin on the Mueller report showed his dishonesty and corruption. Yesterday, in an attempt to discredit the IG report, Barr implied that the FBI used wire taps on the Trump campaign. Everyone, including Barr, knows this is false.
Bill Barr is threat to democracy and to the rule of law. Barr's continuing support for a lawless "president" shows his corrupt intentions.
Bill Barr is a right-wing, Christian Fascist. Barr does not believe in the separation of church and state. Barr's support for "religious liberty" would allow ultra-conservative, right-wing Christians to usurp the civil rights of anyone they don't like, by merely claiming it's based on their religious faith. This is religious zealotry and right-wing, Christian fascism!
14
Maybe it's Stockholm Syndrome that is causing Barr, the GOP and Trump's base to become sycophantic enablers of a crazy and dangerous man. History will reveal the truth, as it did with Hitler, if we don't all die in a nuclear war first. In the meantime, every day we move closer to losing our democracy to a crooked despot who is taking direct orders from Putin.
5
Frog slow boiled. Democracy demonstrably gone already.
1
Criminally PERVERSE. Extremely dangerous to our country. Impeach and prosecute, before it's too late.
8
A piece on yesterday’s NPR detailed how a young teenaged Barr sat at the family table as his father, a staunch conservative, held forth. The elder Barr was later headmaster at the Dalton School in NYC. Growing increasingly doctrinaire, he alarmed the parents and faculty to the point that he was asked to resign (fired, in essence). Bill Barr is getting back at the “liberal cultural elites” that so mistreatred his father. Thus it is no wonder that Barr supports Trump at every juncture: They both have Daddy issues.
10
I admire you for actually reading the transcript of Barr's speech. The only thing worse might be to have to listen to it. Since when is it freedom of speech to fire someone for speaking up? Or for being honest about his sexual preferences, or for informing others about the facts of life. Barr's vocabulary reminds me of Agnew, maybe. Cheap verbal pyrotechnics. Very scary indeed.
5
Time for Time Magazine to do a cover story of William Barr with the headline,"The Most Powerful Man in America".
1
Barr may be a moral launderer but he is primarily a "fixer". Trump surrounded himself with fixers his entire life, beginning with his father. Give him him credit though, he can smell miles away those willing to do his bidding. As for others who refuse to, they are shunted or expelled, much like his wives and a couple of his children. America, this is your President.
3
When we strip away all the religious mythology we are left with an animal, Mr. Barr, who clearly seems enjoys sadism. The question that fascinates me is are his followers masochists?
3
Barr applied for this job by making it clear that he had no loyalty to anyone but Trump! He’s no lawyer except that his passed the bar. He’s no Attorney General except that he’s been appointed. He’s not the head of the DOJ except that he holds that title. He is Trump’s defender, his shield and sword. He is a man with no scruples or ethics. He is without shame and with no limits.
He took an oath to defend the Constitution but he had no intention of keeping it from day one. He is a disgrace.
8
He is one person I would love to have lunch with and ask,"What in God's name are you doing?"
4
Nicely said. Bravo!
3
I don't know which would be worse: Bill Barr believes nonsensical and thoroughly debunked consipiracy theories – which would be like a flat-earther being put in charge of NASA – or Bill Barr knows what's real and is a dishonest, cynical ideologue and Trump sycophant who values his power and his nutbag politics above the national interest.
These are the only two possiblilities, and it would be nice if somebody in the media asked him which it is.
4
In order for Barr to dig out his conscience, he'd have to posses one. Instead, he's buried himself in conscious immorality, perverting his role as the defender of American law into the likes of Tom Hagen, consigliere of "Godfather" fame.
3
I can only conclude that Barr is a weak man, easily influenced by power , and has sold his soul to the devil, that is Donald Trump and Putin.
4
Bill Barr was promised the next supreme court vacancy. All else is commentary.
4
AG Barr, Sec. of State Pompeo and Supreme Court Justices Alito, Kavanaugh, Thomas and Roberts are all authoritarian Catholics. They support strong executive powers with no oversight, misogyny, corporate welfare, financial benefits to the wealthy while ignoring the poor. They are the very face of evil cloaked in religion.
5
How does he keep a straight face? Come on, Frank, I expect more of you.
Barr doesn’t have to fake it with Trump; he’s right where he wants to be. Heck, he auditioned to be Sessions’s replacement by volunteering the same kind of crackpot defense of Trump’s freedom to run roughshod over democratic norms he’s pimping right now.
Did you hear the threat he issued to communities of color when he said that of they didn’t show more deference to the police and stop protesting police misconduct, they might have to do without police protection? Trump didn’t put him up to that. Barr came up with it entirely on his own.
Nothing William Barr says or does should surprise you, no matter how Trumpishly divorced it is from law, tradition or moral sense. Barr has proved himself a fascist-in-waiting. He didn’t join the White House holding his nose; he joined it because he sensed an opportunity.
5
Briefly, Barr would install his extreme , narrow, Rapture-awaiting religion on the rest of us—hardly a Christian that most of us would recognize at this time of year.
Also: Barr is front and center of the fascist takeover in this country: President, most of his administration but especially the Dept of Justice, purges of experienced bureaucrats and public servants at the federal and state level, packing the courts with lifetime extremists, and possibly (eventually) the military. The “base” may find, at some point, that they are expendable, too, in this march to extreme authoritarian rule, but by then it may be too late to counter the loss of democracy in the USA. Remember Reinhold Niebuhr’s warning.
2
Barr and all the other Trump sycophants want just one thing: absolute power. Whatever else comes out of their mouths is almost always a lie.
2
These are indeed trying times. But they’re made more bearable by Mr. Bruno’ s description of Trump’s enablers: “a fluffy funky omelet of unscrupulousness.”
2
William Barr should be stripped of his license to practice as an attorney.
2
All these supposedly godly men--Barr, Pompeo, Mike Pence, Ben Carson, Rick Perry and more — cluster around such a demonstrably godless one. They rationalize that Trump’s indulgence of certain religious factions absolves him of his sins. Barr is the principal agent of that absolution."
I believe it is far more than this. I would bet that these men have all been duped into accepting some form of a bribe, the evidence of which is being held against them. Trumputin is holding them hostage.
3
Servility to Trump = loyalty to his higher power.
Come the rapture he and Pompeo get heavy lifted directly to heaven.
3
Barr's mistake is, he had a predetermined outcome he wanted from this inquiry and then he delegated the investigation out. Here's what I'd say to him, "Geez Bill, if you knew what you wanted you should have just done the investigations and interviews yourself." DUH
The rot, my friends, pervades the entire Republican party, from Trump and his toadies to the ignorant drones with the red hats and vacant looks. They don't care about the Constitution, our laws or our country. These are perilous times, indeed.
5
Vilifying the Trump administration is a fools errand. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!! And the election of a president has consequences in the executive, legislative, judiciary and the media.
We need to make voting mandatory. Like some countries do.
This right-wing mass delusion is beyond comprehension.
1
Frank Bruni says it all in one sentence: “He’s the president’s moral launderer. Trump does evil, and Barr washes him clean.”
1
An eloquent and oh-so-deeply deserved shredding, Mr. Bruni. Beyond the danger these fools still pose to us lie the permanent stains on their standing before anyone with a shred of sense or decency. They will forever be cursed for their cynicism, lies and true anti-Americanism.
3
Remember when Barr was nominated, everyone was breathing a sigh of relief that we'd have a decent AG, but only if we overlooked his 13-page diatribe about executive power he sent to Trump to pander to the newfound savior of the aggrieved. How wrong we were — Barr is worse than Tom Hagen from "The Godfather," or Roy Cohn, from Trump's slimy origin story.
2
Many people wonder about Mr. Barr’s apparent “servility” to Donald Trump. It doesn’t seem to make sense that a person who obviously is so much smarter than the president should act as he does. But consider this hypothesis: Mr. Barr wants to be president himself. He is creating strong bonds to Mr. Trump’s base — particularly evangelicals, with his voicing of hyper-religious sentiments — and has managed to position himself to create a legal framework for the imperial presidency he would like to assume. In this scenario, Mr. Trump is not an object of respect as much as a useful idiot, able to be manipulated with acts of seeming loyalty. Sheer ambition would allow Mr. Barr to withstand the passing criticism and mockery of pundits. And the angst caused by Mr. Trump would be child’s play compared that from Mr. Trump with a brain.
As I said, this is strictly a hypothesis arising from my own puzzlement. But parts seem to fit.
1
Barr is Putin's puppet. Putin works a fool's misplaced arrogance to support Putin's choice of the man who can most harm America and the entire world. Barr is a walking automoton doing Putin's work. Barr's belief in his cleverness in implementing some Federalist claptrap or sophisticated religious or philosophical policy obscures recognition he is Putin's useful idiot.
Barr & McConnell will be remembered as men who dismantled America, ended faith in its institutions and finally and fully cemented America not as a champion of freedom, human rights and democracy, but as a bad and untrustworthy country shunned by its allies and enemies alike. All in the service of a grandstanding conman who has never distinguished debt from income and cannot discern "tough" from "cruel."
We are no longer even putatively the good guys. It breaks my heart and I am not alone.
3
Who is Pete Williams? Why didn't he call out Barr's obfuscation? The media needs to wake up and start challenging these liars.
Remember that William Barr is a proud, card-carrying member of a political party with the chutzpah to call itself the Party of Life while it withholds vaccines from innocent immigrant children held in detention at our southern border.
The stench of sanctimonious hypocrisy is literally too much to bear.
3
As I have said many times over the past few years, Trump has done us a service in revealing how absolutely rotten and corrupt the entire Republican Party really is.
He would not have been able to do a thing without not only their unwavering support, but their applause and encouragement. He is really no more than a figurehead for everything they stand for: greed, self-serving, and treason.
The corruption Trump reveals has overtaken the entire government, including the Supreme Court.
We now have a dictatorship of the minority rich, and it comes with the willing acquiescence of a significant number of American voters.
As with Nazi Germany, we hold those voters responsible for all the crimes and treason their representatives across the government have committed.
Our next election, rigged and corrupted and gerrymandered as it will be, by these same Republicans, will ultimately be a vote on whether as citizens we deserve democracy or not.
My guess is that we don’t, and the re-election of this regime will be the final nail in the coffin that dooms our species to extinction. Which may, in the scheme of it all, turn out to be a good thing.
The internet has given us a mirror to look at ourselves with; what we see is pretty repulsive, even to us. I think that helps define the final verdict in the nature of our species.
Thumbs down.
1
Hear! Hear! You got it, Mr. Bruni.
1
This is simple; employing lies and distortions, Barr has been a consistent defender of a corrupt president and only a corrupt person would defend another corrupt person. Barr should be disbarred and never allowed to practice law again. He is nothing more than a thug.
1
Frank,you've surpassed yourself with this razor sharp incisive piece.
Echoes of regimes and tin pot dictatorships throughout history where lieutenants and foot soldiers swear blind loyalty to their Il Duce...before the inevitable.Then watch the rats leave the sinking ship.Then watch the pitiful attempts at justification of such cowardly corrupt behavior, so damaging to the country and to the constitution.
2
Trump equals America.
He is what we’ve become.
Let’s face it. We’re hysterical:
we think we’re smart, not dumb.
The world looks on. It can’t believe
how we have lost our mind.
We voted for a con, a thief.
They think we have gone blind.
We do not care. Trump is our guy.
He can do nothing wrong.
We know that things have gone awry,
but we will play along.
Each country gets what it deserves.
We show amazing grace:
we let Trump lie and dodge and swerve.
We chose him. End of case.
3
Barr worships at the shrine of Scalia, another extreme Catholic given to momentous pronouncements in support of extreme right wing views. Scalia's world view was unencumbered by the elements of fairness and discretion one expects from a SCOTUS Justice. His phony originalism was a method of twisting any legal question to fit his predetermined bias. Barr suffers from the same literal prejudice as he also worships at the shrine of Trump, where truth is fake and lies are alternate facts, where neo-Nazis are very fine people, and where the levers of government are to be used for personal gain, where foreign policy and diplomacy are means to manipulate elections in your own favour. Barr and Trump are undermining the division of powers and the underpinnings of American democracy. The DOJ is supposed to be above politics, protecting the rule of law and the Constitution. That is laughable under Barr who has made it Trump's personal law firm.
Maybe he wants to be Trump's next SCOTUS nominee. Who knows? His tenure is anathema to anyone who respects the rule of law and expects it from the AG. This administration will go down in history as likely the most incompetent, venal, and corrupt in history.
3
My fringe Trump neighbors---those who hated Hillary and held their nose on Trump---are still for Trump--they like tax returns they received, the economy is OK, and for some the abortion issue is very important. However, unlike Bill Barr they do think Trump is not a very nice person, in fact, they believe he is dishonest, morally repugnant, and certainly someone they would not allow their daughters to date.
1
@Amanda Jones
But they will vote for him in 2020. These people are biggest threat to America. The hard-core Trump supporters are not going to change their mind about him. He was right, he could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue and get away with it in their eyes.
But the people who KNOW that Trump is unfit for office and an abhorrent human being will still vote for him because their taxes are lower, and they can either ignore or tacitly approve of his bigotry, or they want more restrictive abortion laws.
If we cannot appeal to their common decency or belief in the rule of law and a free society, there is a very good chance Trump gets a second term.
Please consider the possibility that the AG is bulldozing a path to give a lawless president an excuse to fire FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with a political toady that Barr recommends (and Senate Republicans will approve in a party line vote.) Then they can begin turning the FBI into a hammer to punish their enemies and "investigate" Democratic troublemakers.
2
Barr cannot be understood apart from his conservative Catholic outlook, perhaps Opus Dei membership. Much as Opus Dei and conservative Catholics brought down a democratically elected government in Spain and backed Franco, Barr and his ilk want to usher in an authoritarian Christian state. They would like to incorporate Canon Law into the law of the land. The Catholic Church was opposed to liberal democracy and only came to tolerate America and its governmental system after the Second World War. The sacrifice of truth is justified to accomplish their end, the demise of a republic based on the separation of church and state. These are the same people who consider Pope Francis an illegitimate pope and want to destroy him.
2
Unless he's the same sociopathic personality as Trump, Barr must have misgivings about selling his soul to subordinate himself to Trump's will.
he gives enablers a bad name. The man used to be
something ,now he's just another Trump fluffer
1
Bill Barr, along with the rest of the fake moralist crowd, of Pence, Pompeo, DeVos. Franklin Graham, et. al. who bow down and worship Donald Trump, I'm reminded of the statement by phyicist Steven Weinberg: "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil, but for good people to do evil that takes religion."
2
Frank: One of your predecessors at the NYT, William Safire, tagged Barr as “The Cover-Up Attorney General”, for his role of squashing the Iran Contra investigation during Bush, the father. I call Barr something a bit less elegant: “Jabba, Jabba Barr--who swallows justice near and far.” Read my poem which I wrote after Barr lied about the Mueller Report. I still don’t understand why no member of the NY or DC Bar Associations has yet moved to have Barr disbarred.
https://medium.com/@stevevillano/jabba-jabba-barr-ffa35c8d8080
2
Sorry, Frank. It’s ego all the way down.
