CONGRESS MUST IMPEACH THIS RECKLESS ATTORNEY GENERAL NOW

CONGRESS MUST IMPEACH & REMOVE A  RECKLESS ATTORNEY GENERAL

America is now on a path to a totalitarian[1] government and tyranny[2].  

It is increasingly clear that Timothy Snyder’s dire warning there is now a threat to individual freedom as he argues in “On Tyranny and “The Road to Unfreedom.” The first is a guide where he identifies twenty signs of repression within government. Any combination of adverse government actions will move our country from one of democratic rule to authoritarianism. Many of the examples Snyder cites are those that the Nazi regime used in terrorizing all of Europe in World War II.

First, on Monday December 8, the Office of the Inspector General John Horowitz delivered to the Attorney General his 400 page report and conclusion upon investigating the FBI role in the Russian Interference during the 2016 election. AG Barr took exception the report failed to find his opinion that the FBI opening of their investigation was based on “the thinnest of evidence.” Barr’s opinion is that the entire investigation and the subsequent appointment of the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller would have never taken place. Barr went public with his assessment which is in violation of DOJ practice. Immediately following, Bill Durham the US Attorney appointed by Barr to investigate the investigators (FBI) also came forward issue a public statement in opposition of the findings of IG Horowitz report.

AG Barr launched his own investigation of any illegal activity by the FBI back in 2016 at the behest of the President. US Attorney John Durham was appointed to assist. This is the investigation that prompted Barr and Rudy Guiliani to scour the globe to find any evidence to debunk the FBI and offer an alternative opposition to the conclusions of the Mueller report.

Second: What is telling neither Barr nor Durham failed to provide any evidence to disprove the IG report. Barr was again attempting to get in front of facts and spin a narrative just as he did with the Mueller report. Barr has been adamant that the FBI misused FISA warrants in opening the inquiry into Carter Page who initiated all of this with his tip from an Australian diplomat. He also put forth that FBI informants were misused. This became the focus at the start of Horowitz testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. There is an increasingly believable theory that Carter Page was acting as a sort of double agent for the FBI.

Malcolm Nance, a retired intelligence officer tweeted as far back as 2018.

“Something leads me to believe Carter Page is a double-agent.”

---

[1] Totalitarianism  (Noun)

1.        The practices and principles of a totalitarian regime.

2.        Absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized institution.

3.        the character or quality of an autocratic or authoritarian individual, group, or government:

[2] Tyranny

1.        Arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.

2.        The government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler.

Malcolm Nance’s intuition may be the basis of why the FBI was cited in the IG report for their persistent renewal of FISA warrants to extend Carter Page as their informant.

On December 11, Malcolm summarized the attack on the IG report by the White House in a tweet.

“This is the level of propaganda you are up against. Every word of FBI IG report has been misread by Fox/Trump to mean the exact opposite. Not one word was actually read. This Communist-like state propaganda is destroying America.”

This represents yet another warning sign of tyranny as identified by Timothy Snider’s “On Tyranny”

Third, in a recent speech, AG Barr expressed an opinion that certain local communities who fail to show respect for law enforcement may face the penalty of a loss of their personal safety. In other words local police will have an option to ignore or give low priority to enforce the law. And we all know the communities within our cities to which he speaks. This is an affront to every American. Members of the Justice Department, prosecutors and attorneys across the country could only react with shock at this stunning statement as a violation of the Rule of Law. It is the law that is at the heart of our Constitution.

These are only three of AG Barr’s actions to protect the President and to further the “unitary executive theory” he presented in his nineteen page essay sent as an audition for his current position. This is the theory that the President as the top Executive officer is immune to indictment, has sweeping power independent of Congressional oversight and that he can do no wrong.

Yesterday Sen. Kamala Harris, a Judiciary Committee member exchanged words with Horowitz regarding the Inspector General lacked power to investigate “improper conduct” by the Attorney General.

Kamala Harris asked, “You have the power and the duty to investigate misconduct committed by the attorney general of the United States, who is doing the bidding of the president to undermine our intelligence community. And I trust you take that duty seriously.”

Horowitz responded, “I do, and I would just like to add that under the law, under the inspector general act, it carves out from my authority the ability to look at misconduct by department lawyers from the line lawyer all the way to the top and the attorney general.”

Kamala Harris: “It’s worth noting that happened after the attorney general said our office was not going to get the case. It was going to go to the Office of Professional Responsibility. The choice was whether to join that investigation or not. But that wasn’t initiated through us.”

“That’s the important point. The law has to change, senator,” Horowitz said, indicating to Harris he would support a law change.

This exchange exemplifies the lack of oversight over the Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice and the FBI which falls under Barr’s purview. In the past the position of Attorney General has followed their oath of office and their protection of the Constitution. AG Barr has acted as a personal attorney to the President. And perhaps to his self-serving believe in the Unitary Executive Theory.

Barr has undermined the members of his own Department of Justice and that of the FBI. It is time for Congress and the next President to re-arrange the cabinet to separate the FBI and merge with the CIA and other intelligence agencies with one chief executive. With all intelligence and law enforcement under the same umbrella it would enhance communication and efficiency.

As we have learned from Kamala Harris and John Horowitz exchange, his powers to investigate the Attorney General is imperative to act as a check and balance to this critical cabinet position. William Barr’s renegade behavior and the policies he promotes must be put in check.

We cannot survive as a Republic with a corrupt President and a willing accomplice as Attorney General who fails to uphold the Rule of Law.