“Attorney General William P. Barr issued new restrictions on Wednesday over the opening of politically sensitive investigations, an effort meant to avoid upending the presidential election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 ... .”
Unfortunately, by his previous actions, Attorney General Barr has discredited himself with regard to evenhandedly wielding his newly-declared censorship powers over DoJ investigations. He is no neutral arbiter.
5
Meanwhile republicans pursue investigations into Joe Biden and his son...
2
This from an AG that tried to prevent the whistleblower's report from reaching congress.
5
Pure Putinism……. This is identical to the tactics of the one party “democracy” that rules the Russian people. Be afraid…. Be very afraid.
2
This ruling was made so AG Barr can totally protect Donald Trump. So he Can eliminate any investigations of all the upcoming illegal egregious election malfeasance Trump about to commit.
2
Are you kidding me? This is a transparent attempt, by a partisan AG, to squash any legitimate concerns of meddling, and to handicap the Democrats with illegitimate ones. Undoubtedly coming from anonymous 'whistle-blowers'.
Barr has already invoked divine sanction for how he operates the DOJ, and now that Trump feels himself free and clear to "do whatever I want" under Article II, what's to stop these dudes from simply invoking the Constitution to stop the "evil" and "vicious" Democrats, as Trump called them earlier today?
The reason for such over-the-top language is now becoming clear: they're making a case to credulous Americans that the Democrats deserve to be stopped, by any means necessary--including unconstitutional and illegal ones. The impeachment wasn't the constitutional crisis...THIS is the crisis right here, unfolding before our very eyes!
3
Anyone think that the Justice Department and FBI have already desperately investigated every nook and cranny of the Democratic candidate's lives and found nothing?
But given how much Barr has to cover up for Trump, it is no wonder he needs to shut down all investigations pronto.
Where does it all end? Total and complete shutdown of democracy, enter dictatorship.
It is shocking to read a journalist writing a story that takes every word out of William Barr's mouth at face value.
Why, one would almost assume that William Barr is the most honest and upright Attorney General ever, interested in only the truth.
This newspaper treats the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with more skepticism than it does William Barr. After all, there is always a chance that Ruth Bader Ginsburg has political motives, while this newspaper knows for a fact that William Barr never has and never will have political motives.
Praise King Trump. He can't be indicted. He can't be impeached. And, now, courtesy of AG Barr, he can't be investigated. Will Bloomberg still be allowed to run TV spots?
1
How could you be so credulous?!? This “policy” will just facilitate the Administration laubching investigations of Democratic Party candidates while blocking investigations of vote suppression activities by GOP candidates like those in North Carolina and Georgia.
1
@arm
Are you suggesting that this article which tells readers that William Barr is absolutely doing this because he wants to safeguard democracy is not true?
This newspaper clearly wants readers to trust William Barr and believe every word he says just like their reporters do.
If William Barr said that Mitt Romney committed murder, this newspaper would report it as "Willian Barr announced today that Mitt Romney committed murder because Barr believes that murderers should be arrested for their crimes."
I hope this new regulation also prevents Republican-led investigations of anyone in the Biden family.
@Pete ….. it will not…… As Barr now has the authority to decide who gets investigated and who does not; he can and will authorize investigations into any and all Democratic rivals of Trump and of course quash any and all further investigations into anyone that has in any way ever supported trump…..
@Pete
It will kick in and apply to Biden whenever Biden no longer is a viable candidate to run against Trump.
And then the FBI and Justice Department will begin their Bloomberg/Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren/Pete Buttigieg/Mitt Romney investigations.
But don't worry, the investigations into Bloomberg/Bernie Sanders, et al will be APPROVED by William Barr so this reporter says it is all okay.
America, as we knew it, is gone. Corruption within has annihilated it.
@hunternomore
Wrong. I read the entire article and the NY Times is informing its readers that William Barr is doing this to make sure all elections are fair. Just read the article for yourself:
"Attorney General William P. Barr issued new restrictions ...an effort meant to avoid upending the presidential election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 when its campaign inquiries shaped the outcome of the race."
William Barr just wants to do good. You read that in the NY Times as a FACT.
1
Another step by this corrupt administration toward autocracy and fascism helped along by our own Attorney General.
Barr is not protecting anyone from unfair intrusion or investigation but is making sure that Trump is not the subject of truth, honest probes, accuracy and facts.
Heaven forbid Trump should be further revealed to be the gangster, crook and weasel (apologies to weasels) that we know him to be.
1
@N.Eichler It is time to impeach Barr
Benedict Arnold's word is worth more than Barr's at this point. At least Arnold is dead and incapable to destroying this country further.
This is a grotesquely transparent continuation of the Trump/Barr coverup ... You really think Barr cares about protecting the Dem candidates? Puh-leeze.
@Jay
You really think Barr cares about protecting the Dem candidates?
Yes, this article informs readers that is exactly what Barr is concerned about.
"Attorney General William P. Barr issued new restrictions on Wednesday over the opening of politically sensitive investigations, an effort meant to avoid upending the presidential election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 when its campaign inquiries shaped the outcome of the race."
This newspaper believes every word out of William Barr's mouth, and informs readers that they are true.
Why is a man who has absolutely no respect for the rule of law or the truth and facts - heading the Justice Department? It’s sick and warped. God help this country.
Oh, right. We can trust William Barr to be completely impartial. Not!
It's so obvious that Barr is doing this to shield Trump as he solicits Putin, and possibly other foreign leaders, to interfere with our elections in exchange for ... well ... anything that America can offer. And there's nothing that can be done to stop it. We all knew that the 2020 election was going to be the ugliest ever. Things will get worse.
1
@syfredrick
It is not obvious at all. I know this because the entire article is about how William Barr is doing this because he is so concerned with making sure the elections are fair.
It is "an effort meant to avoid upending the presidential election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 when its campaign inquiries shaped the outcome of the race."
If you can't trust this newspaper when they inform you in no uncertain terms this is all about safeguarding the election to make sure it is fair, then who can you trust?
What is more dangerous to our democracy than Barr's power grab is the New York Times' inability to call a spade a spade. Evil does not succeed on its own. It succeeds when good people participate with noble intentions. The Times thinks it's supporting journalistic integrity or neutrality, but what they're really doing is supporting the administration.
Barr announced a policy that allows him to block all investigations into Republican candidates (is it for any office?) while allowing any and all investigations into Democratic ones.
That's tyranny.
Don't collaborate.
Can we get an investigation into how the Trump children and the Trump Organization are trading on the President’s name for a profit (or McConnell’s wife’s family, for that matter), since it looks like a Hunter Biden is fair game?
Or are investigations into Democrats the only ones getting the green light?
Hmm.
It's pretty clear these days that people typically refuse to look at - much less acknowledge - REAL situations that might eventually be proven to disagree with their beliefs, regardless of the noise or smell coming from the other side of their heads. Nor will they self-analyze, looking into their own thoughts for the existence of selfishness, ignorance or bias. This sure seems to apply to everyone including me, a work-in-progress (just like you). We need to be able to disagree without losing respect for or attacking one another. If we can't do that, beneficial debate and discussions will NEVER take place, thus preventing real progress. I likely grew up in a completely different time, place and family environment than you. You nor I had any choice in how, where and why we came into existence, so neither of those things can be wrong - they are simply different. If people in the USA can honestly accept and embrace this attitude, and the USA is kept free with the power to make decisions in the hands of these people, the USA will always remain the best place in the world to be. I, for one, am VERY thankful that I was lucky enough to pop out here.
Does it bother anyone else that people like Trump, McConnell and Barr are at the top of most admired and respected people in America by the so-called "Evangelicals?" No wonder hardly anyone under the age of 50 goes to church anymore. What a joke the GOP since Reagan has made of the teachings of Christ and of what was once a pretty sincere and decent religion.