1
Barr's paranoia about secular America is nourished, as others have pointed out, by his longstanding ties to ultra-conservative Catholic institutions like Opus Dei. He has been spouting end-of-the-world moral rearmament alarms for years. To cite one particularly noxious warning, in 1992 he told a governors’ conference on juvenile crime that unrest in public schools was caused by a “moral lobotomy . . . based on extremist notions of separation of church and state.” Other prominent Trump appointees with affiliations to militant right-wing Catholic groups include White House counsel Pat Cipollone and economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who converted from Judaism to the Catholic faith when he was battling drug and alcohol addiction.
1
Barr represents all the felt truths about laywers tradecraft. Bend the truth if paid enough.
Never forget that William Barr is a member of Opus Dei, the ultra conservative Catholic secret society that was founded in Spain in 1928 & was a staunch supporter of Francisco Franco's facist regime.
Also, it's clear that William Barr is hoping to parlay his slavish suport of Donald Trump into a lifetime Supreme Court seat. We should all pray for Ruth Bader Ginsberg's good health in 2020.
4
Trump is always complaining about witch hunts mostly because he’s a witch with all of the malice but none of the magic. Like all witches, he has a familiar, this particular pusillanimous creature being call Bill, a fat cat by all distinctions. Bill is pretty loyal, however, if not to the witch in question but to the larger Republican coven to which his master belongs.
Bill stoically defends him against all charges of political heresy, doing his best to avoid Trump being burned at the impeachment stake. This is not really for Trump’s sake, but so the coven can keep the cauldron that is America bubbling and spitting for as long as possible.
Trump has other lesser familiars too; one is called Nunes, another called Jordan. They answer to a really powerful warlock called McConnell. Together they weave fantastical spells that seek to charm the villagers, armed with evidential pitchforks and factual bundles of kindling, into believing that dabbling in the black arts of corrupt diplomacy is actually as innocent as, well, grabbing a maiden by the genitals or banning abortion, their affinity for the female form being complete. The spells are not working, however, their powers wilt in the face of democratic magicking which is apparently based in reality and not fairytales.
Impeach Barr too.
1
I have to assume that trump allows all the folks who kiss his bottom to help themselves to some of the spoils. Mnunchin is having fun with criminal Milken while he runs the treasury and probably short sells while trump manipulates the market via tweets. Graham got to go to Mar Lago and play golf (Oh my!) and the rest fly around in obscene luxury on the tax dime. Barr saw his chance to get rich quick, hide the money and eat as much as he wants for free. Our country is like a major department store going out of business with a corrupt and grotesque manager at the helm and some hanger on-ners who are scooping up whatever isn't nailed down. It's no more complicated than that.
1
I think he does not mind all the servility and bending of the law, the more the better, if it gets him the next seat on the Supreme Court.
1
A morality lecture from a representative of the most amoral administration in America’s history. Hard to stomach.
2
It has been said that Trump "dirties up" everyone he comes into contact with but Barr seems to have come into this administration already pre-grimed. It remains a mystery to me why a 69 year old with a decent reputation, who could have left a legacy that anyone would be proud of, would come out of retirement to be yet another servile minion to one of the most repugnant of all living persons. I have heard rumors that he is doing this for the greater good (sort of a secret member of the resistance) but I'm not buying it. He seems to bring too much zeal to the role.
Late as usual. And useless too.
Great column. But we shouldn’t be surprised by William P. Barr. Nor should anyone who expected him to act as an institutionalist before he was confirmed. Barr is and has always been a mercenary. It’s just that the administration and party he previously served still had some residuum of constitutional principle. The administration and party he currently serves has none. We should have all seen it coming.
Again, why are we feigning surprise and disgust? Barr hasn’t changed. Just do a simple google search. Search the NYT archives to understand how and why the conservative columnist William Safire labeled him the COVER-UP General. Perhaps he was slightly restrained during his last reign of corruption. But with Trump he knows he won’t be restrained and is leveraging Trump as a vehicle to drive his idea of supreme executive power forward. Nothing he does or says should surprise anyone. Frankly the failure remains with the media. Pete Williams’ “interview” was a joke. As a seasoned JD reporter, supposedly fully versed on the issues, he never challenged Barr’s answers....many of which were nuanced but ultimately lies. But NBC was happy to promote the “exclusive” interview because they too are primarily focused on the “get” and ratings. Why did Barr give NBC the exclusive before FOX? Don’t be fooled. Barr continues to play three dimensional chess while the rest of his contemporaries are playing Chinese checkers. Stop being surprised. Barr is ruthlessly focused on his agenda.
AG Barr has made his pact with the devil, only he has mistakenly confused him with Opus Dei. The First Amendment and several articles of the Constitution stand in the way of the authoritarian theocracy that Barr thinks will save everybody. Trump is the means to the end.
1
President Trump's AG doesn't have a straight face or a straight spine, or any straight talk but who walks a crooked mile in a very crooked style wearing a crooked smile.
All of which is to say that the very low Barr is right at home at the top of his DoJ roost in the hen house of Washington DC.
Bill Barr has skin in the game. He's implicated in Ukraine, and there may be more. Although he knows better than Trump, like his Dark Master he's grasping at straws to save his own skin right now.
Barr makes a great poster boy for walking away from the Catholic religion. We are not all cut from the same cloth so to speak.
2
How does Barr keep a straight face? Simple. He appears to be a sociopath like his boss. It is barely fathomable to most 'normal' people that the sociopath feels no guilt or shame even when caught in a lie. Because they don't have a functioning super ego, many probably would pass a lie detector while asserting that the moon is made of green cheese.
Michael Gindi . Clinical Psychologist
Preaching morality while serving and defending the most amoral and immoral president in recent times—this requires more than just ordinary hypocrisy. You have to be at least as immoral. I cannot think of any other explanation.
why do the republicans want a king with unlimited power is beyond me. barr is just another trump sycophant.
It's like, John Mitchell all over again! Dick Cheney must feel such pride.
May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice,
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law: but 'tis not so above;
There is no shuffling, there the action lies
In his true nature; and we ourselves compell'd,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To give in evidence. What then? what rests?
Try what repentance can: what can it not?
Yet what can it when one can not repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,
Art more engaged!
Hamlet, Act III: scene 3
These good Christian men should reread Hamlet and then consider how they want to proceed.
1
I suspect that Bill Barr is counting the days until he receives the robes of a Supreme Court justice.
1
These Godless men who work for the President use religion as a front and cover for their ugly deeds. Whenever it serves their needs they invoke its words.
When their immorality is at such odds with their supposed beliefs they explain it by ignoring its obvious truths.
Lying to themselves and concocting ridiculous explanations to justify what their religion condemns. Their only moral center is ambition.
1
I challenge others to seek at least a small amount of information from a source other than the NYT comment pages. Try watching some if Barr’s speeches and see if you can form your own opinion. I fully support this man and his actions.
Barr may believe he has a chance (as does Graham) at getting RBG's seat.
Trump has to have some kind of dirt on Barr. In fact he prob has dirt on most people to coerce them into doing what he wants.
“No society can exist without some means for restraining individual rapacity.” Barr said that??? And he wasn't talking about the president??? Words fail me.
Pence, Carson, Perry - subservient but not the sharpest pencils in the drawer.
Pompeo - subservient and fairly intelligent but no backbone.
Trump - a narcissist but not too brainy.
Barr - an arrogant narcissist with an able intellect.
It’s the last one that scares me the most.
Like so many others, Bill Barr wants to use Trump for his own ends. Barr has been a royalist for a long time, believing the President has virtually unlimited powers and cannot be held accountable for his decisions or his actions because he is above the law - in effect a king by election rather than by inheritance. Barr is also, unsurprisingly, a keystone figure in the American branch of Opus Dei, an ultra conservative Catholic organization focusing on returning the Church and the world to the Middle Ages. Barr’s objective appears to be to be named Trump’s Viceroy and, in that role, to be tasked with conducting a new, purifying Inquisition.
We need to remove religious influence from our government before they start the hot lead melting.
1
No, Frank, Bill Barr is a hero and one of the few honest lawyers still left in this country. He is absolutely right. What a 28-year old says in a bar in Rome should have not cost American taxpayers millions of dollars and three-year of hassles. The FBI is a corrupt institution and I hope he cuts some heads off.
28
@Bill Mayer,
There is especially one gentleman that I hope to see behind bars: former CIA director Brennan.
He lied to Congress and to whole country about the Steele Dossier in front of a camera.
Mr. Barr, please finish your job. Brennan is not above the law.
15
@Mark P: but you are ok with the President’s constant lies to all of us?
227
@Bill Mayer Sorry, but this is about what a 73 year old said on a phone call in the White House.
513
The scariest thing about Barr is not so much his support of Donald Trump but his denigration of government institutions. If those institutions need improving, he should take real steps to improve them rather than rush to put them down publicly.
If the Attorney General of the United States doesn't trust government agencies or institutions, why should any of us? Why should we even bother to participate in such a sham? If we do decide to vote, why not vote for the guy or gal who promises to tear everything down and lead us down the path he or she declares to be right? If we can't trust facts researchers in the government provide, what's left but trusting our gut feelings?
It is when faith in institutions breaks down totally that despots find it easy to step in and take control. We should be scared of that.
5
Barr is a GOP political operative. His only priority is the political fortunes of Republicans & conservatives. His attacks on secularism & liberals are an uncanny echo of Nazi Germany, & leave no doubt as to his true agenda. He actually sees himself as a culture warrior on a holy mission to turn the USA into a Christian theocracy.
Given this, it is easy to understand exactly why he does what he does. Barr is trying to save society from the infidels. Because this is such a holy mission, the end justifies the means, & no violation of the Constitution or the rule of law is off limits in pursuit of his goal.
Thus, we have the crowning hypocrisy of Barr defending this corrupt, immoral occupant of the White House by invoking an appeal to our higher instincts. This could be straight out of Orwell's "1984."
5
It is time for the Umpah Loompah's to come in with the Bad Nut detecting Squirrels and go over our whole Government very carefully and remove these rotten right wing nutcases from our High Public Offices where they are destroying the very fabric of our Constitution and Flag.
The entire Republican Party, it's officials, are now ALL to be considered corrupt and unable to govern, and they have done it to themselves with no prompting from outside.
It is all on their own heads that the illegality of this administration shall fall, and AMERICANS will make darn sure of that, just like we RE-ELECTED Obama, you can bet these fat cats will be out with the laundry in Nov.
1
His father was a convert to Roman Catholicism and it seems that his son absorbed all the rigidity that often imbues the converted. This is his chance move the country toward government by fiat handed down by a government led by white men for decades. Betcha he's a menber of Opus Dei.
1
Two words: Opus Dei.
William Barr is part of an authoritarian religious cult that demands total obedience and actually reaches it members “to put away your scruples.” It is this mindset of Barr that is destroying both my Catholic Church and my democracy.
4
Is Barr impeachable?
1
I don't think Barr is intelligent but rather rather ambitious and willing to do what others won't which is his differentiation. He's been used by Bush, Verfizon, The Federalist Society, the Catholic Church and now Trump. He's everybody's useful idiot because he is immoral. And most of all, venal.
4
If Trump goes, Barr goes.
3
Like his portly savior, Barr has his own powerful « appetite. » In their concupiscence and consumption, they are two burgers in a bun.
1
I know - what if Trump shoots Barr on 5th Avenue?
3
@Cfiverson Clever and you made me laugh even after reading such a scary and depressing piece.
Servility or senility? His engorged self no knows bounds.
1
The NY Times reports on Barr as a man of the very highest character even in articles that mildly criticize his decisions. That is why this country is in such danger. A so-called "left wing" media that is so in love with the admirable William Barr that even their criticism must emphasize how upright and honorable he is.
Contrast that kind of fawning reporting of Barr with how this newspaper makes non-stop character attacks on every Democrat. Perhaps this newspaper approves of the Democrat's policies, but this newspaper makes sure readers are told in every single article that the Democratic is a corrupt, lying, and dishonest politician without an ounce of principle. The man of principle, according to every news story in the NY Times, is William Barr and his handpicked henchman John Durham.
Why does this newspaper keep giving those white men willing to say anything to exonerate a corrupt President a credibility they have no earned and do not deserve?
1
"William Pelham Barr, do you renounce Satan?" "I do."
The screaming mediocrity that is William Barr is just another trump stooge in an administration filled with them.
Ideally, he should be an unbiased steward of justice and law. Instead he a pathetic goalie for the horrific trump.
4
William Barr would have volunteered to be the Third Reich’s AG had he been around in Germany in the 1930’s.
4
Barr is a member of Opus Dei, a secretive, reactionary, international organization that operates within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. No description of William Barr is complete without mention of this cult. 
3
William Barr clearly does not have a conscience.
Furthermore, if anyone is to blame for the grandiose self-image Barr has, it is the reporters and editors at this newspaper who continue to elevate Barr as a moral and upright voice in every fawning profile and article.
The only difference between William Barr and other dishonest shills for the powerful is that the NY Times has given Barr credibility he has never earned. Like many white Republican men before him, Barr always gets the special NY Times treatment in which the writer ignores all of his past history of dishonesty and offers up every utterance Barr makes as if it was said by a man with a sterling reputation for honesty.
It is long past time for this newspaper to start reporting on Barr - and Donald Trump - as if their history of dishonesty MATTERS. Newsflash: it does matter.
1
We are missing Barr’s raison d’être. Trump remaining in office and all the machinations required by Barr to achieve that are to enable Barr to put in place a neo religious crackdown mandated by Opus Dei. The money and power grabs are only important to him as a vehicle towards his loftier and scarier mission. In his eyes godlessness is the cause of alll of our society’s woes. His fanatiscim informs all that he does to enable Trump. Trump is a stooge he uses towards achieving his twisted moral ambitions. If we don’t understand that we are as stupid as Trump.
William Barr is the current hypocrite AG in-chief, the antithesis of what an Attorney General is supposed to do, uphold justice. He sold his soul to the 'devil' by soliciting his current office to protect a criminal in the White House, ready and willing to go on trampling on this suffering democracy. Barr is a disgrace to this country, as is Trump. Both must be ousted, before they destroy any residual trust left in our democratic institutions, the rule of law, and the constitution they so licentiously destroy, day in and day out. They are a clownish fraud!
3
The perverse servility of every. single. Republican.
That’s what they do, though, right? Get in line.
2
One more closed mind pontificating to us why he knows best.
2
Barr s a case of wilful obtuseness with a side of wise-assery passing as intellect.
1
He's the absolute worst employee in the Trump administration Barr none.
2
I'm sorry, but the idea that a lifelong public servant and superb lawyer like Bill Barr is subservient to a rascally political neophyte like Trump is laughable. Barr has made two speeches in the past month or two and I suggest all readers of the NYTs read them.
