CORRUPTION CORRUPTION CORRUPTION
‘Black Day in DOJ History’: Legal Experts Blast ‘Corrupt’ Barr’s ‘Dangerous’ ‘Shadow Pardon’ for Flynn
Legal experts from across the spectrum are responding to the stunning news that Attorney General Bill Barr has dropped all charges against former Trump National Security Advisor Mike Flynn.
Flynn had long ago pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia and what he told Vice President Mike Pence. He also acted as a paid, unregistered foreign agent for Turkey while serving on the Trump campaign and on the Trump transition team. Flynn infamously was texting his business partners while standing on the dais as just-sworn in President Donald Trump was delivering his inaugural address, allegedly texting a business partner “to say that a joint plan between Russia and Flynn’s business allies to build nuclear power plants in the Middle East was ‘good to go.'”
But now Barr has sent shock waves through the legal community, some say abusing his power while delivering what amounts to a pardon for Trump’s favorite former official.
Ken White, who runs the well-respected (although currently on hiatus) legal blog Popehat, conveys the gravity and enormity of what Barr just did:
Showing that you can corrupt the United States Department if Justice to your ends is a far more formidable flex than just exercising the constitutional pardon power.
— LightOfDayHat (@Popehat) May 7, 2020
Attorney and former FBI Special Agent Asha Rangappa explains why Barr did what he did:
Remember that Bill Barr was instrumental to getting people pardoned in the Iran-Contra scandal. He knows that a Trump pardon for Flynn would have political repercussions — so he’s providing “legal” cover by (ab)using his power in DOJ to obtain the same result. Disgusting. https://t.co/K2Ligzlobh
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 7, 2020
Sam Vinograd, former National Security Council member, former Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor sums it up:
This is so much more dangerous than a Presidential pardon.
— Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) May 7, 2020
Former DOJ Inspector General, former Assistant U.S. Attorney at SDNY:
I have been in and around DOJ since 1983. I have never seen a case dropped after someone has pled guilty and the underlying facts demonstrate beyond any shadow of a doubt he is guilty. This is simply a pardon by another name. A black day in DOJ history.https://t.co/UkfdNbY7Ld
— Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) May 7, 2020
David Corn, MSNBC analyst and D.C. bureau chief of Mother Jones rightly says Barr just issued a “shadow pardon.”
Great to see people in charge of oversight saying it’s okay for confessed liars to get shadow pardons from a politically motivated attorney general. Way to go guys! Trying to win the Orwell Award? https://t.co/MwpmGt5Yfd
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 7, 2020
Constitutional law expert and professor Laurence Tribe:
Totally unjustified and purely partisan. Just goes to show that a president with a sufficiently corrupt and compliant Attorney General needn’t even bother to abuse his pardon power to bail out his loyal henchmen. https://t.co/W7EMrFj4J4
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 7, 2020
LA Times Legal Affairs Columnist, Former US Attorney:
just infuriating. he pleaded guilty. he said he was guilty. the crime was serious. it endangered national security. there were other possible charges. completely revolting. https://t.co/Ojnc7VppJj
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) May 7, 2020
Former Director, White House Office of Government Ethics:
Totally unjustified and purely partisan. Just goes to show that a president with a sufficiently corrupt and compliant Attorney General needn’t even bother to abuse his pardon power to bail out his loyal henchmen. https://t.co/W7EMrFj4J4
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 7, 2020
Former federal prosecutor:
No, it’s worse than that.
The DOJ doesn’t care if you lie to the FBI … as long as you’re Donald Trump‘s friend.
Everyone else is still subject to the same law that has been on the books for decades. https://t.co/D6uUls8xrd
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 7, 2020
Former National Security Council and former CIA official:
On the same day DoJ moves to drop the Flynn case, Trump speaks to Putin and publicly calls Russia “very important” and “very powerful.”
As if there’s any wonder why Moscow wanted Trump in 2016 and wants him now; he’s corroding American democracy and promoting Russia. pic.twitter.com/vPeXdxUuRF
— Ned Price (@nedprice) May 7, 2020
Former Senior Director, National Security Council:
He took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and then a few days later he lied to the FBI and the VP.
— Jon “Please Stay Inside” Wolfsthal (@JBWolfsthal) May 7, 2020
Finally, Andrew McCabe issued a strong statement:
Fmr FBI Deputy Director Andrew G. McCabe on today’s news regarding Mike Flynn: “Today’s move by the Justice Department has nothing to do with the facts or the law — it is pure politics designed to please the president.” pic.twitter.com/BEydpLegyz
— Melissa Schwartz (@MSchwartz3) May 7, 2020
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