1
Let me predict that the next whistleblowers will be DOJ lawyers.
This is a transparent attempt to give advantage to a criminal president. Barr is beholden to Trump and tells him everything. At the very least, Trump will be informed about any potential investigation of his own activities, giving him advanced notice so he can take measures to foil it. Moreover, Trump will be informed about potential investigations of others running for office. And it's no stretch to assume that family members of candidates will also be included. All of this adds on to the ever-increasing presidential power and moves us closer to an overt dictatorship-by-president.
So now Trump can again publicly ask the Russians to interfere in the next election and Barr will suppress any investigations.
I am not easily frightened but Barr really scares me.
If Trump is losing or lost there are so many ways he could keep Trump in office while it works its way through the courts.
He truly thinks he is on a mission from God to protect the United States from secular people and Trump is how he is doing it.
So who exactly is going to enforce the few campaign finance rules we still have in an unbiased way? It seems good practice in theory to notify senior law enforcement leaders of politically charged investigations, but Mr. Barr himself has proven to be completely biased.
This appears to be inoculation against discovery. Has the foreign governments already indicated the willingness to submit funds and don't want to be discovered? Republicans were already on listings for 2016 "donations" now this - sorry! We need to disrupt this top cop and let him know he plays by Congress' rules - not the other way around!
_Announcements_ of investigations can wrongly affect campaigns; investigations themselves do not. The FBI's probe of Trump's campaign didn't hurt his campaign, because it was not announced. So rather than chill possibly genuine investigations, why not tighten the lid on announcements/leaks?
1
I rarely comment on articles but I want to share my concern re: this article and another one published today entitled, "Senate Report Criticizes Response to Russian Meddling and Partly Blames McConnell." These articles are intimately related. The Senate has released a criticizing the Obama Administration for failing to disclose Russian election interference as well as the Grim Reaper, Mitch McConnell, for quelling it. The report states, "“In the event that such a campaign is detected, the public should be informed as soon as possible, with a clear and succinct statement of the threat, even if the information is incomplete.”
The day prior to this report being released, Attorney General William Barr insists he must approve all justice department investigations that are election related. Interference must be disclosed according to the Senate, but the disgraced Mr. Barr insists on the power to micromanage initiating these investigations in the first place. How will the Senate respond to Mr. Barr?
So AG Barr - Trump's top lapdog in the Justice Department - has issued an edict that the FBI must get his explicit approval for any and all investigations of individuals with connections to the 2020 presidential campaign.
The fox is now guarding the hen house.
All candidates need to provide all tax returns. Trump has never provided these...he has lots to hide!
We all know which investigations he will allow and which he won’t. Why pretend otherwise?
1
Too bad the FBI investigation into Trump wasn't leaked before he was elected. Evidently the people with that knowledge, including Obama, were too decent to have done such a thing. Instead we were barraged with the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton, and the Russian hack job that Trump solicited.
It boggles the mind that Trump and Barr don't just accept their ill-gotten gains; instead, all they and Republicans do is obsess about the fact that there was any FBI investigation of Trump at all.
This is the most dangerous action by Captain Coverup yet. It means there will be zero investigations against any Republicans and dozens and dozens against every Democrat. The tone of this article misses the mark in many ways, acting as if this is some mundane decision rather than the rise of autocracy and flat out political corruption.
While it is all good and well to voice one's distain for the current President and AG, where is that same criminalization of those DOJ employees who took the FISA court for a ride. I am one of those who truly believes no one is above the law, ( President, AG, DOJ/FBI) , unlike many who see it only as a good slogon to point in the direction of their political enemies.The subversion of the investigatory process used by JD/FBI employees in evidence fabricated to the FISA court places them in the same hole as those they were seeking to bring down.
William Barr has demonstrated that he does not lead the DOJ with an impartial hand. Prior to this administration, one would have trust in this decision. This is just one more turn of authoritarianism screw around the US political system.
2
If I'm not mistaken, Congress can exert oversight authority as a co-equal branch; the AG disallowing investigations into activity that is EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN by the Constitution (e.g., foreign campaign contributions) is a violation of the Constitution itself.
1
Is that the (Gulp!) William Barr Justice Department?
9
Does anyone expect Barr to be "fair" in his judgments?
7
The Cover Up continues.
12
Gee, under A.G.Barr, what could possibly go askew?
7
Given who the "top justice department officials" are, this is meaningless. The day that Comey pulled his stunt, I said it is over and Trump will win---Now the "justice department" is full up with Trumptoadies--
4
This is why the NY Bar Association has called for the Senate to investigate Barr for not being impartial.
7
Likely another cover up for trump.
4
DoJ??
No.
DoBarr.
2
Barr is a criminal. But then so is his boss.
5
Absolutely not! Barr as the gatekeeper to all justice? How can he just proclaim things like this! (Note to Trump: Barr might be a little bit clever and personally power-hungry. Best to have him removed soon, or he could threaten your dictatorial leadership. Worked for Stalin.)
4
"The requirements in the memo are to remain in effect through the 2020 elections. After that, the department will study whether the changes were necessary."
Translation: From now until the election, there will be no new investigations of Donald Trump, his supporters, or Republican congressional candidates, no matter how corrupt their actions appear to be. We will not attempt to justify this policy until after those candidates have already won.
7
It seems that A.G. Barr is now the Trumpian Gatekeeper to pre-2020 election malfeasance planned and to be perpetrated by the POTUS against whichever Democrat candidate emerges. The threats to our democracy are now not only foreign, but are also domestic and institutionalized in the DOJ hierarchy.
A large proportion of our citizenry seems, not only sanguine to this degradation of traditional democratic values and safeguards, but to approve their destruction for some short-term political gain.
First deny truths, then degrade institutions of governance, then place leaders to head these institutions whose beliefs are antithetical to their intended purpose,... then use these institution of government to thwart the will of the people and rule them with impunity. This is the plan, and its implementation is well under way!
It is clear that students in the United States are in need of, not only enhanced STEM education, but more importantly, an aggressive civics education obviously insufficiently inculcated. The democracy we have enjoyed is in danger by a President who represents a Clear and Present Danger.
3
Also teachers of politics must be politically correct in their teaching to conform ....
This is Barr protecting Trump from further investigations before the election, as he knows other investigations into 45 are in the works and things are going to keep coming up. Is Congress investigating Barr like the NYC Bar Association asked them too? This man has way too much power to protect a corrupt president, which he has already shown he will go to almost any lengths to do.
6
This policy exists only to shield Trump from continuing to do as he has, which is to abuse his office and oath for personal political gain.
Oh, and to fast-track investigations against whoever the Democratic candidate is.
4
Talk about irony: Trump is acquitted of bribing a foreign power to interfere in the 2020 election, while Barr sets himself up as the sole arbiter of what candidate can be investigated.
A chapter in Hayek's "Road to Serfdom" has special relevance for today: "Why the Worst Get On Top".
3
My man, Barr, auditioned for this job. It was no accident that he is where he is.
Read "A Very Stable Genius" and see how Trump really thinks of the DOJ.
This is very serious. Barr arranges the words, they seem logical on the surface, but it's another assault on freedom.
2
Correct me if I am wrong but does Bill Barr not represent and work for the people of the United States, you need wonder just how much he really knew Donald Trump prior to his tenure as Attorney General, also are there no guidelines to his job description as I remember my time where everyone had a Director even the top guy, oops, that''s the newly acquitted Donald Trump, so in essence, he(Barr) has interpreted the rules delegated by legislation to suit his own purpose, could this also be due to the fact if you investigate Trump you will come across his(Barr) wrongdoings as reported several times. If these recent events do not move people to protest in mass, to rush to their voting polls, to support those who have acted righteously, Romney, Schiff, Pelosi, Nadler and many more then the world can surmise that the United States has done the one thing no one ever thought possible and that is to abdicate themselves from their own Constitution, Democracy, Justice for the sake of corruption and if that is the case May God Protect all those who did nothing.