Barr is defending the institution of the presidency which was under assault by the permanent, self-serving bureaucracy in Washington. Those functionaries used various dubious and unethical means to sabotage his presidency. If an outgoing Republican administration had been guilty of similar behavior toward a newly-elected Democrat president, a lot of Republicans would be in jail by now.
What went on was egregious, execrable and illegal. A few partisan actors drove the reputation of the FBI and other intelligence agencies into the ground.
The Swamp is in the process of being drained. It's natural that the dirty, Democrat-aligned creatures residing there are concerned.
1
I agree with Mr. Bruni and his assessment. However, the comments by Mr. Bill Mayer, 36 minutes ago, reflects the why Trump, Barr and all their acolytes continue to flourish. Millions truly would vote for Trump, even if he shot someone in the middle of Time Square. God save us!
1
I have several Republican friends that I have mince words with in the past, who think Trump is crazy and worse. They are educated people and realize the danger of our hyperpartisan split. Barr is an overly religious Catholic, Pence is a religious Evangelical, Pompeo is religious, Nunez is a blind follower, don't know what Bannon wanted or Miller, but the head of this merry band, is amoral. So what is it that they all profess to? My guess is they are a vanguard of a move toward Authoritarian, Aristocratic, male dominated, culturally pure Plutarchy. Stated otherwise the replacement of our political experiment, of,for and by the people, with an autocracy of a privileged class, aka an Aristocracy which we rebelled against 240 years ago. I have no other explanation.
3
“The fluffy, funky omelet of unscrupulousness.”
Deliciously alliterative.
Sadly, nausea and indigestion to follow.
3
The University of Notre Dame should be ashamed. Frankly, Barr represents the same mental attitude that has driven the Catholic Church into the ditch. I know because I am a lifelong Catholic (75 years) who has studied his faith. Sadly, Barr (along with Burke and Madison) doesn't understand that Jesus did not come to establish a moral order or die on The Cross to save us from our sins. The Founding generation were Christians but they also got it wrong regarding the natural law. Jesus clearly stated there was no other greater commandment than to love completely God, our neighbor, and ourselves. Jesus never referred to anything regarding natural law: it is strictly man-made.
2
William Barr has embraced the persona of performing as Trump's dancing bear. However, anyone who lives in or near the woods knows that a bear off the chain is beyond dangerous, it's lethal.
That's Mr. Barr...lethal to our democratic institutions, the Constitution, and to the future of our country.
3
Men like Barr and Graham are now lashed to Trump's sinking ship. They have groveled far too much to jump overboard. Their only hope is that Trump can once again prove that shamelessness and blatant lies can carry the day with his base. That fervent base, animated by bigotry and resentment, are Trump's stranglehold on elected Republicans.
1
Interesting picture Bruni paints of this Bill Barr. From the description of Barr's Notre Dame speech, I see how an grossly overblown ego manifests in a smart, well educated person. I recognize the type, having heard a pompous lawyer in a minor state legislative position carry on in such a manner, seeming to just like the sound of his voice.
In contrast, in Trump we see how an overblown ego shows up in a not stable genius and a poorly educated person: it's just disconnected, incoherent bluster.
Considering all the characters that surround Trump that have come to public/legal attention, once we get over the horror of their running this country, we can appreciate they can be fodder for many a novel or dramatization.
1
As this column demonstrates liberals no longer argue with facts and reason. They consistently beg the question, a fallacy wherein they assume the answer to question being debated. They do this without a moment’s reflection, because all of their “smart” liberal friends agree with them. The question at hand is, Did the FBI abuse its power? Twice now the IG has found serious misconduct by the FBI, and we have unimpeachable evidence of political bias against Donald Trump. In both reports, the IG has whitewashed FBI misconduct by stating that he found no documentary or testimentary evidence that the misconduct was motivated by the known political bias. This is a flawed (to put it kindly) argument. Nobody writes down or announces that they are acting on corrupt motives, which is why the law allows motive to be inferred from the circumstances. Perhaps the IG can be forgiven due to the limits of his mandate. Nevertheless, Barr has the better argument, and I expect that the US Attorney investigation will confirm this.
1
It should not be surprising that after nearly three years Trump’s cabinet consists almost entirely of rabid sycophants. Those with any character, backbone, or self respect were, through attrition, winnowed out and this is what we have left.
2
The Catholic Church and numerous individual catholics have committed innumerable crimes against humanity in the name of their religion (I am not saying all or most catholics, or that only the Catholic Church is guilty, or that there were no great accomplishments). Barr is another religious crusader ready to commit any crime to further what he believes to be the interests of his religion. Trump knows how to choose corrupt people who will do anything for him as long as he allows them to push their goals that do not contradict his interests. The democracy in the USA is in great danger.
1
Thanks, Frank. Your first two paragraphs are brilliant!
1
"And if Barr could dig out his conscience from under all those layers of ego, he’d see that the rapacious individual in direst need of restraint is the one he’s letting roam free."
But Barr has no conscience, or honor, or integrity. He has been a Republican apparatchik all his professional life and will remain one. The fact that he is a religious zealot is testament to the state of his intellect and that is not a pretty sight. He thinks he's on a mission from his "god".
Bill Barr is no different from the Republicans in Congress. They all should be mortified by the contortions they're going through to defend Mr. Trump's indefensible behavior. It's as if they're all under a spell. I can barely believe what I'm seeing.
2
Mr. Bruni, I'm curious to know how Barr's speech was received at UND.
Bill Barr above all likes being the AG, being treated like a VIP everywhere.
These are the golden handcuffs that keep him loyal to Trump, whose message that he will fire anyone who pushes back is loud and clear.
Barr and the other men in charge of running this country are no better than the worst excesses of Commodus.
I’m trying to determine Barr's motivation and my best guess is that he’s xenophobic just like Trump, with the exception of Putin and Russian oligarchs.
Having read Barr's speech delivered at Notre Dame on October 11th, things became clearer concerning Barr's motives.
He sees himself as a cultural warrior fighting to preserve Judeo Christian values in American society. Although his high-minded esoteric beliefs are gibberish to a cretin such as Trump, Barr maintain his status as AG where he can wage his battle simply by shielding Trump from legal consequences.
Bottom line for Barr: He protects Trump and his administration so that he can remain AG and thus continue to protect Judeo-Christian values in our society.
I see Barr as the Dick Cheney of the Trump administration. I can picture his response when confronted with the fact that he lied about the Mueller report and the recent inspector general report. I think it could very well be one word: “so”.
We are beyond outrage, yet polling is slightly worse than before impeachment. What does it tell us about the future of our country? I am afraid there is a move toward fascism that is not going to be stopped. We have to face it will drive this country closer than we ever imagined to the period preceding the Civil War.
If the Democrats can win the election even if fixed, we have a chance, but the red states and sympathizers in the blue states are out of the woodwork and filled with anger and hate. Something's gotta give. We can't go on this way. It is a shame. The appetite for this white nationalism is so toxic, I don't even think a good job and a fairer playing field would ever be enough for them.
1
It's not "servility." It's misprision of felony and conspiracy after the fact.
Whether it be Trump, Barr, Pompeo, McConnell, Jordan, any of the Republican sycophants who now run our nation, I personally don't believe their religion is a heart felt belief. It is a tool, a means if you will, to lead, to dominate, to abuse a large segment of our society for personal gain, GREED. They pretend and dutifully distract millions of our neighbors, friends and even close relatives that they alone know how life is to function, what is truth, how empathy works, how they must be trusted to lead the world to a better place.
In small doses, we have always known these people, but they were a minority and not in a politically, governmental position of authority, so we ignored them and laughed at them behind their backs. Sigh!!!
Now they are in charge and their behavior has already severely divided us, it has greatly diminished the honest and moral influence this nation has had since the end of the 19th Century.
We have no choice but to aggressively fight these selfish men and women in every way possible. The Press/Media MUST identify their lies, their theft of our money (via taxes) and their destruction of our Constitution.
WE MUST VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE, NOW AND FOREVER!
Barr's religious beliefs are nothing more than another scheme to continue misogyny control and move us to a Handmaid Tale's future. Meanwhile First Lady Michelle Obama tours the world concerned with educating girls. Mrs. Obama provides an alternate solution, educate girls and allow them to move into power positions. In this manner we may develop solutions to world problems base on facts and science instead of Barr's view of continuing male dominance under to guise of religion. Teach your daughter's well as they may be our best hope of survival.
As an unquestioning Catholic Bill Barr is obviously in favour of discrimination against women, against equal rights for gays and against family planning in countries that need it most. Shocking attributes for an Attorney General.
1
The only thing I would take issue with is the statement that Barr is a dupe. He is no dupe. He is part and parcel of the absolute corruption that permeates this administration. He auditioned for his job. He is zealously carrying out his role of undermining rule of law, common decency and the foundations of democracy. He brings the religious insanity of the Salem witch trials and directly infects our legal system with his poison.
1
Here is an excellent summary. Trump has many features of a dangerous, amoral personality disorder. (www.dangerouscase.org ) Such persons typically have their enablers who have some motives that coincide with them. If not profoundly naive, these moths to that flame are otherwise profoundly amorally opportunistic. The naive ones get badly burned, as a recent NY Times Op-ed writer put it--any deal with the devil ends in ruin. But at the very least, those opportunists who seem to know exactly what they've gotten into have book deals to help them cry all the way to the bank when the ultimate betrayal happens. (The pathological person cannot be perfectly, consistently enabled for very long.) In the meantime, the danger persists, and I just hope we all can survive it, like becoming fully aware of the enabled drunk driver's vehicle--make, model and color--and being especially prepared to drive defensively when seeing one like it. Then eventually, we as in the majority who literally never wanted Trump, will go out and VOTE accordingly again. If, as by some miracle, he's convicted in the Senate in the meantime, we can still vote in no Republicans and any non-Republicans who at least profess genuinely with integrity to promote the common good.
1
"if Barr could dig out his conscience from under all those layers of ego, he’d see that the rapacious individual in direst need of restraint is the one he’s letting roam free."
Not to mention his despicable self.
2
My question is why Barr is allowed to roam free as Attorney General.
1
Maybe there is just so much dirt on all these people that they are willing to do anything Trump and his handlers want rather than risk being exposed.
1
Today's Republican Party, now the Trump Party, is a magnet for authoritarian personality types. Trump is just a catalyst that brings these guys (and it is almost all guys) out of the woodwork and from under rocks. Barr is a classic authoritarian dogmatic conservative Catholic that uses church authority, remade in his image, and constitutional and legal authority, reimagined in his image, to express his moralistic repressive notions of natural hierarchy and patriarchy that (surprise) happens to have him on top. The histrionics and feigned confusion of republican lawmakers, the spewed nightly hatred of Hannity et al., all cut from this cloth, all variations on this theme.
1
Pompeo’s failure to support Yovanovitch was more a failure to follow the precepts of leadership and honor he was taught at West Point than a failure to follow his “Christian” principles.
1
How many remember the hysterical fear in 1960 that if the Catholic JFK were elected president, our country would be under the power of the Pope of Rome?
And today, how many of the 9 Supreme Court Justices are Catholic? And not "just" Catholic, but extremist in the beliefs of their faith?
Five Catholics, and of them four extremists. And an AG? And a Sec of State? A pig in the office of President, but he's managing to bring those hysterical fears of 1960 into reality! Only in this case, the Pope of Rome would be ashamed of those acting in the name of his church, given their contrarianism to its real core faith of social justice and concern for the downtrodden. Acknowledged is the long history of the institution, with its own share of corruption, but under recent popes beginning with John XXIII (possibly with the exception of the Nazi pope) the church has concerned itself with social justice and good works. And that is what has given rise to these "secret" and extreme cliques who care more for power and hierarchy and self-interest then for the general good and care of the common populace.
The founding fathers in their wisdom mandated a separation of State from Church, but in recent times that excellent Democratic tenet has been repeatedly assaulted and corrupted to the point that the populace at large, is constrained and restricted BY other's religious beliefs in the increasing and misguided interpretation of that Constitutional separation.
1
Just as Barr auditioned to be appointed AG, so he now is jumping like a trained seal to be Trump's next Supreme Court appointment.
Heaven help us all if that happens. Welcome back the Dark Ages.
Barr is no dupe. He watched tRump's early behavior (and the behavior of of his cult followers and Republican congressional sycophants), and made the calculation that if tRump is ultimately successful in destroying our republic and replacing it with an authoritarian dictatorship, he wants to be tRump's Heinrich Himmler.
Attorney General William Barr makes former Attorney General John Mitchell look like a choir boy. Be carful Barr we all recall what Mitchell's loyalty resulted in. I don't think you would look terribly fashionable in government issue orange although it would match your boss's hair.
Well done Frank! This needed to be said. These men of god Pompeo Perry Barr Pence sicken us to the stomach.
All roads lead to Putin. Remember, before he was AG, Barr was an attorney who had associations with Alfa Bank and The Vector Group. You don’t need to look far with anyone who exhibits such sycophancy towards Trump. Some have clear associations with Russia. Others, like Rudy Giuliani and Lindsey Graham, may be held hostage by kompramat that we aren’t yet aware of. But when the truth finally comes out (Robert Mueller refused to even “go there”, so a great opportunity was lost) about Trump and his merry band of minions, it will all center on Russia.
Mr Barr is an ideologue with his own agenda, he appears to bend to Trumps every whim but only because it fits with his own goals.
Prior to joining Trump Barr was a respected lawyer, now he has the bit between his teeth and feels all powerful, he is no longer well respected. To him power is more important than respect
1
Barr is most likely a sick man with certain predilections and trump has the dirt on him. Trump doesn't hire "good "people he can't completely control. Trump is using his own people ,like J.Edgar Hoover or Nixon did, to dig up dirt on prospective underlings so their fealty to him is guaranteed.
1
Barr’s defense of Trump’s worst inclinations makes it seems as though Trump must have a video or some evidence of bad behavior. It’s not just “hear no evil” like my Senators but a mad rush to microphone to defend the Dear Leader.
Sorry, but saying that Barr is "perversely servile" grossly, and wrongly, underestimates Barr's misdeeds!
He's really a criminal co-conspirator at this point.
Barr has made his choice, and it's to aid and abet Trump's criminal activity, gross betrayal of his office, and high crimes and misdemeanors. "Just following orders" knowingly and willingly is no excuse!
I do not understand why nobdoy tries to stop Barr - for the President there is impeachment but what remedy is for a GA? Barr seems untouchable - nobody is seriously fighting his hypocrisy. It's sad - the US succumbs to a bunch of gangsters and their mob.
1
Barr is a disgrace as the U.S. Attorney General. He is servile to a man who is a disgrace to the American presidency, a man who is a disgrace to the Judeo-Christian values that Barr defends. That, at the very least, makes him IMO a total hypocrite.
