{"id":2229,"date":"2020-05-13T23:20:02","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T04:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/?p=2229"},"modified":"2020-05-14T19:40:32","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T00:40:32","slug":"atty-general-william-barr-must-resign-or-be-removed-from-his-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/2020\/05\/13\/atty-general-william-barr-must-resign-or-be-removed-from-his-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Atty. General William Barr Must Resign or Be Removed From His Post"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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US Attorney General William Barr. Photo by Alex Brandon\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

History shows us authoritarians surround themselves with a willing cast of co-conspirators who often work together to undermine the rule of law. At first, the process appears harmless, even banal. Then suddenly, the public\u2019s eyes are opened to what\u2019s really going on \u2013 freedom, justice, both slipping away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The President Donald Trump – Atty. General William Barr tag team is an example of abuse of power that should be great cause for alarm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Following the Justice Department\u2019s (under Barr) announcement that it would drop its case against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, media outlets reported that former President Barack Obama said the \u201crule of law is at risk.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Obama said in a web talk with members of the Obama Alumni Association. \u201cAnd the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. That\u2019s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic \u2014 not just institutional norms \u2014 but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk. And when you start moving in those directions, it can accelerate pretty quickly as we\u2019ve seen in other places.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Justice Department\u2019s justification for dropping the case was that FBI agents did not have justifiable reason to question Flynn about his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Remember Flynn was already charged with lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials. He had already confessed his guilt in a court of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why would the Justice Department drop its case against Flynn? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On numerous occasions Trump has publicly stated that he feels sorry for Flynn and that he wanted to help him. Trump even toyed with pardoning Flynn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The fix was in at the Justice Department. Dropping the case of a man who already confessed of the charges against him is not equal protection under the law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Former FBI Director Andrew McCabe said of the move, \u201cThe Justice Department has nothing to do with the facts or the law \u2013 it is pure politics, designed to please the president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why independence of the Justice Department is important<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latest Flynn controversy is not an anomaly under the Trump-Barr tag team. Remember that the Justice Department is meant to be independent from the President\u2019s office, even though it is under the executive branch. That\u2019s always been the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But Trump has not only muddled this independence, he claims that he has the constitutional authority to intervene in matters of the Justice Department \u2013 which scholars say is completely false. The independence was set up in order for the Justice Department to pursue equal protection under the law. It is tasked to pursue justice wherever crimes or alleged crimes lead it, even to go after the President himself if warranted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Instead, the President has used Barr to protect the President\u2019s friends. The next, most dangerous step is \u2013 will the President be bold enough to use the Justice Department to go after his political enemies? If that\u2019s the future, we\u2019re looking at the next step toward authoritarianism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is perhaps the danger that President Obama is alluding to when he says the \u201crule of law is at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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History of pleasing the president <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atty. Gen. Barr is turning the Justice Department into an arm to cover up Trump, bending federal law enforcement to the President\u2019s will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ways in which the President has influenced the Justice Department:<\/p>\n\n\n\n