1
Since there is only one presidential candidate that's a criminal, Barr's rule is to protect his cash cow trump.
5
The USA looks more and more like a banana republic every day (dictator, prosecutors, judges, state media, all controlled by a single party), and what is happening in the USA should even be insulting to real banana republics.
3
Really?! We already now Trump and other Republicans have taken illegal contributions from foreign nationals. What about the investigations that are already under way? This is absurd, unjust and un-American. Investigate Barr as the NY Bar has requested.
"The F.B.I. must also notify and consult with the relevant leaders at the department — like the heads of the criminal division, the national security division or a United States attorney’s office — before investigating Senate or House candidates or their campaigns, or opening an inquiry related to “illegal contributions, donations or expenditures by foreign nationals to a presidential or congressional campaign.”
3
Irony? At the same time, Barr issues this pronouncement his Justice Department is working with Republican Senate chairs to dig up dirt on Hunter Biden through the relase of SARs and other federal financial information. Wonder if they're requesting Biden's tax returns? Irony abounds
1
Who needs a Putin or King George when you have a Trump, McConnell and Barr sharing the crown? 2020 may be the year when we find out if the Revolutionary and Civil Wars were really worth it.
4
The slow inexorable knot of authoritarianism tightens.
2
Where are the ascertainable standards to be applied to all cases, to protect against his being arbitrary and capricious? This looks like a total suppression of oversight of trump, and a free ticket for investigation of trump's opponents.
159
Are you kidding? Trump has had more oversight than anyone?
3
@kodac, Hillary Clinton would like to differ. And would have reason to.
25
"Trump has had more oversight than anyone"
Deservedly so. Our president is a menace and threat to democracy, the rule of law, and justice. As the Ukraine scandal has shown, he will bypass his own Justice Dept. in order to achieve personal, political goals.
I would not be surprised to learn one day that Trump actually did ask Barr to see if he could get the Ukrainian government to investigate the Bidens, but that Barr turned him down and told Trump it would be unethical if not illegal for him to do that. So undeterred, Trump decided to use no-task-is-too-unethical-to-handle Rudy to "facilitate" that investigation.
Even if Barr would have testified that Trump asked him to do the same dirty work that Rudy did and that he turned Trump down, is there anyone who believes his Senate Republican enablers would not have acquitted him? No, Republicans, Congressional and otherwise, are now wedded to Trump.
How they will ever cleanse themselves of their unholy alliance with a man like Trump remains to be seen. Even if they get the visible dirt off, the stench will remain for a very long time.
30
Almost a half century under my belt now and no matter which party was in power, I never, ever distrusted the Dept of Justice or any AG, really, because I had faith in dedicated officials and the rule of law.
That trust has been shattered by the Barr DoJ. Now there is cause not only for distrust but also fear, as the DoJ has been weaponized by Trump cronies. I believe now, with good reason, that sinister forces are at work against the American system, and Barr, despite his dopey, "who me?" visage is shaping up to be a top-tier villain.
206
@Mford
I am 72 and this the first time I do not trust the DOJ and barr. He is as bad as I have ever seen at the DOJ.
45
Your Barr is one creepy man. But, absolutely critical to the process of transitioning power from the people to the few. You voted for it, you got it.
28
@Mford
In my slightly more than 50 years, I have NEVER trusted the DoJ nor the FBI. I saw the FBI murder community leaders because they had the wrong skin color or dared to work to improve the lives of poor Americans. Then there were the fiascos at Ruby Ridge and Waco. Then there is the unconstitutional FISA "court".
It is not a bad idea to require investigations to go through some vetting before investigating candidates. The people requesting the investigation should also have to meet the legal requirements for warrants.
8
And just one day after his acquittal. This is what the Republican Senate has unleashed- an administration without bounds. Trump will likely break the law again and Barr will squash the investigation. I guess Trump really is above the law.
127
@Bob Yes. With the Senate setting the precedent that even if they know about the president’s crimes but don’t have to “know” know via witness testimony under (increasingly meaningless) oath, this move by Barr will keep them safe from any oversight.
And this is all out in plain view.
17
It just seem to me like another way to protect Trump and his cronies from the wrong doings they will continue to perform in order to win the 2020election. Barr knows that if trump goes, he will also go, so he's trying to protect his position and himself. Is he allowed to do this or can we contradict his demands???.
45
Let's see: The Senate gave Trump a go-ahead to engage in whatever malfeasance he chooses to ensure his election, and you can be certain he's making more "perfect calls". And now, AG Barr says that no investigation of suspected malfeasance will be launched unless he approves it. But we know from experience Barr will do whatever it takes to serve the interests of Trump rather than the law.
If Trump were to win the election, why would Democrats ever be willing to accept it?
And Trump, a master of projection if nothing else, has told us that elections are rigged, and that he'll only accept an election result that he wins.
This is where we've come to. Don't imagine that November will resolve anything.
74
I honestly believe Trump will never willing leave the white house, ever. If a democrat wins this year, he’ll say the election was rigged. If he wins, he claim president for life.
His snorting of angry words this morning at the prayer breakfast was chilling. His saying that his enemies subjected, his family, the nation and him to a horrible impeachment process brings to mind an authoritarian getting ready to justify physical violence and killings of those enemies. This I fear is what the Republicans have unleashed.
11
@Dan In such a situation I believe that all Democrats in the House and Senate should walk out and go on strike.
@SJjjj – Trump’s complaints about his critics were those of a crybaby. He can dish it out with abandon, but whimpers about criticism.
3
Someone thinks most Americans are very stupid and apathetic...
Someone's right.
This Whitehouse has no shame. It's like taking candy from an American.
7
Someone who is appointed by politicians should have no say whatsoever in the question, if criminal investigations are being opened because of possible wrongdoing of politicians or their campaigns. Isn’t this a clear violation of the separation of powers? Isn’t this destroying the independence of the criminal justice system?
A different question altogether is, if the FBI should obtain permission to publicly announce investigations or not, for I do believe Comey’s freewheeling and entirely unchecked activity in 2016 contributed greatly to the mess we find ourselves in. But again, those who give the permission must not be tied to the ones being investigated in any way.
3
Essentially, this will give Trump a blank check to investigate his Democratic opponent whoever that happens to be. It will also
give his allies free rein to create scandals, etc. which all too easily can gain currency before they are debunked.
2
This memo could have been entitled, "Leave Trump Alone."
Not only don't I trust Trump, I no longer trust the head of our Attorney General.
How many investigations were there done on Hillary Clinton (ugh!) by the Republicans regarding Benghazi? How many convictions came from those investigations? And how many with the investigation into Trump's campaign?
10
How about foreign government investigations into political opponents? Any way we can discourage that?
4
Don’t worry, there are good people in the FBI, and any inappropriate campaign behavior will be leaked to the press.
1
Oh, so now the chief water-carrier for a President who has been proven to coerce foreign governments to interfere in elections on his behalf is to be the gatekeeper on investigations with political overtones. What could possibly go (more) wrong!
6
As Trump prepares to launch a broad spectrum of illegal/unconstitutional campaign initiatives, he now has the cover of the Justice Department. RIP democracy in America.
6
"Russia if your listening..." Simply put, I believe AG Barr has published this memorandum to protect the Trump Campaign as it manipulates the 2020 election, while using foreign entities to do so.
Trump can now fully morph, with Barr's assistance, from a petit authoritarian to an unrestrained tyrant.
Please: Federal Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence Community, follow your Oath, and do your duty. Protect the Republic and nation.