I opened and read some of Barr’s address at Notre Dame. He doesn’t just defend Judeo-Christian traditions and values but, as would many on the right, wants to enshrine them as being indispensable to our democratic system of government. He argues that the only morality on which democracy can be successfully based is Judeo-Christian, simply because the Founders came from that tradition, even while they themselves determined that our government should not be confessional. Democracy itself was “invented” in the pre-Christian era in Greece.
I agree that “morality” is good thing; it’s just that to dismiss any source of morality outside a Supreme Christian God is just ludicrous and not connected to American reality, any reality in fact. And then to say that "Love Thy Neighbor" is a pillar of that belief and defend Trump and the attendees at Trump rallies as practicing that idea is, well, mindblowing.
1
Great descriptions, Mr. Bruni, thank you.
Barr needs to be disbarred. He's a disgrace to the legal profession, as well as to this country.
1
Where and when else have we seen autocratic regimes with a hierarchy of servile bullies under the leader?
1
Everyone around Trump is corrupted sooner or later. Barr was ready and willing. Shame on him.
1
You seem to limit your concern to these debauched souls at the top of the political ladder. I think you could expand that concern to the entire population that anointed them and are completely willing to let them savage the entire government.
Well said, Mr. Bruni.
Every time I hear the Trumpian rhetoric and spin come out the mouths of Barr, Pompeo, and Pence, I think these are the faces, the models of Evangelical America -- this is their values, their beliefs, this IS literally WHO they are!
It repels me further and further from this type of hypocritical institutional religion. Shameful.
I think the only reason to explain Barr is that he was promised an end of year bonus.
1
Hubris thy name is America.
I disagree that these people are simply debased by their servility to Trump. Their debasement is even deeper. More likely both Barr and Pompeo realize that Trump may not weather either the impeachment storm or win the upcoming election if he does, and are positioning themselves as the "most noble of his warriors" and therefore the rightful heir of his political kingdom and its loyal base of supporters. With that base and without Trump's boorishness, stupidity and lack of strategic vision, both have convinced themselves that they can become an even more imperial president.
These so called Christians in Barr, Pompeo are disgusting.
They simply don't mind in destroying the lives of others as they grip the world in their precious, small-minded, bigoted, petty toxic embrace.
These so called Christians are all about taking rights and opportunities away from others simply because they do not agree with them.
If they could do so, they would bang down your doors, go through your beds and your closets to find breakers of their moral code and convict them.
We continually hear how Christmas is under assault.
No, it is not Christmas that is under assault but the very message of the man Jesus that is.
You got it right Mr Bruni, these men are perverse.
Frank Bruni, on this memorable day in our torn apart American history, your column on Bill Barr's "Perverse Servility" to Donald Trump is prize-worthy. You justly call out Attorney General Bill Barr as Trump's "moral launderer".
Bill Barr's Father, Donald Barr, Headmaster of the elite private Dalton School, hired 20 year old Jeffrey Epstein (an unqualified college-dropout) to teach physics in the 1970s. Bill Barr doesn't fall far from his father's tree.
Mr. Barr, Donald Trump's "advocate", is as rotten an egg as the president's personal and maleficient lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. As bad an egg as Trump's pompous and grandiose Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. Too many rotten eggs in President Trump's White House chicken coop. Beyond dispute, "the restraint of individual rapacity", as you call it, doesn't exist in this president's viral rotten egg Oval Office.
1
He auditioned for the role, didn't he?
He announced openly he is willing and ready to give legal cover to whatever transgression and illegalities "the great leader" wants. He is only living up to his billing.
- The Great Leader is how Stephanie Grisham calls Trump now. And no, she does not work for Trump Org. She is a federal worker. Last time I heard this label was from Saddam Hussein sycophants.
Our Constitution is dependent upon the consent of the governed and the realization that opposition is not the same as treason. When these conditions no longer apply democracy is over. The Constitution had a good rum for 230 years, but is now history.
Barr none. This is a self serving guy in public service for his own gain. A tool. That said, in his favor he looks a lot like Fred Flintstone which helps us in not taking him seriously. Unfortunately, like Fred, he has a stone age disdain for thinking clearly about real issues. And so on. All ad hominem attacks on my part but these guys bring out the worse in me.
1
Holy mackerel. That was an amazing smack down of the sanctimonious weasel who is trying to protect the undeserving and who projects his own insecurities over all he sees. Thanks, I needed that.
4
The self-professed “Christian” varieties from which Barr comes, are nothing more than power-hungry, control-obsessed cultists.
2
“How does Trump’s attorney general keep a straight face?”
Constipation, that’s how.
3
This should come as a surprise to no one since the ability to be perversely servile is how Barr got the job to begin with.
1
Bill Mayer you must have blinders on. This Attorney General is simply a pawn for a dishonest and miserable president. The facts are there for all to see. Are you so partisan that you are willing to overlook the evidence and risk our democracy? Shame on you
1
Thanks Mr Bruni. This abject panderer needs to be called out at every opportunity.
1
When is the Times going to stop with this? At what point is enough misinformation by distortion, omission and outright lies enough?
Cases in point.
Fact: Horowitz confirms the Nunes Memo of Winter 2018. It was this memo that identified FBI malfeasance with the FISA court. For raising the alarm Nunes was ridiculed, smeared, his reputation destroyed by the media across the country. But he was right.
Fact: Horowitz confirms Adam Schiff lied in his memo of Winter 2018. Schiff intentionally misdirected the public and made statements about FBI actions that were proven by Horowitz as completely untrue. It is in the report. Yet Schiff was lauded by this paper and countless of the other organs of mainstream 'news'. This liar, for that is what he is, held an impeachment hearing against the president. The very individual hurt by Schiff's eyes.
This is incontrovertible. It behooves The Times, and every one else to set this record straight.
Barr was scathing in his criticism of the role the media played in disrupting political discourse - and society itself - over the past three years. Given the predictable outcomes of every single media action and smear and campaign against Trump, Barr is right.
You need to start listening to and you need to look in the mirror. What you are doing is wrong.
Nowhere is it more evident than at the New York Times where the sane man, when everyone else is crazy, is the one who is accused of insanity.
1
Bill Barr is the near perfect synthesis of Mile Pence and Steve Bannon. He is not just Trump's personal attorney but is executing his own ultra-conservative, nationalist and white supremacist agenda cloaked in his bible thumping Christian Evagelical faith. Barr us anything but a neutral attorney general following the Constitution but a partisan promoting a personal agenda. He, like Trump, deserves to be impeached for breaching his oath of his office
This is gonna be a mess. Sorry. But here goes.
I am an evangelical Christian. Wish there was a nicer term--and when I think of it, I'll let you know.
From time to time, devout Christians have seized the reins of power. "Oh goody!" they exclaim. "Now--at long last--we can make people do what we THINK they should do. Now--at long last--we can make it. . .um. . .UNPLEASANT for people who DON'T do what we think they should."
Some history comes to mind. France's Third Republic--lasted from 1870 to 1940. Bear with me.
It was hated by various groups. None more that the right wing. The devout Catholics (no offense, anyone). The monarchists. The acolytes of Napoleon. Persons in the army.
Lots of people.
The people that screamed, "Better Hitler than Blum"--who, by the way, was a Jew.
The Republic collapsed under the Nazi boot in 1940. At last, they screamed. Defeat--not so nice! But we can take care of the radicals--the non-Christians--the Jews--the Communists. Et cetera.
And they set up the Vichy regime. They collaborated.
An ineradicable page of shame in French history.
You listening?
Mr. Barr?
1
Pardon me for again proving a comment I have made other times to the NYT. The historical relevance of Adolf Hitler had always been one of the great mysteries to me. Not his rise to power, or even his crazy behavior, but the willingness of so many to look the other way. The mystery is not solved, but the astonishment has been replaced by a numbness, as I witness so many people , even friends and relatives, committed to guzzling mass quantities of kool-aid.
1
Kudos to Frank Bruni (tainted intellectually by a bad meal?) and the NYT commenters. With talent and insight as such, a collaborative effort between them, would put the likes of James Patterson, Daniele Steel, Stephen King, and John Grisham's careers in jeopardy......
1
I find it amazing that you and your colleagues at the NYT are doing everything in your power to disengage Independent voters with your constant one sided rhetoric.
How about, for a change, present the facts, and, let the reader decide.
2
The facts are in the news section. Interpretations and opinions in the Op Ed and Opinion columns. American History is in the obits.
2
No surprise. He advertized his willingness to prostitute himself when he was seeking the job as AG.
1
Barr like others before him have a very foggy concept of who they really are serving. Jesus said it bluntly, "Get behind me Satan."
In Barr's pining for a "moral renaissance," he somehow missed the world wide pederasty of the Catholic church he holds both high and dear. It's clear Barr's claim to moralism is relative, if extant. His fealty to Executive Privilege has turned a man who had it all into a droopy jowled Basset Hound at 45's feet. No matter how much he licks, it won't be enough to absolve DJT. In short, he too should be impeached for abuse of power.
The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Thank you and well said! Barr is an abomination, worse than Trump since Barr should know better, yet debased himself at the cult of Trump. Just sickening.
"Religion does three things quite effectively: deludes people, divides people, controls people."
~ Carlespie Mary Alice McKinney
1
If president Pence doesn't fire him, then Barr will be impeached.
Bill Barr isn't even human as far as I can see.
2
Bill Barr the attorney general instead of working for the Country acts as trump’s peon.
What an embarrassment an old man has no shame .
5
A zealot by any other name.
3
Barr is just another piece of refuse that Trump added to his collection of toadies, twits, and criminals.
Barr should be impeached.
3
William Barr is prostituting himself because Trump has dangled a seat on the Supreme Court before him. Of course should a seat becomes available Trump will give the seat to another servile who is his favorite for the
Moment and Barr would have sold his soul to the devil for nothing.
3
“men are subject to powerful passions and appetites and, if unrestrained, are capable of ruthlessly riding roughshod over their neighbors and the community.”
This is straight out of the Putin/Dugin/Surkov playbook that argues 'democracy and its liberal champions are a cancer' on societies that need to preserve their cultural heritage, and therefore justify the autocratic nature of their systems of governance. It is fascist in tone and dictatorial in practice because it elevates the acquisition of power over the achievement of consensus in matters of law and order. This idea is being actively promoted and uses the writings of Ivan Ilyin, a rehabiitated, Communist-era, Russian political philosopher, for inspiration. This is a frontal attack on Western Enlightenment values and the notion of self-governance by reasonably educated citizens. Remember, the Western Enlightenment came about after a thousand years of using religion to justify legal gangsterism-as-government, with no accountability and no recourse from official abuse. It's why the Founders fought a revolution against Britain, and why the French overthrew their King 13 years later.
Today's fascists want you to believe that was all a mistake, that you and I are incapable of making reasoned judgements about what the future of our nation should be. So far, they've had to manipulate and cheat to achieve their initial successes. And Bill Barr with his Unitary Executive Theory is their champion here. They must be stopped.
4
While Trump is a disgrace to the country, Barr really is the scary one. Fascism is right around the corner with him and his “unitary executive!”
3
Barr is not mindless just Trumps lap dog.
Barr, being an Opus Dei aficionado, must be using Trump as his corporal mortification since it is clear fasting isn't working for him...Trump acting as Barr's symbolic cilich, wearing him around his thigh everyday to cause him discomfort, redeeming himself from sin.
Anyone else have a better explanation for Barr's bizarre viewpoints?
1
Barr is doing his best to bring down our republic all to the tune of " Onward Christian Soldiers".
1
When Trump was extorting Ukraine,
he did mention Bill Barr by name.
Now Trump bids his minion
to give an opinion
That Trump is not guilty,...... again.
1
What I can't work out is if people like Barr believe their nonsense and lies or if they just think we will.
Since the GOP has been saying up is down and right is left for most of my lifetime and they've also used this tactic of screaming what they are doing is being done to them, I'm inclined to think they know very well they are lying but think we are too stupid to see it.
1
Barr should be disbarred.
3
Barr and his acolytes, the likes of Pence, Carson, Pompeo etc....will only be remembered as enablers and sycophants. Godless they are indeed. They have neither spine nor bones to stand up to this immoral, corrupt and inept president. They think they hold the key to the moral high ground and hide behind faith and ideology to further the Republican agenda ( stuffing the courts for one) but in the end they will crumble to ashes. Their dear leader is being impeached, the country is as divided as ever, our democratic institutions are being held on crutches and it is their doing. But they do not care as long as they retain power, even as a minority party. Barr and co. are another reason for the people to get out and vote on November 3, 2020. We will show that we are better than them.
When this administration is over (soon, please God), I hope Barr along with Miller are to stand trial, the likes of Nuremberg. Crimes against humanity.
3
I think Bruni should wait for the perp walks before he casts aspersions on Barr. Then we’ll know the extent of the evidence and be able to judge its worth. Until then Bruni really has nothing to say.
The observation that the scariest thing isn't Trump's own odiousness, but how many similarly awful people come crawling out of the woodwork to abet him reminds me of - a book. Uwe Johnson's 'Jahrestage', or in English 'Anniversaries': by far the best literary treatment of what the NSDAP's victory in 1933 looked like in everyday life. The mixture of opportunists and assorted monomaniacs sensing their moment; the small acts of betrayal and occasionally solidarity. I hear there is a new English translation out.
To be clear, I'm not saying the Republicans have become the NSDAP or Trump is like Hitler. It is possible to have similar social processes going on in different political contexts. And it's also a very flawed book. But I'll be taking my copy out over the Christmas holiday.
Barr repeatedly flouts the Constitution he is sworn to uphold out of a delusion that his own narrow view of religion trumps (ahem) the laws of the United States. Bill, one more time, check out the establishment clause of the first amendment, which separates religion from the state in this country. If you really believe God is telling you to subvert that, maybe you need a medical exam.
They are all (save the useful idiot in the white house) products of the right wing machine, created after the Goldwater loss, to gain control of all arms of the Government to insure a return to 19th Century oligarchy, unfettered capitalism and to to undo any government programs that provide for poor people.
As long as there is a tool in the white house who will carry out that agenda, and consolidate their hold on power, e,g by appointing complicit judges, they will continue support the man.
1
Barr is smart enough to have (a) observed the record-setting prevalence of firings and resignations of members of Trump’s inner circle in 2016-2017, and (b) asked himself if he could be Trump’s face-licking lap dog, as the only way to get, and keep, the job of Attorney General. His answer to that question, obviously, was yes. Look for more face-licking. “Good boy, Bill - that’s a very good boy.”
1
People that claim to speak for God do not know God.
1
...and what of the connection between William Barr, his disgraced father Donald Barr, and the ever popular Jeffrey Epstein. And, of course, our beloved Donald J Trump?
2
Who would have thought that Sessions might be the sublime appointee, actually having an ethic governed by standards so high that they eventually determined his downfall ordered by the man, Trump, whom he so ardently supported? From that sublimity to the disturbingly ridiculous, heinously biased, have we his replacement, Bill Barr, Opus Dei, rigidly Catholic, who somehow manages to coddle in breathtaking defiance of his religious education the lie, no, lies, espoused by Trump, by roundly disparaging, even renouncing, the DOJ's finding that the FBI investigation into the Trump's campaign's ties to Russia was, in fact, legitimate. It is bad enough when the Presidency and its Administration are infected with a total lack of integrity. When, however, the country's top legal watchdog falls into lockstep with the Thug-In-Charge alarms should ring stridently. Democracy is at stake.
