Friday, May 3, 2019

Why They Are Sliming William Barr

The long knives are out for William Barr. Congressional Democrats and their media enablers are indulging the arts of slander, defamation, rhetorical hyperbole and apocalyptic prophecy. In truth, most of them are so stupid that they would have difficulty passing from political drama to governance. But, at least, they console themselves with the notion that the media is covering up their incompetence. Not to mention their venality.

For those who have mercifully missed the assault-- and assault it was, assault on Barr’s character, his integrity, his competence-- Kimberly Strassel sums it up well in the Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Barr tolerantly sat through hours of Democratic insults at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday. His reward for his patience was to be labeled, in the space of a news cycle, a lawbreaking, dishonest, obstructing hack. Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly accused Mr. Barr of lying to Congress, which, she added, is “considered a crime.” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said he will move to hold Mr. Barr in contempt unless the attorney general acquiesces to the unprecedented demand that he submit to cross-examination by committee staff attorneys. James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, lamented that Donald Trump had “eaten” Mr. Barr’s “soul.” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren demands the attorney general resign. California Rep. Eric Swalwell wants him impeached.

According to Strassel is bespeaks a primal terror, a fear that the gig might be up an that many high ranking members of the D. C. swamp, including high ranking officials from the Obama administration, will soon be facing justice. James Comey's intemperate and mindless rant suggests that he is in the crosshairs himself.

It would all severely damage the Democratic Party. And that is something we cannot allow, because we cannot besmirch the reputation of the Obama administration. And besides, since Trump is the worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the known universe, no one should show any constraint in working to destroy him.

Anyway, after dealing with the pusillanimous Jeff Sessions, Congressional Democrats have met their match in William Barr. Strassel continues:

Mr. Barr made real news in that Senate hearing, and while the press didn’t notice, Democrats did. The attorney general said he’d already assigned people at the Justice Department to assist his investigation of the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. He said his review would be far-reaching—that he was obtaining details from congressional investigations, from the ongoing probe by the department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, and even from Mr. Mueller’s work. Mr. Barr said the investigation wouldn’t focus only on the fall 2016 justifications for secret surveillance warrants against Trump team members but would go back months earlier.

He also said he’d focus on the infamous “dossier” concocted by opposition-research firm Fusion GPS and British former spy Christopher Steele, on which the FBI relied so heavily in its probe. Mr. Barr acknowledged his concern that the dossier itself could be Russian disinformation, a possibility he described as not “entirely speculative.” He also revealed that the department has “multiple criminal leak investigations under way” into the disclosure of classified details about the Trump-Russia investigation.

The one thing they do not want is to have the light of reason shown on their criminality. Most especially on their willingness to sacrifice democracy to their own pursuit of power.

Do not underestimate how many powerful people in Washington have something to lose from Mr. Barr’s probe. Among them: Former and current leaders of the law-enforcement and intelligence communities. The Democratic Party pooh-bahs who paid a foreign national (Mr. Steele) to collect information from Russians and deliver it to the FBI. The government officials who misused their positions to target a presidential campaign. The leakers. The media. More than reputations are at risk. Revelations could lead to lawsuits, formal disciplinary actions, lost jobs, even criminal prosecution.

The attacks on Mr. Barr are first and foremost an effort to force him out, to prevent this information from coming to light until Democrats can retake the White House in 2020. As a fallback, the coordinated campaign works as a pre-emptive smear, diminishing the credibility of his ultimate findings by priming the public to view him as a partisan.

That’s why Mr. Barr isn’t alone in getting slimed. Natasha Bertrand at Politico last month penned a hit piece on the respected Mr. Horowitz. It’s clear the inspector general is asking the right questions. The Politico article acknowledges he’s homing in on Mr. Steele’s “credibility” and the dossier’s “veracity”—then goes on to provide a defense of Mr. Steele and his dossier, while quoting unnamed sources who deride the “quality” of the Horowitz probe, and (hilariously) claim the long-tenured inspector general is not “well-versed” in core Justice Department functions.

That is the story, well explained by Strassel. It turns out that the entirety of the Russia collusion narrative boils down to static generated to distract from the crimes and misdemeanors of the Obama administration. Better yet, the campaign was mounted to promote the interest of that incompetent fraud named Hillary Clinton. Apparently, they did not believe that Hillary could win an election fairly, so they had to try to rig it for her. Isn't that the story of her life?

6 comments:

UbuMaccabee said...

"According to Strassel is bespeaks a primal terror, a fear that the gig might be up an that many high ranking members of the D. C. swamp, including high ranking officials from the Obama administration, will soon be facing justice. James Comey's intemperate and mindless rant suggests that he is in the crosshairs himself."

That is exactly what is occurring. The entire anthill can now smell the diesel fumes of the oncoming skid-steer loader. To counter this catastrophe, our rotten-to-the-core media is about to engage in the greatest display of cognitive dissonance since Kerensky declared there were "no enemies on the left." These scoundrels will lie, cheat, smear, and squirm like they were demon possessed (they are) to protect their precious anthill.

The Republicans had better get the flamethrower out of storage.

As a nation, we will have to choose: either Guelph or Ghibelline.

Kimberly Strassel is a national treasure. One of the good gals. A real fighter.

trigger warning said...

I agree completely, both with Strassel with and you, Stuart. But your word "pusillanimous" to describe Jeff Sessions was inspired. I and many others, or so I believe, thought Sessions would be a junkyard dog. Just what you want in an AG. I'm laughing at myself.

Sam L. said...

As I've said elsewhere, the media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party.
Unreliable. Lying. Misdirecting. Obfuscating. I do not believe anything they try to tell me.
I hope Mr. Barr has a body guard detail.

sestamibi said...

Meanwhile, didn't former AG Jeff Session already assign Utah US Attorney John Huber to do this … over a year ago?? WTF is up with that and why have we heard nothing about any of his efforts, that is, if he in fact MADE any efforts?

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/apr/1/john-huber-fbi-probe-shrouded-secrecy-18-months-la/

Walt said...

I just read--in an article posted on facebook, so I therefore don't know if it's true-- that Mueller, who is now in negotiations with congress to set a date to testify--is furious at how his longtime friend Barr is being slandered and will, when he testifies, ream out those on congress who are doing it. What perfect karma (if true).

Ignatius Acton Chesterton OCD said...

The reckoning is in its infancy. None too soon. I believe this scandal will be devastating for the many smarty-pants Lefties who deserve it. Brennan. Capper. Rice. Power. And the disgustingly sanctimonious Comey. That guy belongs in a monastery.

Strassel is excellent. That said, I think Glen Greenwald has been more on point with his vicious and incisive attacks on the state of journalism today. It’s a pure, unmitigated disgrace.

As for Barr, I suspect he’s the right guy for the times. Seems thoughtful, intelligent and focused.

As I’ve said here many times before, this is the biggest political scandal in our lifetimes. And that includes Watergate.

From here on out, the unraveling of this scandal and the unveiling of evidence is in the Trump camp’s favor. Low and slow... with an election crescendo. Beautiful cinematography.

More popcorn, please.