3
This should have been the headlines of the day in every newspaper in the country. The only one Barr is going to prevent from being investigated is Trump and there Russians.
5
If the story's summary is accurate, this memo is very alarming. Please publish the memo itself, or quote its key text. Or do a companion story that explains directly what the memo prohibits.
If I understand the story correctly, the FBI and U.S. Attorneys are prohibited from investigating all of the following unless the Attorney Generally personally approves: (1) any foreign contribution to a Presidential campaign; (2) any Presidential candidate; (3) any Presidential candidate's "senior campaign staff or advisers" (does this include the President's non-campaign advisors, such as Jared Kushner?); and (4) any Senate candidate or campaign; (5) any House candidate or campaign.
This is extremely dangerous. First, the President and Attorney General think that the Attorney General must protect the President. The President has said he wants his A.G. to protect him from investigations, and he fired A.G. Sessions for failing to do so. A.G. Barr has protected him. Second, the President has said as a blanket matter he will not comply with Congressional investigations. Third, the Justice Department has argued in court that NO ON ELSE can investigate the President. Fourth, the memo would block ongoing investigations into possible crimes, like the investigation into Rudy Giuliani (Presidential advisor). So the memo blocks all investigations of foreign influence, the President and those around him, except on approval of a person who will never approve. Third world stuff.
11
The game their playing is this: We got (*) acquitted for election interference but he’s going to continue to cheat. Let’s make it seem like we’re being fair, trying to prevent something that happened last time—this way they can’t investigate (*) for the cheating he’s doing and will do. We can hide it all, folks. The base will eat it up.
Gaslighting 101.
1
So now the doors are wide open to cheat. God help us all these Republicans are ruthless power mongers and I hope they see a one party system is as bad as Russian and China.
2
Barr’s memo could have come from Heller’s “Catch-22”.
“The move is intended to help avoid upending the election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 when it’s campaign inquiries shaped the outcome of the race.” This NYT subheading is not much better.
The FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton helped elect Trump. Barr’s intention is further consolidate power in the Trump presidency and legitimize Trump’s election interference.
1
This has been poor week.
8
Bill Barr cannot be trusted to be impartial when making any decision about the 2020 elections. The man has already revealed that he is a Trumpast and will shield Trump from any reasonable allegation. We need a trusted person to make the kind of decision Barr is arrogating to himself; a majority of the electorate does not trust Barr.
28
@BAH
He is a catholic crusader. What do we know is true of all crusaders?
1. They were seeking riches and power.
2. They were seeking riches and power.
3. They were seeking riches and power.
4. They did not care one wit about religion unless and until it could be used for number one through three.
"an effort meant to avoid upending the presidential election as the F.B.I. inadvertently did in 2016 when its campaign inquiries shaped the outcome of the race."
I don't think that is what it is meant to do. NYTimes, step up your game.
20
@Jeffrey Dreiblatt Agreed. This is clearly to avoid new investigations into Trump before November.
1
NYT you are getting on the last nerve Trump has left me. Don’t tell me Trump has you cowered too?
Written approval approval is required from Mr. Barr huh? Is that Banana Republic enough for you Trump supporters? If this is ok with you than you don’t know a darn thing about what has made this country great.
24
Maybe the headline should be “Trump’s Attorney General moves to stop all Trump-related crime investigations.” The current headline buries the lede.
42
The downward spiral continues.
21
inadvertently??
2
For more background, see David Rohde's profile of Barr in the January 20 New Yorker. It's more disturbing than watching "Joker".
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/william-barr-trumps-sword-and-shield
14
Given the history of William Barr's actions to date, my question is "Can he be impeached?" If the answer is yes,"Should he be impeached and what would be the grounds for such action?" Could this happen in time to protect the integrity of the 2020 election?
11
I think that all agree that the Administration in 2018 was much more successful in protecting election integrity than was the Administration in 2016.
If the Justice Department has a duty to ensure that elections are “free from improper activity or influences," what is it doing to ensure that ongoing Russian pollution of the social media will not again improperly influence our elections? Are President Trump's electoral activities covered by these DOJ restrictions, even while he's stated that he would welcome data from foreign governments? The rule of law only applies to the rest of us.
14
@Ken The voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin were not influenced by Russian social media.
The morning after starts with a domestic collusion , this time between the president and the Attorney General.
So much for Trump learning a lesson from his impeachment.
15
I'm still waiting for that all important investigation into Hunter Biden.
Hunter's sitting on a board he wasn't qualified to be on was so heinous that the President had to use his own personal attorney and henchmen to investigate it. Yet the Trump DOJ won't investigate, nor the Trump Senate. Odd..
7
@SXM
And Trump is sitting as president of the United States that he isn't qualified to be and his family isn't qualified do hold top government jobs without security checks.
@SXM
Hunter Biden is not president , just a regular individual so his actions cannot be scrutinized in the same way. Many people , are doing what Hunter is doing. especially republicans in the senate which are profiting from their positions from donors , stocks etc...lets focus on the only guy that counts now , Trump the peresident, and his horrible kids and cronies. thats plenty to keep us busy!
@SXM If it was a crime to use your name to get a job, all of the trump kids would be in jail.
So no further investigations of Trump, unless performed by the House. But Trump is free to investigate all of his rivals using the full power of the FBI -- as well as Russia, Ukraine, China, etc.
17
@LD Trump has been investigated by the FBI(illegally), House Intelligence Committee, Senate Intelligence Committee, Special Council. Who has been investigated more than Trump?
somebody impeach this AG ,,he is too corrupt. impeach!
Under this ruling what would have happened to the Hillary Clinton email debacle, i.e. the FBI investigation under Comey? The public investigation of the Clinton private server was far more politically devastating than any investigation of Trump's campaign.
5
I wouldn't trust William Barr, who has politicized the DOJ possibly more than any other AG in history, to determine which 'investigations" should go forth during an election year.
The term "politically sensitive" seems like a very loaded phrase, one that might correspond to the defense put forth by Dershowitz, that the president is allowed to do anything to promote his re-election if deemed (by him) to be "in the national interest."
National interest and politically sensitive might be reserved to only those investigations sought by the president into his opponents, for example.
Thus has legal language been corrupted by both Barr and Dershowitz.
17
@ChristineMcM: But what if it's not in the "national interest", as it most likely will be only in "his own interest".
As it was now , so he should be convicted. Dershowitz is missing the point.
Trump has requested an Investigation into Biden and his son, Hunter. I guess this means that won’t happen now.thats a good thing.
But it doesn’t stop the House of Representatives to investigate anyone they deem necessary, including continuing to investigate Trump. They have said they will suspena Bolton now. Barr doesn’t rule over the house.
5
Plus, I'd like to see it a requirement for all candidates to release their tax returns, bar none!
17
"Mr. Barr established a series of requirements governing whether investigators could open ... investigations into candidates or their DONORS." (emphasis mine)
Not only is Trump above the law, but now the crooked oligarchs who fund his campaign -- foreign and domestic -- are also immune to investigation and above the law?
16
And will he approve of investigating Himself? or his Boss?
7
Barr and his client Trump are going to decide which candidates should be investigated ed or not? Really?
6
@cyrano If it has come to this then we are really in a autocratic dictatorship!
“In certain cases, the existence of a federal criminal or counterintelligence investigation, if it becomes known to the public, may have unintended effects on our elections,” Mr. Barr wrote.
Sort of like if an ally were (pressured) to launch a corruption investigation into a presidential candidate. That would impact an election, wouldn’t it?
I guess Barr gets it now. Post acquittal.
Nah. Must be coincidence.
3
We've finally learned what the Republican Party does really well - cheat at elections. With Bill Barr's Justice Department in charge of cheating investigations, what could possibly go wrong?
9
@JJ2 because they know that ONLY by cheating and lying they a can still win or stay in power,,,it works for them as they are proffessionals at it .