1
Are you sure that its not Elton John?
Well, you know when you have the conservative catholic version of god on your side, Barr can do no wrong. This is exactly the theory of every radical religious extremist persecuting any one who does not agree with them today, causing world wide genocide and xenophobia. And you also know, that somewhere along the way Barr will fail to work for the president, he will seem disloyal, as have so many others. 45 will cast him away like a couple of used toothpicks.
1
We need not limit impeachment to the president.
Attorney General Barr is thumbing his nose at the Constitution and the American people in service to Donald Trump and various debunked crackpot conspiracy theories he knows are lies.
Shame.
1
Wow!, So many great quotes in this all too short opinion piece. It must have been tough to restrain writing even more, as what you've pointed out is merely the tip of a melting iceberg of what needs to be said of this horrible man, bar none.
Forget party over country. It is clear that it is trump and only trump over country. Constitutional law for Barr? Heck no! It is trump law baby!
What Barr brings is a theo-autocratic delusion that trump is the chosen one and therefore greater than America.
Indeed, trump CAN shoot anyone on Fifth Avenue and not lose any voters and Barr would obstruct any investigation or indictment and the Republicans would block any impeachment conviction in the Senate. Actually, Barr would claim the victim was an immigrant and so deserved it - so trump would be a hero.
"Trump does evil, and Barr washes him clean." And God will forgive Barr, or is it trump that will pardon Barr? Whatever! It has the same effect on Giuliani who is traveling the globe for nefarious anti-American purposes knowing he has "insurance" - a presidential pardon.
1
"What kind of Officer of the Law refuses to listen to evidence and says you are guilty before proven guilty or condones those such as Putin who has proven himself a sworn enemy of this country?"
One who has skeletons in his closet with the orange-headed one holding the key.
2
After the Trump impeachment vote, Congress should take up the impeachment of William Barr.
2
Disbar Barr.
2
Barr is a religious zealot who will do anything to keep progressives from power. That explains it all.
1
Bill Barr is un-American. Full stop.
2
Put another way, Trump is Al Capone and William Barr is his tax evading accountant.
2
Thanks to Barr, Lady Justice can now wield her sword without the handicap of a blindfold.
1
Given Bill Barr's willingness to out and out lie, I would not be surprised to read something like the following:
In less known ruling by Bill Barr that was overshadowed by the impeachment proceedings, Barr challenged a recent US Forest Service report on the trend of new diseases found in federal lands. The report was meant to address concerns about the potential transmission of these diseases that could be spread by the increasing populations of bears in several national forests due to what the report refers to as the bear's "propensity to defecate in forest environments". Barr however, issued a statement challenging the Forest Service's factual basis for their assertion. Barr's statement claimed that there were "no documented instances provided by the Forest Service in which a bear was observed defecating in the woods", also claiming that no wildlife documentary had ever caught a bear "in the act". Barr labeled protests by professional biologists as "biased and ignorant academics aligned with the "deep state forest interests"".
The justice department is preparing to issue another statement tomorrow that insiders say will challenge the notion that the Pope is in fact, a Catholic.
1
Somebody tell Barr, Pompeo, Perry, Carson, DeVos, among others in the cabinet and in Congress, to wipe the brown off their noses. Serve the Country, folks, show some backbone and/or decency.
1
William Barr is not an enigma.
His father gave the convicted child rapist and human trafficker Epstein (whom Trump admits to having the same taste in girls as him) a job “teaching” high school girls when no one would hire him.
His son, despite the red flags the firm’s internal audit department has raised, approved the Deutsche Bank loan to Trump when not a single American bank would give him so much as a single dollar due to his business failures and bankruptcies.
William Barr, like his father and his son, has no moral compass.
He knows that he needs Trump in power, otherwise, his sordid past might be revealed.
That’s why he has no problem lying for all the world to see and traveling on taxpayers’ dime to peddle Russian propaganda.
Being Trump’s personal attorney while reaping an AG’s salary is peak Barr.
This is it.
He has nowhere else to go.
Except maybe to prison.
2
This might be the one liner of the year:
Execution privilege, Barr would probably call it.
And so would the rest of the subservient GOP.
1
If anything Barr is even more dangerous than cheating Trump. Barr is bending our Justice system to cover up for Trump. History will not be kind.
1
"How does Trump’s attorney general keep a straight face?" I could not contain my laughter. Pot meet kettle...Three years of screaming Russia collusion! How does anyone who writes a column for the NYT keep a straight face?
Everyone please read Barr’s speech at Notre Dame and be very afraid. It is the speech of a fascist draped in lamb’s wool.
1
Here’s a conspiracy theory for you: Barr, Durham, and Cippolone are religious Catholic extremists, members of Opus Dei. They are using Trump to accomplish the goal of stacking the supreme court to outlaw abortion.
That’s my theory.
What other rationale explanation does anyone have for their behavior?
1
He's not a dupe. He's much more a contributing cause of the problem than an effect of it. Think about the Nuremberg trials. Those defendants showed plenty of initiative regarding slaughtering Jews, gypsies, other undesirables. They went far beyond what Hitler ordered them. They were entrepreneurial about it. Same goes for Barr.
2
Vidkun Quisling received the honor of having his last name become a dictionary defined noun. It remains to be seen how a "barr" will be defined.
Bad Bill Barr Revealed:
How Can Bad Barr Keep a Straight Face, you ask? Psychopaths, most of them, can keep a Straight Face. They are also Manipulative.
1
Barr belongs to Opus Dei, one of the most far right, holier than the pope, ultra conservative Catholic groups around In this "light," his general condemnation of modernity is easily understood.
1
It appears a large segment of the US populace has lost its ability to disbelieve or even question anything that comes out of Lord MAGA's mouth.
Barr is consistent with just the type of advisor and advocate Donald Trump wants. There is no right or wrong with Trump (or Barr), only what Trump wants, which is power and admiration - honor and integrity are for losers.
1
Barr is more than just a cringing toady, he's Trump's work wife, smoothing out the many wrinkles of the president's day, defending him against the meanies of the opposition and proffering a calming Diet Coke at dusk.
1
Bill Barr knows who butters his bread, and from the looks of it, he’s been eating a lot of it.
Barr: Fred Flintstone, If Fred went to Law School, found “ Jesus “, Fame, and a twisted Dark Master.
Just saying.
2
Once again, a religious fundamentalist republican seeks to destroy our Constitution for the sake of their own power. These criminals must be dealt with. With extreme prejudice.
2
Servility is far too kind. The man is a criminal just like his client.
4
Three Stooges: Trump, Giuliani, Barr. This is disgraceful. Three lawyers who need to be disbarred: Durham, Giuliani, Barr. Durham needs to be reviewed for ethics violations, his (and Barr’s) perusal is a true witch hunt.
2
The term "lickspittal" comes to mind with regard to Mr. Barr, Mr. Giuliani, and their ilk.
1
Their isn't much in religious texts that can't be twisted to suit one's needs.
"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ."
Corinthians 11:3
Your "supposedly golly men" have a sincere and pure devotion to themselves.
Unederneath Mr. Barr, Pompeo, Nunes,Trump, et al. - the fake religiosity, hypocritical moralizing, hyperpatriotism - the unacceptable face of fascism, pure and simple.
William Barr is rapidly becoming Hermann Goering to Trump's Fearless Leader. Any day now, I expect to hear him say, "If der Trumpet wants it, two and two make five."
1
Great column, Frank! Without his Roy Cohn in Barr, Trump would be facing a lot more investigations, and the Mueller report would have had more impact. As the Post reminds us, “ Democracy dies in darkness.” What has happened to the spinoffs from that investigation? Where are the whistleblowers in the DOJ?
I particularly liked your egg/omelette analogy. We can only hope, in this case, that Humpty Dumpty will have a great fall - from power.
I have started to research the rise of Adolph Hitler, as he took the Weimar Republic and, with a minority of the populace created a horrible dictatorship fueled by racism. For those who think it can’t happen here, open your eyes. Each unchecked outrage and the numbness many of us feel are only preparatory to Trump’s desire to create that here.
The sycophants that should know better are greasing the skids of this trajectory. I only hope it’s not too late.
The FBI should investigate whether or not William Barr actually went to law school. He is a profoundly ignorant man. If he can produce a law degree, Walmart should declare it null and void. He ain't no lawyer. He's a crook.
Barr, he’s a bummer. You can watch his Notre Dame talk here,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IM87WMsrCWM
And read his resume here,
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/William%20Barr%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20(PUBLIC).pdf
Barr's endgame is seeing, ensuring, that Trump gets a second term as he would love nothing more than an appointment to the SCOTUS. That's what Barr has his eyes on and he is more than willing to spit on the Constitution and whatever else needs spitting on and lie hard about all truth to get him the Golden Ticket.
It is only natural for religious people to cling to a king
I look at his face when he lies and catapults the propaganda. I can't understand what this blobby egotistical old man wants.
What is it he wants?
He's bright enough to know exactly what he's saying. Remember his last visitation during Iran Contra.
He's a monarchist.
Barr is the kind of Catholic who loves religious authoritarianism, not the teachings of Christ, and the kind of lawyer who sees law as a form of control that applies to some but not others, not as the basic rules for a democracy, Barr doesn't believe in democracy, he's Trump's corrupt lackey and Trump is an enemy of our American Constitutional Republic. Trump and his gang of crooks are a horrible contrast to the Founders of our country as they they trash it to get rich and richer.
"All these supposedly godly men — Barr, Pompeo, Mike Pence, Ben Carson, Rick Perry and more — cluster around such a demonstrably godless one. They rationalize that Trump’s indulgence of certain religious factions absolves him of his sins. Barr is the principal agent of that absolution."
Prosperity-preaching posers, every last one of them.
William J. Barr is a morally depraved enemy of the United States of America.
It is objectively undeniable that William Barr is ruthless conspiring to replace American democracy and Constitutional rule of law with a white supremacist Trumpian tyranny that is ultimately controlled by Vladimir Putin.
Barr has transgressed far beyond the wetlands partisan servility into the swamp of functional treason.
Barr's servility to Trump is easily explained in 3 words: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Barr has been, since day 1, auditioning for the seat our illustrious justice will, at some point, vacate. He's betting this will occur sometime during Trump's tenure, and the longer that tenure, the better.
1
I have thought long and hard about the motivations, and hence the end game, of William Barr and his obeisance to Donald Trump. I have finally come to some conclusions.
Trump and Barr are polar opposites in one very basic respect. Trump sees life as morally chaotic, with no universally guiding ethical principles. Success is defined by overcoming one's opponent in conflict, contest, or competition. Trump is incapable of seeing beyond his own self-interest, and is totally devoid of any religious piety. Barr, on the other hand, sees life as fundamentally marked by religious connection to humanity (see the text of his speech at Notre Dame), and this connection in Christian in nature. He sees himself as a crusader against moral and religious indifference in America, one whose role is to impose on the morally inferior segments of our nation his superior viewpoints.
William Barr believes he is serving a higher cause than Donald Trump, so he can look past Trump's moral and political vacuity. His is a superior message, so the ends justifies the means.
These are two reprehensible human beings, despite their diametrically opposed world views.
298
hhhman - I think you hit the bulls eye with this comment. I had to read the Barr speech to “get it.” All I can say is “god (not God) help us.”
18
@hhhman I could not agree more, but I'd also take it a bit further. The US right wing has been waging a war since at least the foundation of Fox News. Those on the left have utterly missed how people such as Barr can allege to carry the mantle of Christian love and yet also be not only vindictively hateful and astonishingly nihilistic. But if you believe in endtimes and that the life you are living today is not your real life, that your real life will come in the hereafter, their nihilism is no less understandable than that of other jihadis who are willing to die, or are in fact eager to die, for their cause.
Don't be surprised if Trump is not re-elected (even by a wide margin) and he refuses to leave the White House, claiming that it was all a cheat. Don't be surprised if owners of assault-style weapons appear in Washington to defend his holy right to the White House.
There are people, bright and once decent people, who have convinced themselves that Trump is God's will and instrument. They are hardly likely to be dissuaded by something so trivial as an election.
22
@hhhman Reprehensible indeed. There are some differences, but their common trait is authoritarianism--Trump's in always and totally in his amoral self-interest, and Barr's in his rigid adherence to an organized religion. Organized religion is no democratic-republic, or a governing body that would have representatives respectful of a majority opinions of a congregation. It takes believers with profound personal integrity to maintain a moral stance but still maintain acceptance and participation in an organized religion. I'm reminded of the struggle that the Roman Catholic hierarchy is having with the so-called "American Catholics." Well, there is a notion that people in authority eventually get the people they want--moral, amoral, or immoral. Those authorities who genuinely believe in moral adherence to an oath to a Constitution prohibiting the establishment of a state religion will, it is truly hoped, prevail.
10
It is unfortunate that Mr. Bruni starts off with the word 'perverse.'
That said, the answer to his question, "How does Trump’s attorney general keep a straight face?", is rather straightforward.
Attorney General Barr is committed to finding our what happened in the largest travesty ever committed against a Presidential candidate and a newly-elected President.
He is focused on adhering as closely as possible to the law, and dogged in ensuring that the investigations done by his Department stand up to scrutiny.
Attorney General Barr has provided John Durham with the independence and the tools that he needs to thoroughly investigate the 2016 campaign and election process. Criminal charges may indeed result.
"How does Trump’s attorney general keep a straight face?"
By not having his face contorted in the anger that consumes those that hate the President of the United States.
1
Barr is just the tip of the iceberg. Even more concerning from a long-term view, Trump and McConnell are packing the federal courts with conservative (many unqualified) judges who support the idea of nearly unlimited Presidential authority. This will have consequences long after Donald Trump is history.
4
It appears that Mr. Barr is paying attention to the Constitution as he reads it. What he's not paying attention to is the intention of the Founders for the meaning of the Constitution, as reflected for example in the Federalist Papers. Out of trust in Washington, the Founders gave more powers to the president than they otherwise would have done, but still very much limited the president's powers in various ways. Mr. Barr however, seems to be a disciple of Thomas Hobbes, so that it appears that he believes that we need a monarchical president to save us from ourselves. Apparently he doesn't think we need anyone to save us from a monarchical president (at least, if that president doesn't belong to the Democratic Party; I'd love to know how he'd react to a President Warren or a President Sanders). As for morality, he seems to see it mostly as a combination of submissiveness and of traditional Judeo-Christian sexual mores. Other things apparently aren't moral questions. There's a sort of consistency here, but a very scary one.
