After two years of Trump screaming that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the prosecutor responsible for the investigation into the alleged collusion between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia and Trump’s obstruction of justice around that investigation, was working for the “Deep State” the Democrats to take down his presidency, he was all too happy to praise the results of the investigation as summarized by his attorney general.
No Collusion – No Obstruction!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2019
He even laughed at Democrats for not trusting Mueller after they had supported the investigation, although no one questioned Mueller’s findings, simply Barr’s assessment of them. Now that the redacted report is scheduled to be released to the public, Trump is once again doing the hypocritical attacks on the same people he insists exonerated him (they didn’t).
The Mueller Report, which was written by 18 Angry Democrats who also happen to be Trump Haters (and Clinton Supporters), should have focused on the people who SPIED on my 2016 Campaign, and others who fabricated the whole Russia Hoax. That is, never forget, the crime…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
….Since there was no Collusion, why was there an Investigation in the first place! Answer – Dirty Cops, Dems and Crooked Hillary!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
When Buzzfeed took a Freedom of Information Act to federal court to request an injunction to ensure that the release of the report would not be pushed back any farther than Thursday and that the parts that are legally required to be released under the FOIA would not be redacted, Federal Judge Reggie Walton blasted Barr’s delays, saying that he’s plunged the country into doubt and created an impression of secrecy.
POLITICO reports that Walton said:
‘The attorney general has created an environment that has caused a significant part of the public … to be concerned about whether or not there is full transparency.’
““The attorney general has created an environment that has caused a significant part of the public … to be concerned about whether or not there is full transparency,” U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton said during a hearing Tuesday afternoon.” https://t.co/Mx37rVxWnG
— Amy Siskind ?️? (@Amy_Siskind) April 16, 2019
Barr has previously stated that redactions would be used to protect national security, which is obviously important and expected, and to protect the reputations of those who had not been charged, which is too broad a scope. Many worry that “protecting reputations” may mean covering up crimes committed by the president. After all, Trump wasn’t charged with a crime, but only because Barr refused to do so.
‘A Justice Department spokeswoman said Monday that the nearly 400-page report, with redactions, will be released that morning to Congress and the public. However, the online media outlet pressed for an order requiring the release of the portions that must be disclosed under FOIA.’
Soon, the right will be claiming Senior DC Judge Reggie Walton is part of the deep state conspiracy out to get tRump. The reality is it would be hard to script a better judge to decide Buzzfeed’s FOIA case seeking Mueller Report: https://t.co/mjtphIH2Ef
— Jon Joseph (@jonjosephlive) April 16, 2019
While Walton clearly agreed that Barr’s delays and redactions have been harmful to any perception of transparency in the highest office of our government and at the highest levels of the law, he denied Buzzfeed’s request.
‘Despite Walton’s criticism, he denied a request from BuzzFeed to issue a preliminary injunction requiring the Justice Department to release Mueller’s report by Thursday.’
If A.G. Barr doesn’t comply with Congress's subpoena for the full Mueller report, Congress could vote to hold him in contempt of Congress, and Democrats ostensibly have enough votes in the House to do this, if most in the party agree. https://t.co/OXzFI9nLkJ
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 16, 2019
Featured image screenshot via YouTube