Will that include halting the "investigations" into Hunter Biden's travel? Probably not.
Barr has no credibility. You quoted him saying, "... safeguarding the department’s reputation for fairness, neutrality and nonpartisanship." Since when does the barr DOJ have that reputation.
4
What's the point of obtaining DOJ approval to conduct investigations into candidates, if the director of the DOJ himself (William Barr) is in bed with Trump, and is acting as one of Trump's personal attorneys? That would just be one more way a corrupt president can suppress his political opponents. And who better to dig up dirt on a political opponent, and then make that available to the president, than the FBI? Let investigative journalists of the free press dig into the backgrounds of political candidates. Or, the House Judiciary Committee.
5
Many of the comments are over the top assertions of bias by AG Barr, presumably on the basis of his summary of the Mueller report. However, the summary was accurate, and Mueller himself did not contest it. The findings were that not one American, let alone anyone on the Trump campaign, conspired with Russian officials to throw the election. But too many NYT readers can’t accept that finding from Mueller himself, and instead continue to talk about Putin controlling US officials, as if Mueller proved the opposite of what he did!
Does the Barr Edict include the president of the United States? I am being specific here. It is this president that concerns me.
3
Its only the beginning of the GOP effort to run roughshod over voters.
4
The Right Hand of Trump doesn't want his left hand messing things up.
3
It sounds like Barr wants complete autonomy to be Trump’s attack dog and defender with no accountability. Bill Barr should not be allowed to effectively make the Justice Department like Russia’s KGB.
6
Unless they are going after a Democrat.
3
@Judi Hewett good point!
The Justice Department has a duty to ensure that elections are “free from improper activity or influences.”
In TrumpSpeak this means that the Justice Dept. May now investigate any one who opposes Donald Trump.
“We are not interested in the good of others; We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power.” George Orwell, 1984
5
I don't trust Barr to be impartial and it gives him ample power to abuse if he wants to. More erosion of checks and balances.
4
Um, I think it's intended to let William Barr shoot down any new investigations into Trump. But you do you.
1
The Justice Department? TRUMP’S Justice Department? It’s run by a partisan hack!
The Justice Department has ZERO credibility these days.
5
The impartial AG Barr will be making the final call? I don’t know if I should laugh or cry at the idea
3
As usual with anything AG Barr puts pen to paper... you have to read between the lines.. carefully.. because he is a crafty partisan apparatchik of the Trump administration.
Let me summarize what this actually means:
AG Barr will approve any investigation on a Democratic candidate or their campaign.
AG Barr will NOT approve any investigation into any Republican candidate or there campaign, most especially Donald John Trump.
The pretense presented that he simply wants to insure no JD inquiry or investigation does not interfere with an election cycle.. is a pure partisan smoke screen.
And of course AG Barr has no issues launching any sort of partisan investigation he chooses.
6
If you can't trust Bill Barr, who can you trust?
26
@Blue in Green If DT cannot trust FBI, why should anyone trust Bill Barr. He has not displayed any independence to date
4
@Blue in Green
LOLs
@Blue in Green
Uh.....the Clintons?
I’m sorry for the civil servants in the DOJ. Looks like our democracy will need more whistleblowers.
To the career civil servants, I say thank you for your service, and in advance, I’m sorry for the sacrifice you must give for your country.
30
They should run for office and see if their policies can get them elected.
For a party that wraps themselves in an American flag, the Republicans have become totally ignorant of the values imbedded in the Stars and Stripes.
23
So investigate all of them by default. What fun that'll be.
8
Let’s remember the 2016 election for a second:
Early in the Democrats campaign, F.B.I agents informed low level Clinton staff about a possible hacking. Despite no action was taken by Clinton staff for months and the security breech could not be further specified by the campaign IT in the first place (only until they hired CrowdStrike and other specialist), the extent of damage ultimately came out — too late, though.
The question is: Will Barr take responsibility for such investigations in the future?
Since this week at the latest, I doubt it.
4
@Martin
You didn't remember it correctly. The FBI agents went to great lengths NOT to inform Clinton staff.
The FBI left a message on an IT subcontractor's help desk voicemail.
That was wrongdoing that was never investigated because it was done to help Trump.
Just another brick in the wall that they're building. Not at the southern border... no, it's a wall to protect the king. Next up is a moat around the WH, complete with alligators and snakes!
16
@YogaGal
The alligators and snakes are already there all they need is the moat and a razor sharp electrified fence.
3
I just spewed coffee. You do realize who the Attorney General is, don't you?
13
Certainly it will be determined that whoever the democrat is will need to be investigated. It's kind of a Putin trick. Barr has been studying Putin's methods and is ready to implement them. Bill the Russian patriot.
16
he credulity this article displays is astonishing. Have you watched and listened to William Barr?
15
Horrifying.
13
So will this apply to Giuliani as well?
11
How will this be applied to Devin Nunes? Rick Perry? Pat Cipollone, and many others who were "in the loop" in the President's efforts to induce the Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden?
15
This is a useless attempt to keep Trump and his family out of the hoosegow; doubt it works.
11
These are only investigations conducted in this country. Does the President need to clear investigations with top Justice Dept. officials, if he's asking foreign leaders to do the investigations? Obviously not. The impeachment trial deemed it not necessary.
14
So there can be no further investigations of Trump - unless performed by the House. But Trump is free to investigate all of his rivals using the full power of the FBI - as well as Russia, Ukraine, China, etc.
17
OK so we'll be announcing investigations of everyone but the T family?
13
Of course Trump would be the hands-down most likely to be having investigations run against him, legitimately. Not Republican phony investigations like they kept going against Clinton.
3
"Mr. Barr faced withering criticism over his delivery of the Mueller report to Congress. While he allowed the report to be made available to the public with only light redactions, Democrats and some centrist Republicans accused him of playing down the severity of the findings."
- A small point: Mr. Barr did not "play down" the severity of the findings, he denied the findings and falsely claimed the report exonerated trump when it expressly detailed 10 instances of obstruction of justice, and described in detail the trump campaign's incompetent efforts to engage with Russia to discredit his rival, Hillary Clinton. Mr. Barr held back the Mueller Report and put out his own lying summary of Mueller's findings, falsely claiming the report exonerated trump, when it actually did the exact opposite.
This is hardly the person who should be allowed the power over what can and can't be investigated by government agencies.
2/6/20
19
Translation: No investigating Trump. Period. But the Bidens are fair game, because Trump says so, and what supports his re-election is in the interests of the nation and therefore the Justice Department must follow Trump's dictats. Q.E.D.
As long as Barr is leading the Justice Department, you can count on it being used as a political weapon. We haven't had this much corruption since J. Edgar Hoover led the FBI, and now the Trumpist cultishness has infected the entire executive branch. I can only hope that the line officers and investigators are quietly investigating and filing away evidence and certifications for probable cause, so that the minute Barr is off their necks, they can investigate this entire organized crime syndicate pretending to be an administration. I just hope the statute of limitations doesn't run out in the meantime, or that they find a way to permanently destroy the DOJ's ability to investigate crimes in government at all.
10
Well, time to muzzle you SDNYC prosecutors. No more investigations into Trump's election interference, no more whistle blowers allowed to trigger investigation, no more independent investigations or findings, and every embarrassing or illegal communication sent to the "high security" waste can. This truly is the march towards the destruction of our democracy. Well done, Republicans.
10
“...we also must be sensitive to safeguarding the department’s reputation for fairness, neutrality and nonpartisanship,”
Is this a sick joke?
Has any attorney general, with the possible exception of John Mitchell, done more to undeermine that reputation?
This seems little more than an attempt to suppress future investigations into our gangster president's future electoral shenanigans. But it might not work: remember it was a whistle-blower who caused the most trouble for Trump, not the Justice Department itself.