1
It has been said that an honest man is the noblest work of God. Someone, however, paraphrased it in a way that posits a warning: an honest God is the noblest work of man. It is far too easy to imagine God less as someone we look to for guidance than someone whose countenance is curiously like our own. In that scenario, the God to whom we are praying is a projection of ourselves - of our own likes, dislikes and opinions. It's the abandonment of humility that perverts the relationship.
2
Being a good citizen and civilized behavior have nothing to do with religion. If religion is required to constrain a person's base instincts, then that person is well beyond the constraint of moral guidance. Do the next right thing.
5
Barr is just one more of the "I know the best people" that Trump has foisted on us, and possibly the most dangerous of the lot. His ideas on the presidency are monarchical, and against everything that the founders fought for. He would gladly anoint Trump as king if it was left to him. He has to go, along with his would be king.
4
He isn't servile. He has found a vessel for his OWN authoritarian, fascist desires. You severely misjudge him if you think he is being servile. He wants to institute an authoritarian, right wing dictatorship in the United States and Trump serves well as his instrument for doing so.
You don't think he won't use his power at the Justice Department to deep six Trump once democracy is thoroughly undermined?
5
Spot on. Well done, Frank.
4
We can expect the election next year to be the most corrupt in history. Barr's Justice Department will enable this.
7
Going to church or temple doesn’t make one a good person, IT’S HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE THAT MATTERS. I had a boss who went to church but, had no compunction about telling lies to me with a straight face. Religion, for some, seems to be a shield to protect against claims of malfeasance and not a way to live their life!
13
I keep wondering what career FBI agents and Justice Department officials think of this relentless attack on their work. They keep trying to appease the far right, thinking I suppose, that it will protect them from such attacks, but so far it hasn't worked.
James Comey was a case in point: When, in July of 2016, the FBI could not find any actual evidence to indict Hillary Clinton, he tried to soften the blow to the far right true believers by verbally indicting her for carelessness. He then re-opened the investigation 11 days before the election, sealing the electoral college victory for trump. So who fired him? It wasn't the Democrats, it was trump.
When will these people learn that attempting to appease the far right is a fool's errand? When will they start fighting back? Are they so thoroughly brainwashed against Democrats and Liberals that they will simply allow trump and Barr destroy their work?
6
You hit the nail on the head , Barr is Trumps Roy Cohen and should be impeached as well , he’s a clear and present danger to our Republic and the constitution.
Lying and corruption is new normal with in this administration, it’s time for sweeping changes regardless of ones politics or our democracy is doomed.
7
Religious fundamentalism bars Barr from the reality of the Trump travesty, so he parrots it as good. Same thing that affects many of his cabinet, "born again" to corruption. The rest of them were already corrupt.
4
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. "
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully, as when they do it from religious conviction."
Blaise Pascal
9
@Miss Anne Thrope
Would you please cite the Seneca work where I can find this passage? And while you're at it Pascal. There is a cottage industry of creating quotes and attributing them to famous people, e.g. Einstein and Twain. The internet only fosters more of this when there is exact reference
1
Hey, Times copy people: Half-way down there is this: He has bought fully into the idea that the zeal of Trump’s detractors matters more than the presidents’ abuses of power."
What is needed is "president's" since FB is referring to one.
Important to remember that Barr, Pompeo, Pence, Carson, Perry, Conway want the US to be a theocracy. Trump is the means to this end. Check out Dominionism if you want to stay up at night.
5
Barr knows better. He’s been an AG before and he has no excuse for not knowing what counter intelligence is for. Catching spies after the fact is not good. You want to nip it in the bud.
When foreign intelligence assets are contacting you, it’s not because they like you. They want something. And they are very happy if they can get it from some fool acting unwittingly.
Part of counter intelligence is knowing why spies are interested in certain individuals even when the American involved isn’t aware of what is afoot.
In this case, we know there was an operation going on but we didn’t know how it was working. We saw lots of contact with certain individuals in sensitive positions. As it turns out, two of the were committing crimes. One later committed a crime hiding things. The other was just a contact. But ignoring it would have been derelict.
5
Barr is a nightmare. With a straight face he accuses the opponents of the Republican party with a long list that accurately details each of the crimes and misdemeanors he and his boss and his Republican colleagues and allies are currently committing. He is an extraordinarily dangerous person, projecting his own corruption onto others and then using that projection as a rationale for attack and persecution.
Bad times.
7
Me thinks the FBI needs to open an investigation into the investigation-whisperer who can’t accept the results of his requested investigation. Christopher Wray . . . the time is now.
3
William Barr is a disgrace. It's fairly obvious that his job interview consisted of 1 question. He answered in the affirmative when asked by President Trump if he agreed that protecting Trump was more important than protecting The Constitution of the United States of America.
6
I would say that Barr is Trump's lackey for the same reason that Mitch McConnell et al are Trump's enablers - he is the filthy conduit to a Conservative Theocracy in which elections are a sham, police state tactics are commonplace, racism and sexism rule and economic inequality is guaranteed by law.
4
“The wonder is this fluffy, funky omelet of unscrupulousness.”
Thank you, Mr. Bruni, for giving me this image to contemplate over my breakfast.
Thanks too for an excellent essay on a despicable man.
3
Barr is a member of Opus Dei, the extreme zealots of Catholicism. I enjoyed Dan brown’s books, but now feel ill that they seem too prescient.
2
The times have found Barr, Pence, Pompeo, Perry, Carson, Kellyanne Conway, Mick Mulavney, Nikki Haley, etc. (Just like the times have found Nancy Pelosi but on the opposite side of the spectrum of morality. ) Had it not been for Trump, we'd never know the true character (or lack of thereof) of these supposedly worshipful women and men.
Thanks for the link to Barr’s speech. Savanarola could not have said it more clearly. We should all cringe...and then wonder how his Self-Righteous Counsel managed never to mention the myriad girls and boys abused by the clergy, the eons of pogroms that forced Jews to flee and seek refuge in a tolerant United States, the forced conversions of Native Americans, the sterilization of African Americans, and the refusal to acknowledge the Copernican discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun and the concomitant “crimes of Galileo”.
William Barr is a clear and present danger to everyone who isn’t a penitent Catholic, and even they should be looking over their shoulders!
6
"Funky, fluffly omelette of unscrupulousness": Frank, this may be your best metaphor ever and in the top 10 of any of your columns. Thank you.
2
Each day I wonder at our country - what's happened to the decency, the comfort of knowing that justice can and will be done; the civility and power of language; the well meaning acts of citizens who believe in a just society, but then, we hear the ugly rallies of our President, his vile accusations and verbiage; disparaging decent people, bullying and demeaning to a roaring crowd of cult-like fans; eyes closed to reality, hearing only the voice of the liar, our President. Who are these minions; and what possesses Bill Barr? What demons have entered their souls to conspire with such vengeance? I wonder.....
6
Bill Barr is EXACTLY what he always was -- a schemer who works for "the team".
His pardon design for Iran-Contra nullified the rule of law and save GHW Bush's bacon, as Bush was neck deep in it.
Now, likeTrump, it is likely that Barr believes his own lies.
“The liar's punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.”
― George Bernard Shaw
When such truth challenged people become our leaders, we are punished, too.
4
Is there a school or religion or commune where Barrs, Pompeos, McConnells, and Pences are made? Where do these people learn this hate and fear? And more importantly how did they rise to such power? How did a two-bit crook become their leader?
I am unable to come up with any answers, but I know this : they can't be changed and so they must be removed. Now. Before it's too late.
4
@Enough
"Is there a school or religion or commune where Barrs, Pompeos, McConnells, and Pences are made? Where do these people learn this hate and fear? And more importantly how did they rise to such power?"
Wake up, this is America. If you do not know where this come from you have been blind or blissfully ignorant of some realities that exist in this country. So let me help you out. At the core of the American conservative movement is the belief that America is a white Christian country that should be under the dominion of white Christian men. Everybody else is a second class citizen, at best.
Once you understand that you understand Trumps appeal to Evangelicals, white Christian men, and the 52% of white women who voted for him in 2016. These people see the coming demographic changes that will start dramatically changing America in the next decade as a existential threat to their beliefs and vision of America. They cannot abide an America where white people are not dominant economically or politically and they will do anything to maintain that dominance including subverting the Constitution of the United States of America.
Now do you understand where they come from, how they are made, and the extent they are willing to go to get what they want?
Those of us who live in true democracies wonder how on earth Americans can believe their system of government and their supposedly “brilliant” tripartite constitution is so great, when it’s clear it just does not work. It was created in a time when there were unwritten norms of honorable conduct. If a president was deemed problematical he would be forced by the other co equal arm, the Congress, to modify his behaviour and if necessary to submit to censure and, as a last resort, to impeachment. But they didn’t allow for a president who was not “honorable”, who was in fact a liar and a cheat, a selfish, greedy wannabe dictator who was driven by abject greed. There are no “checks and balances” in the American constitution to prevent an autocrat from thumbing their nose, and ignoring Congress, and hiring an Attorney General, supposedly representing the people, who, when asked to jump, doesn’t question the order but asks “how high”? Mr Trump’s ignoring subpoenas has not been sufficiently recognized as the most serious total break from the ”honourable“ convention that the Congress is a co equal check on the presidency and his egregious ownership of a lap dog Attorney General is a similar break from the moral and honorable structure that the founders established. It has been wrecked and laid waste by this mountebank. God help America.
6
Interviewers are way too tactful in cross examination of his responses.
Is that because the corporations that own these news outlets are trump devotees behind closed doors ?
Yup !That earbud in the reporters ear tells him what to do and what not to do.
1
Why did Trump mention Barr along with Rudy as the contact for his dirty Ukraine business? Where is the investigation needed to clarify this urgent matter?
2
A column to save for future reflection. Thank you Mr. Bruni,
2
Perhaps Barr should resign and work as Trump’s personal lawyer. Then again, perhaps he isn’t a fan of working for free and is content to pay the odd 30k to prop up The Boss’s hotels.
2
We have a saying down south about pusillanimous lawyers like Barr, "he wouldn't know how to trover a mule."
So, this man is a product of Republican think tanks? A clarion connecting us today with the intentions and visions of our Founders?
The Scriptures promise a reckoning for wrongdoing. This man is aiding and abetting the selling of America to a foreign country. Remember the warning Speaker Pelosi gave in person to the president: "All roads lead to Putin."
5
Barr reminds me of Thomas Cromwell's subservience to Henry VIII. Except that Cromwell, on the evidence, was smarter. After all, back then a mistake could cost you your head, not just your job.
1
I think your next piece out to explain to your readers why these charlatans are the way they are. The real ultimate causes. Write about the hypocrisy of the right wing Christian evangelicals. Write about the history of this movement and the corruption of the Republican Party and the so-called “conservative” movement. Write about the psychology of it all. Write about the research done on psychopaths and sociopaths. Write about how these people are “right-wing authoritarian followers and leaders”. See what John Dean write about this in his book “Conservatives Without Conscience”. Write about how this is not an aberration but how the presidency of Trump and his sycophants like Bill Barr in his Administration are the culmination of a many decade long effort of the right wing and religious conservatives. Write about the history, the psychology, the politics and the sociology of all this. And write about where this could all be headed, which is no good at all. You have the platform to truly educate your readers. Please do us all a huge favor and expose these people for the frauds they really are.
2
Bill Barr has forever shredded his reputation by selling out the Justice Department and the American people. But he believes he has the respect of Christians and cares not for the thoughts of the rest of us. He sees himself as a martyr to Christianity.
Barr is another immoral the-end-justifies-the-means "Christians." He and they WOULD shoot someone on Fifth Avenue if they thought it would result in another right-wing Supreme Court appointment. They WILL work with the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans to keep Corrupt Trump in the White House because they believe they can lock in right-wing judges across the nation and make the Supreme Court the right-wing Christian de facto College of Cardinals with Pope Corrupt Trump making America Christian again. Their efforts are merging radicalized Christian doctrine into our government.
But their ill gotten gains only turns more Americans against the Christian religion and will drive the majority of Americans to demand secularism. Right-wing Christians are no better than Islamic jihadist - they pose a threat to the republic, our values, our Constitution. Radicalized religion has eradicated their ability to reason. And ultimately man is reasoning which sets us above other animals - including radicalized Christians like Bill Barr.
When majority America takes back the US government there will be new laws to keep religious beliefs private, out of the public domain, out of government. Barr's perversion of government will be short lived.
3
The only honest thing Trump has ever done is to link Barr and Giuliani in the same breath, when telling President Zelensky he would get both of them to "give you a call".
2
Bad eggs attract bad eggs - this is nothing short of a criminal, gang-like enterprise.
2
We've been here before.
Barr is to Trump as John Mitchell was to Nixon.
3
That Notre Dame speech was straight out of the Opus Dei playbook. And Barr believes every word, as Bannon does, the judges on the Supreme Court Justice Kennedy allowed to crept in under the door. Barr, like any other religious fundamentalist is in the fight, marching under the Catholic/Opus Dei banner, to save us all from ourselves. P.S. Another great column, Mr. Bruni.
5
You must have an objective, unbiased, apolitical AG! This is just one more example of a supremely morally and ethically unfit member of the Trump administration . . . what are they doing to us and our formerly decent and internationally respected country?
3
Bill Barr's tongue must be sore from all that bootlicking. It's amazing how easily all those portly guys--Barr and Pompeo especially, can slink around on their bellies around Trump. Like all bullies, Barr kisses up and kicks down. He's no Edmund Burke, and he's not recognizably Catholic outside the precincts of Opus Dei. He doesn't speak for Catholicism, he speaks for power, and wants to confine it to himself and his ilk.
He seems to have inherited his personal imperial principle from his father, the unprincipled principal who hired Jeffery Epstein as a teacher, despite Epstein's lack of a degree and over the objections of his staff. Letting Epstein loose in a high school is not unlike helping Trump lurch through the presidency, destroying as he goes.
As LaRochefoucauld puts it, hypocrisy the tribute vice pays to virtue, but Barr &c are past even that. Perhaps Trump's delusion is as contagious as his corruption.
3
When will the leaders of our religious institutions speak out LOUDLY?
1
On page 53, the IG report states that the FBI launched Crossfire Hurricane because it “received information on July 28, 2016, about a conversation between [George] Papadopoulos and an official of a Friendly Foreign Government (FFG) in May 2016 during which Papadopoulos "suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion" from Russia that it could assist this process with the anonymous release of information during the campaign that would be damaging to candidate Clinton and President Obama.”
The report says the FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation three days after receiving the tip about Papadopoulos. Crossfire Hurricane began on July 31, 2016.
On page 59, the IG report states that FBI agent Peter Strzok and supervisory special agent on Aug. 1, 2016, interviewed the FFG official who met with Papadopoulos and “learned that Papadopoulos did not say that he had direct contact with the Russians.”
On the second day of Crossfire Hurricane, the FBI learned that its predication for investigating the Trump campaign was wrong. Crossfire Hurricane should have ended on Aug.1, one day after it began. But as Attorney General William Barr noted, “the investigation and surveillance was pushed forward for the duration of the campaign and deep into President Trump’s administration.”