Give Trump credit for one thing, though--appointing Barr was a shrewd move. Which is a great deal more than you can say for almost all his other appointments.
8
@Just Ben
Barr is the answer to Trump's lament: "Where's my Roy Cohn?"
3
Do as I say.... This is not democracy, ever. The House Congressionals must continue there investigations. The rest of us, increase voter turnout, blue turnout.
4
At least the history books will be now be able to unequivocally blame Barr for any investigation irregularities.
3
Watch as Barr only allows investigations of trumps opponents. The continuing scam goes in.
4
How soon will William Barr be ordering the investigation into Mitt Romney?
Remember, Trump specifically invoked William Barr's name when he demanded Ukraine work with Barr. Of course Barr is going to shut down any more investigations into his own wrongdoing. Barr has already protected his underlings who improperly locked up the transcript of Trump's telephone call to hide it.
But Barr - who was clearly involved in Trump's Ukraine shenanigans - desperately needs to cover it up. So there will be no more investigations of King Trump but many more of Romney and Biden and whichever Democrat looks to win the primary.
And more gullible reporting in this newspaper that treats Barr's every utterance and action as if this was NOT the man whose name was invoked by Trump and NOT the man whose underlings improperly locked up that transcript to cover up for Trump.
8
Sensible policy by the AG. If the previous administration AG and King Comey worked under this policy who knows how the 2016 election would have turned out. Obama should have fired Comey on the spot
Great idea!
So they investigate the current Republican presidential candidate also?
This is a purely politically motivated and shocking action to protect Trump that the NYT is spinning as something an upright and honest William Barr is doing for ethical reasons.
The only politically motivated investigations in 2016 were into Hillary Clinton doing the same things her Republican predecessors had done. And the FBI learned that Colin Powell had advised Clinton to use a private server. And like Powell and other Bush/Cheney White House staff, there were a small number of misclassified documents in her private e-mail among the hundreds of thousands that were not. No crime had been committed, but the FBI publicly trashed her anyway. And then the NYC FBI publicly trashed her again by illegally leaking to Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to insinuate more criminal activity.
On the other hand, the FBI conducted an investigation into a very serious crime -- Russian influence in our election - in 2016. And because that investigation was NOT politically motivated, the public believed that the Trump campaign had been totally exonerated of any wrongdoing until long after the election.
Barr very clearly wants to shut down the second type of proper investigation while he appoints his guy John Durham to do more politically motivated investigations.
But this newspaper as usual reports on whatever Barr says uncritically. William Barr believes his only job is to protect Trump's corruption from being known by voters.
8
The directive from Barr is a little late and hypocritical. Biden was the victim of the 2020 election. Maybe Trump will want Bloomberg investigated so he can sham him too.
4
Sure, as if the Justice Department headed by Donald Barr will be fair. He'll probably be the one generating investigations of Trump's strongest contenders, like they just did with poor Biden and the Ukraine fiasco. The folks in power right now are thugs, no more, no less..
4
Obviously done to protect Trump and Republican candidates while leaving the door open for Barr to approve investigations of Democrats.
5
Trump will cheat in the 2020 election
Barr and the rest of the corrupt Republicans will let it happen
What a sad state our country is in
7
Good call from Biden perspective; i.e. if Biden is the Dem candidate, then no rogue FBI investigation of Biden + Son.
I can't imagine that Mr. Barr, who has already displayed for all to see his total loyalty to Trump over all else, will actually use these rules to prevent abuses of the DOJ's investigative powers to not impact the election. It is much more likely these rules will be used to only allow the "correct" investigations that promote the interests of Trump.
225
@Bill McMains
Of course. This is like Putin announcing that he will be investigating crime in Russia.
Can you imagine this newspaper writing a long and serious story about how Putin is now going to be investigating crime and "cleaning up" Russia without explaining to readers that Putin's entire government is corrupt and this is a farce?
There is nothing in this article to tell readers that what Barr is saying is a farce. Instead it treats what Barr says with all seriousness and spins the story exactly the way Barr wants.
There was NO politically motivated investigation into Russia's influence in the 2016 election. There was a very serious one. But this reporter would have readers believe that the investigation into Russia was just like the FBI's trashing of Hillary Clinton!
30
@Bill McMains
Barr will announce an investigation into Mitt Romney and this newspaper will run front page headlines about how the upright and honest William Barr had to investigate Romney due to all the criminal behavior he had found.
16
@Bill McMains
And only “correct” votes will be allowed.
We are all Russians now.
6
Useless optics intended only to distract us while he completes the total politicization of the DOJ. Barr supports the absolute right of his boss to open investigations into whomever he chooses. It's in the national interest after all.
19
"investigations into candidates or their donors"
So if I'm doing something the FBI might get interested in, and I donate to the Trump campaign...
I wonder what is the minimum donation amount for an investigation into a donor to be considered too sensitive?
13
@Linda @Linda You won't ever have to worry if you're donating to trump. It's folks donating to any other candidate who will now be targets.
4
What..so that Barr can protect Trump.
21
Oh, good. I feel so much better now.
7
Barr isn't wrong: an investigation into a presidential candidate should be subject to increased scrutiny. The trouble is he's appointing himself the scrutinizer, and a good deal of the country finds him thoroughly distrustful. This is what happens when you behave like a Trump lackey for a year and a half: you can't justify justifiable ideas.
43
@YN Perhaps there should be an objective set of standards and requirements he must follow in making a decision, and perhaps a procedure for appealing his decision. There's no reason to believe he will be even-handed, fair or unbiased.
6
@YN
"distrustful?" You mean 'untrustworthy'.
2
@mls Yep, you're right. I meant untrustworthy.
1
The fix is in. . .
27
Bill Barr has taken the next step toward rigging the election in Trump’s favor, no doubt with his explicit encouragement. Think of the investigations that will be needed to clear the record once this administration leaves office...what else will be covered up? The stain on our democracy is growing and spreading.
30
The timing of this announcement is suspicious. I don't trust Attorney General Barr. He is not interested in administering justice that serves U.S. citizens. He sees protecting Trump, no matter what his corruption, cover-ups and lies, as the primary responsibility of his powerful cabinet office. Attorney General William P. Barr is the one who should be under Department of Justice investigation.
23
And here is the end of the US as a democratic country... I assume that this is the dog whistle letting everyone know if you are an unapproved candidate and run for office an investigation will soon follow.
17
Pretty timely considering trump and his cronies are most likely involved in criminal activity as we speak.
15
Shockingly broad, ominously timed, dangerously restrictive and utterly partisan in intent. Among the set of folks bound for ignominy in the Trump devolution, Barr is close to the top. Or, the bottom, depending on your perspective.
189
@BB We are now controlled by dual autocrats.
1
William Barr has ruthlessly and relentlessly twisted the DOJ into a GOP protection racket. With all that's gone wrong, the complete evisceration of DOJ credibility may be the most alarming signal of our descent from democracy. The fact that DOJ is making this announcement now should be treated as a fire alarm.
28
I see we’re doing it the Russian way. Putin has clearly promised to deliver the Trumpublicans a win in November.
15
Bill Barr has cemented himself as an overtly biased republican lapdog; everything he does or says, including this, should be considered part of the trump reelection campaign.
19
With Bill Barr at the helm of the DOJ, this essentially means "no new investigations of Trump" and further "open season on all opposition candidates". Gonna get ugly. Any odds on which democratic candidate with will be facing grand jury first? and second? Remember the saying about grand juries and ham sandwiches...?! A motivated prosecutor with the likes of Rudy running a sidebar investigation will get at least the appearance of wrongdoing being investigated - at least for purposes of publication. Remember, this prohibition has no impact on privately retained attorneys working for the president - they are free to "help defend their client" however they see fit - i.e. Rudy.
19
Oh, this is rich. You just know that any dirt on any democrat will be immediately funneled to the White House.
16
Stunning arrogance!
15
This changes nothing. If the past few weeks have demonstrated anything, it is that Trump is free to investigate any of his opponents and that he can pursue any actions that help his re-election prospects without repercussions. This just makes it official.
21
Funny thing, this Barr announcement. The US has an Attorney General who is willing to play footsie with Trump and his ilk, while pretending that all is above board. Reminds me of a dinner party with two-timing folks playing games concealed by a table cloth.
16
The concentration of more discretionary power in the hands of this Attorney General is one more step to the end of your Democracy. The Carter Page investigation has been turned into an unholy assault on political process when in fact it was less than a footnote to the election. Page was no longer part of the Trump election team (if he ever was) when the warrants were issued. Everyone agrees that mistakes were made but giving Barr more power is not the solution. You will live to regret this.
15
@Richard Calon To be clear, he is giving himself this power.
1
People who work at DOJ take several other to. By continuing to work for this administration they cannot possibly be keeping those oaths.
Why has not everybody at DOJ resigned in protest?
6
They want to keep their jobs. It’s about money.
Of course, and no doubt, predictably, the Republican AG will sanction investigations into Democratic candidates, while avoiding inquiries into Republicans. Anyone want to cover the bet?
33
Why “inadvertently”? Are you saying the FBI did not know what it was doing? This sounds a lot like Clapper’s “not wittingly” reply to Congress about collecting data on citizens. So these agencies are sleep-walking or what?
2
Its intended solely to insulate Trump. This continues the takeover.
23
Given that this attorney general has both put personal time and energy, including meetings with lawyers for oligarchs and trips to Europe, to investigate the Crowdstrike theories and conspiracy paranoias of the president, and that he is now according to himself the sole power to decide which investigations to pursue, the tone and tenor of this article are really, really off.
This is yet another attempt to manipulate the election in Donald Trump's favor. This attorney general is a walking, talking case for recusal and possible replacement.
When the press starts swallowing the koolaid, the fix is in.
24
Although such a policy might seem like a good idea, I am having a hard time imagining how it could be seen as nonpartisan. It could be run by a panel of federal judges, but like the Attorney General each judge is nominated by a president of one party. If the panel consisted of, say, four judges, two who were nominated by Republicans and two by Democrats, that omits equal treatment of third,fourth,etc. parties and also, how would a tie be broken?
10
Putin is smiling.
65
And down we go......
27
So as the slow drip of evidence points to more and more of Trump’s people being involved in his re-election bribery of Ukraine,including Barr, and possible evidence regarding coercion/collusion with other countries might be leaked, Barr has officially appointed himself the judge as to whether anyone can be investigated. That’s convenient.
114
@KKnorp
Ukraine is only one thread. There has yet to be a full investigation of all matters pertaining to Russia that were incompletely investigated by Mueller. Why did that get dropped?
6
@KKnorp
Let the slow drips keep coming. We have nine months until the election for more evidence of trump's corruption to surface. Let the voters decide in November.
Perfect: absolute protection for the dictator and make it clear political enemies of the president will be prosecuted.
89
@Matthew
But enough about the Obama Admin and their use of the IRS to go after its opponents...
2
@EGD :
That meme is as tiresome as it is false. Enough, already.
9
@EGD keep the whataboutisms where they belong, in old Soviet propaganda. Thanks.
8
As usual, an article starring William Barr full of White House spin.
There is no excuse for mischaracterizing what happened in 2016, although this newspaper always does.
The only "politically motivated" investigation was about Hillary Clinton's e-mail server, in which the FBI publicly smeared a political candidate for doing what her Republican predecessor Colin Powell advised her to do -- using private e-mail. In the course of the investigation the FBI found that many top officials in the Bush/Cheney White House used private e-mail and in their cursory look found classified documents in those Republican e-mails and shut down any further look at those Republicans while implying that Hillary Clinton had broken the law, but she did not.
The most egregious political investigation was the one that William Barr has refused to do so is not mentioned here -- the (illegal) direct leaks from the NYC FBI office to Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani that smeared Hillary Clinton again right before the election.
But this article does play up the one investigation that had NO impact on the 2016 election because it was properly kept secret and done because of the clear danger of Russia interference. The wiretap violations were typical of what happens in every investigation and were not at all material to the findings of other REAL crimes by Trump cronies.
I know it's too much to expect the NYT not to report with White House spin these days.
53
Putin tactics 101
16
Yeah, thanks for the shout out to James Comey, Mr. Moral Vanity. The man that drove the final stake into the HRC Campaign, in an effort “ to be fair “. Sure.
Sending my thoughts and prayers. They are unprintable.
23
Oh well....Putin is smiling.
13
How do you know that is their intention? Because they wrote it in a memo? I hope people aren’t that gullible. Barr doesn’t care about any of the other candidates. This is all about protecting trump as he continues to cheat and corrupt our democracy.
49
The fact that Donald Trump is President should tell someone about the gullibility of our nation, sadly.
2
But he keeps control of these processes and given this administration’s corruption, and Mr. Barr‘s widely documented partisanship, his decisions will be suspect and profoundly tainted. It’s truly impossible to believe anything that comes out of Mr. Barr‘s fiefdom because of his own actions and how he has positioned himself as a minion rather than fulfilling his role as the nation‘s counsel and defender. If he were actually meeting his obligations, the impeachment fiasco would have played differently.
273
@Chris of course he doesnt know...because the truth and facts do not matter to trump supporters or republicans.
14
Or more succinctly, only Democratic candidates can be investigated.
211
Of course.
What would Putin do?
The President is now above the law.
47
Partisan Bill Barr is sure to investigate a suspected crime no matter which campaign commits it?
I think we can all see where this is going.
Well, at least half of us.
57
You can trust the US Justice Dept.
Just like you can trust the Federal Security Service in Russia and the Ministry of State Security in China.
You can trust the upcoming election.
Just like you can trust the last election was legitimate and an honest representation of the issues and choices between opposing sides.
Justice will be what Justice does. There will be no dissent. There will be no process for opposition. The greatest leadership in the world will make us the greatest country in the world no matter what you think quietly on your own.
16
Now it’s official.
No more investigating Trump.
The Fix is in.
Vote Blue.
No Matter Who.
(State Elections, too.)
Democracy depends on You!
141
The Constitution is on life support. The Executive branch is compromised. The Judicial branch is neutered. The Legislature folded. Yesterday's Impeachment Vote is the American equivalent of 1933 Germany's passage of the Enabling Act.
Barr's neutering of the Justice department got the green light. His latest attempt to avoid investigations that "may have unintended effects on our elections" may sound good but it guarantees that Trump can continue to invite foreign interference in our elections with impunity. And he will. Game over.
64
I have every confidence that William Barr will be a devoted guardian of a fair, untampered American election process. I am as confident of that as I am that the Sun orbits the Earth.
38
Lowering the Barr ...
40
If you believe this order is non-partisan, I have a bridge too far to sell you.
Barr is effectively prohibiting the Justice Department from participating in any further examination of Trump's never-ending crime spree or any investigation of the serially corrupt activities of low life functionaries like Rudy Giuliani and . . . William P. Barr.
76
@Barking Doggerel The House should investigate Bill Barr. Why does Trump tell Zelensky to contact Barr because Barr will help him investigate the Bidens? What was he doing running around Europe, who was he seeing, what was he looking for? We want to know!
10
Uhm isn't this obviously just a way for Barr to prevent any more investigations of Trump??
30
And so, the cover up continues.
55
Meaning that Barr will need to run it by Putin? I mean trump.
21
@SN or maybe run it by Opus Dei.
7
Foxes in the hen house.