Who Knew?
Having been highly praised by many as ethical, he turns stooge, so who knew?
“He’s the president’s moral launderer. Trump does evil, and Barr washes him clean.”
Sorry, thus far nobody who has worked for Trump comes away clean. Count ‘em, it’s ain’t pretty.
Barr is just another petty enabler who Trump will discard sooner or later.
1
It's possible Barr thinks keeping Trump in power is the fastest way to end abortion in the U.S., and this overrides everything else. And this is the most generous way to interpret things, since if gives Barr a certain moral integrity.
But I don't believe that. Even if it were true, you can't expect to throw in with liars and crooks and indecent behavior and come out looking a holy warrior in the end. I simply can't square Opus Dei and Trump.
More likely, Barr is an authoritarian personality. He'd be a Putin man in today's Russia. It's as simple as that. He craves authority, even if that authority is corrupt.
2
Impeach. Convict. Imprison.
Start with Trump and work down the list.
And its a long list...
1
If you want to understand AG Barr, just check his passport and find out which of Trump’s puppet masters has him in their pocket. My money is on Russia, but I would not bet against Saudi Arabia.
1
“men are subject to powerful passions and appetites and, if unrestrained, are capable of ruthlessly riding roughshod over their neighbors and the community.”
I'm not one for conspiracies, truly. That said, as I read all of his remarks in your column the names Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Baker came to mind. They and others who profess their passionate faith only to be exposed as hypocrites. Then they ride the forgiveness train.
Is it possible that the oppo-research folks on Team Trump have files on the likes of Barr? Can it be just a desire for power that has him, Graham and others spouting such total rubbish?
1
Bravo, Frank. Behind that calm, expressionless Elmer Fudd demeanor, William Barr is utterly vile and completely shameless in every word he utters. There are lots of crooks happy to enjoy a ride on the Trump band wagon, but I find it particularly repugnant when Barr wraps himself up in religion and pretends to be fighting for all that is good and moral and decent. So of course, as a devout Catholic who believes deeply in morality and Christianity, he had to go out of his way to work for Donald Trump, the man who has boasted of how he is able to grab women between the legs because he's famous; the man who has walked into beauty pageant dressing rooms because he owns the pageant; who has paid off hundreds of thousands of dollars to women he "did not" have affairs with; and who thought it was just fine for the infant and toddler children of migrants to be torn away from their parents. This is the man of God and decency Barr is so eager to serve.
2
Mr. Bruni
Regarding Barr and the FBI, you were too nice to Mr. Barr.
Regarding the ND speech, as an ND graduate, I can only imagine Fr. Ted turning in his grave.
If it were up to AG Barr, we would eliminate the separation of church and state, establish a new and powerful theocracy here, and start a political inquisition.
2
I'm no doctor but I'd diagnose this as a low-bottom case of authoritarian submission, a scientifically measurable characteristic of right wing authoritarianism. It pairs with authoritarian aggression. It's what Trump is doing with Lavrov on the day of impeachment articles against him for colluding with Russians.
https://dictionary.apa.org/right-wing-authoritarianism
1
Thank you Mr. Bruni. I was almost completely suckered in to his perspective when I heard part of the NBC interview yesterday. His measured tone, in direct contrast to the blustering one his boss exhibits, makes his words that much more palatable and therefore, to my mind, more dangerous.
5
No question that what you say is true. the challenge now is that our country s heavily populated with people like Bill Mayer (above in comments) who appear not to be simply the deluded anti-abortion crowd supporting Trump for his tweaking of liberals. That is a popular characterization of Trump supporters and may be true of some of them. Then we have the learned, highly dedicated monarchists (Barr) and those who feel Trump is the moral guide we all need (Mayer). It is so confusing for current Democrats seeking a path forward. Is the answer simply pre-existing conditions?
1
I’m not sure he’s servile. I am sure he’s perverse. A little empathy leads to the possibility, at least, that Barr sees himself as a restraining influence on Trump, even if it requires perverse legalistic behavior on Barr’s part. One hint might be Durbin’s claimed question to Barr of why he, with at least acceptable credentials, would take on this job? Apparently Barr’s response was that the others on Trump’s list were utterly unacceptable.
1
"The wonder is how many other bad eggs the current president has assembled or hatched."
Trump doesn't create the Barrs or Pompeos in the world. He reveals their character -- and lack thereof. Just as he's revealed the true nature of 40% of Americans.
Greed, bigotry and fear are the foundation of their characters.
10
Good article, but it gets me thinking, what about all the others?
So many people, some decent ones too, have entered the Trump administration meat grinder and come out the other end tarnished and much diminished, but not one of them has spoken up, even after being publicly humiliated and insulted on their way out of the door. What hold does this man have on all these people? Does not one of them have any backbone or morals? Does not one of them care for the country over themselves? Will not one of them put the country's interests above their own? Apparently not.
This makes me wonder if Trump and his cabal are somewhat like J. Edgar Hoover, who had a file on all his enemies and just for good measure, on pretty much everyone else in the public sphere too.
It's one thing to speak up and be personally vulnerable to attack, but when that danger extends to your friends and family too, that's a step too far for most people.
Barr has dirty laundry, going right back to the Nixon days and look at his family's connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
8
It's not hard to see that Barr has sold his soul in pursuit of overturning Roe v Wade. It's that simple. He has abandoned all sense of ethics, morality and adherence to his oath of office to pursue that single goal to the exclusion of everything else. Religious zealots will do anything to achieve their ends without any regard of the consequences of their sick orthodoxy.
What is more confusing is the lack of any biblical prohibition of abortion. If it has become the central single doctrine of christianity, why is it so completely absent from the bible?
Abortion was big business at the time that the biblical literature was manufactured. Silphium was an herb that was a popular abortifactant. Most of the economy of Cyrene, a Greek colony, depended on the sale of Silphium so the practice of abortion was common and well known.
As much as so called christians are now constantly poring over the bible to find passages that they can interpret as supporting their made up beliefs, why wouldn't the lack of biblical support of the prohibition of abortion inform them that nobody cared about abortion because it was a necessary element of culture and survival?
11
Have never understood how the House of Representatives, which was by then majority Democrat, ever approved Barr's nomination to the post of Attorney General. After all, he was Trump's pick for the post, and that should have told the representatives all they needed to know about this man. Barr must have answered all their questions to their satisfaction, and he did it with a straight face, knowing full well he was giving them what they wanted to hear. Now we are stuck with him. The twisted facts coming out of his mouth are staggering. His disloyalty to the Dept. of Justice and the men and women he represents is nothing short of heartbreaking.
4
I don't view Barr's actions as servile. I see them as extremely aggressive moves to protect and promote the ultra rightwing agenda. He and McConnell are doing what they can to keep trump happy while they move their programs forward. They understand as well as Kim and putin how to manipulate this president and this president knows how to manipulate his base. They have a symbiotic relationship.
8
How did we get here like this? Surely the Founders never envisioned such contempt for the rule of law.
1
Barr damages the integrity of the FBI, an extremely dangerous thing to do for this country. Barr himself is a threat to our democracy.
5
Wow, that Barr speech is incredible. I don't even know where to start to unwind the twisted logic and moral contortions he goes through to justify his worldview. I can't decide which is worse: if he actually believes what he's saying or if it's a cynical ploy to incite a holy war for the benefit of his wealth and power.
5
@a.v.
All things point to his believing it. He is very bright and
very reactionary. And in a position to promote his
wish to bring back absolutism and Papal Infallibility.
His sincere belief in Unamerican positions makes him
more dangerous than Trump.
3
Wouldn't it be enough for Frank Bruni to note his disagreement -- his strong disagreement -- with Attorney General Barr's view in his Notre Dame speech that religious faith has been a driving force of American decency, greatness and history? And why does Bruni fail to note that the universally admired, career, non-partisan prosecutor chosen by Barr to investigate the FBI has stated that evidence unavailable to the Inspector General will establish that politics drove the FBI's decision to investigate the President.
Many other such questions could be asked of Bruni -- all to no purpose. Clearly, he shares Hillary Clinton's toxic and convenient view that half the people of the country are "deplorables" who need not be heard or debated because they lack the decency and moral standing he assigns to himself.
Prior to his confirmation as Attorney General, Bill Barr was acclaimed by Republicans and Democrats as an honorable, principled man -- a view premised on the proposition that those qualities defined him and would be enduring. Bruni now condemns Barr as if those people, who had known Barr for years, never knew the man.
That Bruni commits the very sins he accuses the President of is ironic and a tribute to the value placed on civility by American voters. Bruni's savage attacks provide an otherwise politically vulnerable President with his best route to reelection.
I see two possibilities. Either Barr is a ruthless Machiavellian willing to say anything in defense of his political master, Donald Trump, or Barr is a true believer convinced beyond all doubt of his own righteousness and willing to burn the republic to the ground in order to accomplish his holy mission. His Notre Dame speech suggests that he is sincere, which makes him a true believer. The irony of a religious fanatic and moral zealot aligning himself with a sinner like Trump is delicious; but the very real danger someone like Barr poses to American democracy might be greater than the havoc stemming from Trump's unbridled narcissism. If Barr were to succeed, virtually all constitutional restraints on executive power would be removed and something new and alien to the vision of the nation's founders --an authoritarian presidency --will become a reality.
6
I never thought I'd say this, but can we get Jeff Sessions back?
3
Any report or investigation that finds Trump has engaged in wrongdoing or that supports the validity of any such investigation is anathema to Barr and that is very dangerous in and of itself. It’s also not unique to anyone who is serving in or supports this administration. There are multiple PhD theses in psychology to be earned dissecting the dysfunction of those who would follow such a terrible, disloyal man. Having said that, what sets Barr apart from that group is the degree of his zeal, and the fact that, despite all appearances, it really isn’t about personal loyalty to Trump. Barr sees his President as a vehicle to further Barr’s agenda, which, based upon every speech and interview he gives, involves “returning” to the “morality” of pre-1960s America. And what “morality” was that? The “morality” of white, straight Christian males being able to do whatever they wanted to people not them with impunity and even with societal approval. (That’s what white conservatives really want, not just the ability to get away with controlling and injuring women, people of color, non-Christians and GLBTQ people, but society’s support and praise for doing so, the way it used to be before all “those people“ decided not to accept it any more.). Barr is a zealous champion of the white patriarchy, and, if we continue to fight hard against it, one of its last dying gasps.
4
At some level, Barr knows how repulsive his behavior is. How he has sold his soul, not for pieces of silver, but for proximity to power.
History will be most unkind. He will become a morality tale for the ages.
5
I did read Mr. Barr’s speech, thank you. Christians don’t have a monopoly on goodness. It seems hypocritical that he should be pointing out moral failures when he works for the most corrupt, immoral president ever to hold the office.
Nowhere does Mr. Barr discuss the concept of separation of Church and State, a central tenet in our country. I guess he just forgot to mention it.
4
@Bevan Davies
I don't think he's a big fan of the First Amendment.
The omission was intentional.
I wish Mr. Bruni had put Barr in historical context. Barr replaced Jeff Sessions, a lickspittle if there ever was one, but Sessions was repeatedly berated by Trump for not being loyal enough. More particularly, Trump repeatedly berated Sessions for displaying proper ethical conduct--his greatest sin in Trump's eyes was recusing himself from the Russia investigation, which he was ethically obligated to do because of his own personal contacts with Russians during the campaign. Barr saw how Sessions was abused for his display of ethical conduct, and jumped at the opportunity to replace him, with the confidence that he could avoid any display of ethical conduct himself. Barr is perfectly willing to lie and pervert justice to serve Trump.
2
It is difficult to understand where Barr is coming from if you attempt to attribute to him him normal positive human traits such as morality and patriotism. If, instead, you come to terms with the fact that it is actually his aim and desire to permanently destroy the remaining remnants of democracy in America, then his words and deeds make perfect sense. He is not simply enabling Trump. Rather, Barr sees himself as a key architect of a new era of totalitarian rule, with him and a select few at the core. Deny this, and you will never wrap your head around the Trump Administration. This administrative core (Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Barr, Giuliani, Mulveney) envisions a future where they rule in perpetuity without the constraint of a legal code. They will BE the law.
2
People like Barr are dreams come true for people like Trump.
I am, thankfully, in no way related to either of these people.
2
Barr seems to have been all in for Authoritarian rule all along. But I have seen reasonable people do a Jekyll and Hyde when they reach a certain age. Fox News is the perfect venue for the oncoming fear of death, the paranoia, the jumbled brain and confusion. I wonder if voting should be restricted to those who have an actual stake in the future.
Barr is clearly not a believer in the US Constitution. And Pete Williams was a very willing tool, so I wonder how he feels about our form of government.
2
Nobody says it better than Bruni. What a gifted writer in this time of urgent need for clarity and sanity.
2
Excellent article, Mr. Bruni! As a follower of Jesus, I writhe in shame when Barr speaks in support of trump. To hear these men enable trump's ambitions, in order to take their place in the oligarch's club, I just can't.....
Psalm 12:8 "The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men."
1
Dear Mr. Bruni,
1) Trump could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it (until he's out of office that is at least).
Dick Cheney shot a man in Texas and not only got away with it but the man apologized to Cheney for inconveniencing him. Where do you think Trump got the idea to say that?
2) Dick Cheney broke the Emoluments Clause every day he used No-Bid Contracts to Halliburton to make himself a billionaire in the Iraq War he started? Where do you think Trump got the idea he could get away with it?
3) Nowhere in this piece to you show how Barr should be Impeached for these offenses. That is what your Op-Ed should have done, delivered the blueprint on how we rid ourselves of him, and stat!
1
You actually believe Barr could dig out his conscience? You actually believe he has a conscience?
From the time of Barr's senate confirmation hearing, when he equated FBI investigation with spying, it has been clear that Barr has no intention as serving as the top lawyer for the people of the United States. He came into the Trump administration determined to behave like a mobster's mouthpiece for Trump, and that is exactly what he has done.
3
Barr, from day one, became Trump’s personal attorney courtesy of the taxpayer.
We pay his salary and he does Trump’s bidding.
Many will say that if Trump appointed him then he works for Trump. Okay, then who works for the people? Have these Trump supporters no knowledge of how our government is structured?
Barr took an oath to the country. Barr was not “knighted” to be a servant to a sovereign. And that holds true for the rest of the cabal of Trump appointees who see themselves as Trump employees.
Now, for that stench. I don’t believe it to be rotten eggs. I believe it to be a much more vile substance-and it will take years to remove the substance from our White House.
1
I still think we have a lot of surgery to do to get to the heart -- dark as it is -- of people like Bill Barr and the others named here. (With Trump, well, getting to the heart is a lonely hunt.)
Corrupted, subservient, twisted, yes. But assuming everyone is complex, to exorcise such individuals from crucial roles in government we have to grasp that a vast neo-Christian crusade of extraordinary proportions is underway. Thinking of this as a 'culture war' is just scratching the surface.