22
Barr is designing and executing an election-rigging apparatus.
160
@Dave A
Thanks to the Republican Senate, it’s all perfectly legal now.
4
So Trump’s lackey at DOJ, Barr, has decreed that the president’s certain to occur illegal activities in connection with the 2020 election can’t be investigated without his personal approval. This edict is based on the final Republican impeachment defense that so long as he thinks his election is in the national interest, he can do whatever he wants and can do no wrong. And you can be sure Barr will not authorize any investigations of team Trump’s crimes.
The tragic irony is that the Democratic presidential candidate will be in the same position President Zelensky was in as a candidate, fighting to establish a crime free government when all the forces of corruption were arrayed against him.
The continuation of the American democratic experiment has not been so seriously challenged since the Civil War.
70
There was nothing “inadvertent” about the FBI investigating the 2016 presidential candidate and his advisors. It was a deliberate assault on our democracy.
6
@PVbeachbum
Personally, I’d prefer a government that investigates crime where they suspect it. Can that be abused? Yes. But I generally trust my fellow Americans who loyally serve our country as civil servants, regardless of who is in power. I know many people who serve the American people whose names will never be in the news. They don’t want the spotlight, but they believe in this grand experiment of Democracy. Indeed, they spend their entire careers serving under Presidents from both parties. These people love our country.
I’m sure you do, too, but this ploy of the Attorney General is not in the service of the American people. It’s a thinly veiled plan to continue the coverup.
An investigation was started because someone suspected illegal activity. And as I said at the start, I’d prefer that everyone be held to the same standard, which is all suspected illegal behavior is investigated. If President Trump and his people don’t want to be investigated, stay above board. Be transparent. Don’t hid documents. And stop asking foreign governments for help.
10
@Pvbeachbum Our allies were warning us that Russia was interfering. Russia was interfering, did, and still is. The Trumps, who, according to Don Jr., "get most of their money from Russia, may have been useful idiots (not knowingly collaborating) but Trump is plainly executing Putin's policies now, even as the GOP Senate tries to have it both ways. Barr, Cippilone, Guliani and Nunes were all complicit. It is plain on its face and a fraud is being perpetrated on the U.S.
9
@Pvbeachbum You misspelled deliberate investigation into a wantonly corrupt man and his posse's overtly criminal actions.
4
Sounds like there is good reason to ensure both sides are protected from improperly launched investigations. However, given what we know about Barr’s involvement in the Ukraine scandal, he should recuse himself from this approval process.
26
@MR He should be impeached!
4
Barr is now the FBI's gatekeeper for all investigations of foreign influence on an election. How reassuring. I guess this is now your job FREE PRESS. Please get going!
40
This justice department? Yeah, that’ll work. :-(
17
Lolololol. So the JUSTICE DEPARTMENT has to approve investigations into 2020 candidates? The same justice department led by someone already complicit in a scheme to shakedown a foreign country to coerce it to interfering in the 2020 election?
Oh, that sounds just. Looks like Bill Barr is gunning for a Medal of Dishonor from the White House vending machine at the next SOTU.
51
I guess it’s easier to halt justifiable investigations into trumplandia’s criminality than to distort, whitewash, and cover them up. Barr is a disgrace who’s loyalty is to his capo instead of the constitution. He should be impeached for lying to congress under oath.
31
Well that would be useful if the attorney general wasn't completely in on it. All that does is that now when they open one of their"investigations" they can pretend it has some stamp of approval.
10
Hmm, what are the odds that investigations into DNC candidates will be approved but ones into GOP will not?
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@Michael, given that this attorney general has already stated that any investigation of the president is illegal? I'd say it's almost surely.
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That will ensure the decisions are fair and apolitical! Unfortunately not. It just means Trump is protected.
21
It says so much about where we are as a nation that this news is neither shocking nor surprising. Of course Trump wants to prevent any further inquiry into his election interference and now, emboldened by his victory in the Senate, he seeks to prevent the next inevitable abuse of power from ever coming forward.
We are truly being run by a third world dictator.
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Sounds like something designed 100% to protect Trump and help assure his re-election.
After all, who’s really most at risk for getting investigated?
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@Bronx Jon
Exactly!! Surely no one is fooled by THIS!! Are the Republicans really that ignorant to think that most Americans fell off the turnip truck?
But as I write this, I am realizing that YES, a whole lot of Americans have fallen off this truck while "not having both oars in the water."
9
@Bronx Jon. Sadly, your highly cynical interpretation is not nearly cynical enough.
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@Bronx Jon
And Barr is just making this up our of thin air - out of whole cloth - by fiat. "It so shall be ordered by the power I vest in myself as the king's henchman".
Because this is how tyranny plays out. How it gathers steam. This on the very first day after Republican co-conspirators crowned the illegitimate criminal. Lord knows what horrific pronouncements will be coming down. Lord knows who all are now in the crosshairs.
The people will eventually get off their butts. The sooner the better.
5
Barr Restricts federal investigating during the 2020 presidential campaign. What does this mean? It means that a public dialogue about critical issues with this administration must flood the campaign trails of candidates. It means that the public must be the instrument for discerning what the GOP led Senate and this president obstructed during the impeachment hearings - where in the Senate there was not a single witness to hear. t means Barr will not be on the side of justice. The people must deliver it in November.I
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Of course, we can safely assume that he will treat such requests equally for all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, right? *sigh*
16
Is this to protect Trump from being investigated when he uses foreign agents again?
21
That's the beginning of the end. Barr can now arbitrarily protect corrupt politicians directly. Clean and simple.
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@Chuck I thought there's a difference between "always could" and the new requirement that the investigation must go through the AG.
@Filmore
He always could. He did not need to put it in writing.
The reason to put it in writing is to poke and prod the JD under the public gaze of Americans. It's purely political and partisan and is designed to make Trump feel safer.
Problem is.. Trump feeling safer = Trump doing even more egregious things in this coming election cycle.. now completely inoculated by a corrupt AG who can squash any effort of federal law enforcement to.. you know.. actually enforce law.
Welcome to the Police State, where the administration protects it's own corruption and weaponizes what should be an impartial organization (the Justice Departgment) directly at any and all perceived enemies of the incumbent administration.
Nixon, if still alive, would be so jealous of the power wielded here.
85
So now it's "The FBI can investigate 2020 candidates that the openly highly partisan Bill Barr wants investigated." I'm not convinced this is an improvement.
16
The most partisan leader in the Justice Department is Bill Barr. Having him be the sole, final arbiter is incredibly worrying and fraught with politics.
26
In theory this sounds good, though in practice I assume it will mean that the Justice Department under Barr will allow Democrats to be investigated, and Republicans not.
31
I suppose it is a sign of the times that I am not particularly reassured by having the President's man tell the FBI which candidate they are allowed to investigate. With our current President, the FBI should be able to guess correctly without any help.
13
While I have no inside knowledge, I think the
"error-ridden process as they sought to obtain and renew warrants from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to wiretap Mr. Page"
has existed in a whole lot of the FISA cases. It is not just a "liberal anti-Trump" issue.
As painful as it was, Mr. Page was only one member of a swath of other Trump people who have been shown as corrupt.
And Rush and Sean and Trump all seem to sweep up ALL Democrats and liberals and .. everyone else who isn't a Trump lemming ... into a garbage bin of heathen anti-Americans.
9
By the Justice Department? Where would you find one of those?
14
So, in other words, no further investigations of Trump until after the election? How handy.
16
Gee.....And will anyone be surprised if we see the Justice Department allowing specious "investigations" of any Democratic candidate (especially the one leading in the primaries and polls), but disallowing any investigation at all of Trump, Giuliani, Lev Parnas or any other of Trump's cronies? At face value this is one of the most pernicious rulings I have seen from Trump's people.
18