Bannon's imperative to tear down government institutions and start over, which Trump is doing, is largely political. When far right elected or appointed officials step in, and their Christian puritanism kicks in, this religious crusade to destroy the enemy is in full swing -- and liberal/Democratic reason, logic, fact, and adherence to the Constitution are history.
Barr is in a key role to turn a president into a king or dictator and to exercise his right to interpret the law according to his own personal moral/religious creed. How conscious and intentional this crusade is, is hard to determine. But the vision of Bannon, Trump, the Freedom Caucus, politically motivated evangelical Christians, and others might be loose-kinit -- but Barr and others knitting it into a shroud that will suffocate America.
1
When I saw the video on page one of Lindsey Graham pontificating and read this article, it occurs to me that this is the age of the Angry White Man, and that includes my team, Joe Biden and Bernie.
And that second thing that occurred to me reading this article is: I wonder what Shakespeare would have done with this material? Do any among them have the self-awareness of an Iago, who knew what he was doing and did it anyway?
1
What Bill Barr has done in this disgraceful tenure is assure himself a place in history, infamous though it will be. How many other Attorneys General are remembered after all.
From this essay, I'd think Jerry Nadler might call him as a witness.
This is Barr’s second trip ‘round the candle (Iran-Contra first), and he hasn’t even been singed.Now, he’s almost our pope, dishing out jeremiads as if from on high. Better to listen without a historical reference, you may be scared.In America, he need not worry.
Brilliant photo by Doug Mills. Two scowly faces: one a clear headed fanatic pumped up by power and certainty in his own moral superiority. The other a blur of incoherence who, like a tornado, destroys everything in its path.
From the very beginning I perceived Mr. Barr as the most dangerous person in the Trump team. I was right.
1
Story of Charles Landis in Vineland, NJ in the late 1800s eerily foreshadows some hypotheticals about Trump--"fake news" and the ability to shoot someone in cold blood and get away with it, all with the blind devotion of one's followers, including law enforcement.
That Barr has been complicit in the retooling of government to make lies seem true, corroborate conspiracy theories and reinforce presidential delusions should frighten all Americans. Both the State Department and the Justice Department have been compromised to serve president and party, leaving citizens far, far behind. The result: The president, just today, has opined that obstruction of justice "isn't a crime". Welcome to post-democracy.
3
This a strong and accurate condemnation of the thoroughly corrupt AG Barr, whose sense of our government and its vital documents and values is so warped that it becomes unrecognizable as what we considered American democracy. Like Trump, Barr projects onto his imagined enemy all the flaws and moral pathologies that inhabit his brain. His rhetoric is every bit as demented and threatening as that of, let's be blunt, the fascists who ravaged Europe in the middle of the 20th century. What we're hearing from Barr as he becomes more bold in his public statements is a somewhat modulated version of what we can assume is a much more virulent authoritarianism at his core.
Trump finally got his Roy Cohn, a man of malignant arrogance and despotic inclinations. Barr is the precursor to a police state using mass surveillance and "unitary authority" that would allow suppression of any dissent while destroying whatever remains of our democratic institutions and values so that supreme power can reside in the hands of one man with support from a small circle of henchmen. Our republic is at great risk because of this vile authoritarian with the title of attorney general, a key element in the venal, lawless and increasingly destructive Trump plutocracy.
2
It is a puzzlement. It's not just that these men and women are confused or conflicted. They know they are lying, they know they are selling their souls while their selling the Trump oil. They're not stupid, naive or inexperienced. They are not answering to a higher power, a set of ideals or a moral compass. They are not hostages. They have free will and are free to leave. They are assured of an ignominious future and may even face jail time in the near future. So why do they do it? Why debase themselves, demoralize their coworkers and dismantle our Democracy for so little reward? I'm not sure who coined the phrase but I believe it has something to do with the "banality of evil".
2
Ego. How on earth is it possible to function without one?
Nobody should presume they know the heart of another person, or another person’s motivations .... how could they?
It’s all psychological projection, masquerading as commentary and I for one love it because I can cast out my demons onto Trump or Barr or that mad dog down the street.
To change the world one needs to change oneself.
Barr is exposing the (ex) leaders of the FBI and many in the media of what they were and continue to be; hateful partisans that still cannot get over that Clinton lost the election. Deception, lies, fake documents, and politicians like Schiff, who have actively and relentlessly pursued the demise of Trump from day one, and who, daily, provided the liberal media with false accusations and innuendos with which to feed their headlines. No wonder the media hates you. Thank you AG Barr got pursuing the truth, no matter where it finally leads.
1
I was raised by evangelicals.
People who are evangelicals live inside a world, a narrative, that is not like the secular world. It is very different. And it is always a cult when someone can tell you - if you do not do what is pleasing to God, then woe is you. It is way worse than authoritarianism. It lacks the ability to face truth and reality of what matters here and now.
Hence Bill Barr.
4
Will we call it schadenfreude when the chickens come home to roost? Barr's support of a clearly corrupt President will not look as good to a new Attorney General or new FBI Director. Do any of these people have any self-awareness or foresight?
Barr clearly has lost his way in Trumplandia. It’s not the first time and surely won’t be the last a senior official has while Trumps besmirches the highest office we have.
It would be useful to go back to the people who supported Barr before he became AG and ask whether they support him now, why they think he is flailing so miserably in his job.
The only thing that Barr, Pompeo, and that crowd all have going for them is that they look like the traditional, trustworthy man of government - frowning, older, and white, with more important things to do than explain themselves to the likes of the rest of us. It's a facade, but one that still has some power.
Speaking as an older, frowning, white man, it sure would be nice to see that facade knocked down for good, exposed as unthinking and unpatriotic allegiance to a President who in turn bends his knee to a Russian autocrat.
1
The question asked by Republican Representatives of impeachment witnesses rings cacophonously in my ears: “who did you vote for?”
Is has come to this. My vote determines my allegiance. Any congressperson who asks such a question of a witness under oath should be immediately impeached and removed. Yet we yawn and careen on to the next outrage.
Now (Trump’s) Attorney (Trump’s) General Barr looks at his IG’s report and discerns partisan motivation out of thin air. There is no proof he can possibly deliver, except the vile accusation that what happens in the voting booth has a bearing on the integrity of the government servants sworn to defend the Constitution.
This is truly the worst of America.
1
I agree and a reading of the Barr speech noted in this piece is deeply troubling.
In Barr's neutering of the Mueller report, he was just testing the waters to see what he could get away with. And the water is just fine.
Now ..... I wanna go a step further regarding that crazy thought by my president, "he could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not “lose any voters.” " And not necessarily a hypothetical Barr defense of it, but I pose that my president could shoot someone on that 5th Avenue that was a dear loved one of one of his supporters and that supporter would just shrug and say, "I guess they deserved it (being shot).
I didn't know that Barr was a Catholic but as I was reading this it became apparent to me that he was. I was raised Catholic and can recognize the demonization of the individual and the lack of trust in ordinary people that permeates this hypocritical institution. Oh, yes, Barr is very much a Catholic.
3
It is beyond unfathomable the extent to which corruption and excess of power greed and ego have taken over our political landscape. Its is done out in the open justified and given permission by the very people elected to protect those same institutions from the very cancer that has infested it.
Barr and friends honestly believe they are engaged in total war against secular liberalism, and their aim is unconditional surrender. Therefore, anything goes, and war crimes are open to interpretation.
1
Barr has forgotten that business of "Separation of Church and State". He has made it clear that he is a religious zealot and that his religion is his rule of law. Trump is his vessel to what end, who knows. Barr is a danger to our Democracy and he needs to be impeached from office and/or disbarred.
1
One can possibly conclude that the servility that Christians Barr, Pence et al show to the godless Trump is just their part of the deal: make the pact with the devil in order to remake the Supreme Court in the conservative image for evermore. In Trump they have the means to do it.
William Barr would do well to recall and reflect upon the remarks made by Boston attorney Joseph Welch at the Army McCarthy hearings in 1954. He was addressing Joseph McCarthy.
"Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness."
"Have you no sense of decency?"
2
Thank you! We are a country without a real President and without an Attorney General. Barr accuses all who use partisan politics against their enemies and supports Trump who has destroyed the lives of anyone he can if they dare to contradict him or bring the facts of what I consider Trump’s Treason to the light. There are more good people in this country than bad. May we succeed in getting rid of these monsters as soon as possible.
Barr is remarkable in that he knows full well the difference between right and wrong and consciously chose the wrong.
He is the best example of the Trump appointees who have sold their soul so they could stay on the job.
Late at night I’m sure he battles with his conscience desperately trying to find a workable rationalization for his treachery and hypocrisy.
1
I never thought that I would long for the good old days when Jeff Sessions was Attorney General.
I keep having this nagging feeling that there is more to it than normal self-interest. Why did Trump pick Barr? Why did Barr pick Durham? Why did Durham chose to make a public statement denouncing the IG report while he is in the middle of his own investigation? Why is the Russian Foreign Minister visiting the White House now? Are Republican politicians that afraid of not being re-elected that they will go along with every stupid theory about Ukraine and whatever else to save a President that most of them don't even like or respect?
I think there is something darker and more sinister going on here. I think Nancy Pelosi has it right. All roads lead to Putin.
1
It is important at this moment to note what terrible damage Robert Mueller did to the United States by refusing, for whatever reason, to openly state the obvious truth about Donald Trump. He left the Constitution and rule of law gut-shot and bleeding out. Even after it became quite apparent that Barr was misrepresenting his team's work, above and beyond Mueller's own fatal refusal to use his unique opportunity to speak truth to power, all Mueller would do was send a querulous letter to Barr, which Barr publicly contemptuously dismissed. And Bob took it. And left us with no rule of law. He betrayed his oath as a Special Counsel to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. He betrayed his oath as a military officer to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. And he betrayed the ethics of his profession of law by refusing to step up, at the only time in his life that he had the opportunity, to preserve his country.
Barr would not have been able to do so much damage if Mueller had not abandoned us. Whether it was partisanship, a lack of vision, corruption, or a strange form of cowardice that allowed him to get shot through the leg and return to combat, but NOT to stand up to this fat lying bully and his fat lying boss, Robert Mueller failed us all.
Never forget.
3
How on earth is it that I miss Jeff Sessions?
Well, one reason Mr. Barr does not keep "a straight face" is b/c he would be mistakenly addressed as Deputy Dawg.
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BARR MAKES WE THE PEOPLE BARF He is ruthlessly riding roughshod in his rapacity, regressive, retributive actions. Barr daily and gleefully shreds the Constitution all in the service of Trump. Barr has a connection with the late Jeffrey Epstein, as Barr's father was the director of the school where without qualification, Epstein was hired to teach math. He reportedly left under suspicious circumstances. Meaning that it is highly likely that Barr knew Epstein during his years at the high school his father led. There are pictures with Trump and Epstein in a room with about 30 beautiful women. In high schools, stories about orgies explode into the students' awareness through the process of spontaneous combustion. Is there any clear evidence that Barr, his father, Epstein and Trump were engaged in any nefarious activities? I think it likely that some of the women who came forward to complain about having been sexually abused by Epstein may have been involved in activities involving Barr, his father and Trump. After all, Epstein must have honed his skills in white slavery and human tafficking somewhere before bursting onto the scene of jet setters. Oh yes, it's all circumstantial evidence. But Trump, et al, deal in such evidence, treating it as fact all the time.
Barr seems to be trying to remodel the US presidency along the lines of his religion's pontiff in Rome--chosen by god (even if through an election) to facilitate the faith's aims, and therefore immune from mere human complaints and investigations. And, of course, Barr wants to advance the metaphor further, by re-framing the purpose of the DOJ into an arm of a New Inquisition against heretics who don't align with his faith.
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Who would have thought we'd be missing Jeff Sessions as AG? For all his many flaws and undemocratic initiatives, he had a respect for the rule of law. Barr has none.
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“There exists no greater or more painful anxiety for a man who has freed himself from all religious bias, than how he shall soonest find a new object or idea to worship. But man seeks to bow before that only which is recognized by the greater majority, if not by all his fellow-men, as having a right to be worshipped; whose rights are so unquestionable that men agree unanimously to bow down to it. For the chief concern of these miserable creatures is not to find and worship the idol of their own choice, but to discover that which all others will believe in, and consent to bow down to in a mass.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor
You have done your readers a service by providing a link to Barr's speech at Notre Dame. I had read out of context some of the hot spots from the speech, but reading the whole thing in one piece has sent shivers down my spine. As a private citizen, Barr has the right to say almost anything to any group of people. As the Attorney General of the United States, he also has the right to hold privately, whatever religious beliefs he chooses. However, his decision to offer this screed, filled with countless distortions of the truth at a Catholic university offers further motivation to vote out this current administration. Barr is a dangerous, duplicitous man--in charge of the Justice Department of the United States.. His positions on the role of public schools is particularly demented and his twisting of facts to explain homelessness and the rise of "illegitimate" births is something one would expect from a homily, not from the mouth of a federal officer. That he preaches about morality while working for the personification of amorality is the height of hypocrisy. I'm not sure what Barr believes his job is, but his membership in Opus Dei and his assault on his own department renders him unqualified for his current position. He should be the next one to be impeached.
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You have to get back to Barr's upbringing. The man who raised him, his father, hired Jeffrey Epstein to be a math teacher at Dalton, without even a college degree or any experience. At best, that shows a sort of inexplicable situational ethics, and that is what he passed down to his son.
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Why is Bill Barr protecting Trump? Does he want a spot on the Supreme Court?
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Dear AG Barr-
The President of the US is not a Pope. She is an elected representative subject to oversight and checks from other coequal branches of government.
Glad I could clear that up for you.
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I am inherently skeptical of anyone attempting to control the behavior of others through declarations of moral superiority and righteousness.
Mr. Barr's example may be one of the most pathetic and repulsive cases I have witnessed in my lifetime. God help us.
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When Durham's indictments come out there's going to be a lot of crow on the menu at the N Y Times.
Since the IG report's release, several former FBI officials have spoken or written their assessments of the predicate and processes for initiation of this investigation, including a former Deputy Director for Intelligence.
All have remarked that normal FBI procedures were ignored, field offices were cut out in favor of HQ staff assuming the task, and that a standard preliminary investigation was bypassed.
FBI officials knowingly witheld exculpatory information from their FISA applications. Four times.
Barr is no fool and he's no pawn.
The Times and its Trump hating Board will never admit it, until people start going to jail. And they will.
@Objectivist will they be in the same jails as the many trump acolytes found guilty of or confessing to crimes? Manafort , Gates, Cohen, Flynn, Stone...and on and on...is Jared's father out of prison yet?
@AnneEdinburgh
With luck they will be in less cozy facliities.
When law enforcement becomes criminal, the resuilts should be harsh.
It appears to me that more than rapacity, it is lawlessness that guides this entire crowd. That Barr is the AG, makes him nothing more than a combined underboss and consigliere. If you look at how crime families are structured, it's easy to see the parallels with this pretend administration.
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