U.S. Attorney General William Barr appeared before a group of congressmen who painted two extremely different pictures of what is actually going on the country in the legal sense.
In a caustic circus of accusatory rhetoric, Democrats on the panel asked only “yes” or “no” gotcha questions and interrupted Barr if he dared attempt an explanation…silencing him by continually barking, “I reclaim my time.” Barr was clear, he is trying to reclaim the rule of law in this country.
The attorney general did not take any guff and refuted accusations by House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler that he is helping out the president’s friends and going after his enemies.
Attorney Barr asked, “Which of the president’s enemies have I gone after? I haven’t indicted one enemy of the president.”
On the issue that Barr helped the president’s friends, the attorney general said the Stone and Flynn cases needed intervention to rectify rule of law.
The president’s friends don’t deserve special breaks, but they also should not be treated more harshly. That is not the rule of law.
Attorney Barr says our Federal Courts are under attack and protecting them is the purview of the Federal Government. The US Marshals have a duty to defend and protect these courthouses.
Barr added that “Operation Legend” is meant to address violent crimes in cities, not protests. He added that some of the marshals in Portland, Oregon some have been injured by projectiles that have hit the bone and blinded by lasers as they try to defend the courthouses.
Barr explained, “After a month of rioting in Portland, we sent in about 20 special operations Marshals who are tactical, padded and protected.” He asked, “When it alright to destroy a federal courthouse?”
The democrats on the committee accused Barr of having a difficulty in discerning the difference between systemic institutional racism and isolated racism.
The Attorney General had cited statistics that revealed that police had killed more white suspects than black in the last year, but that the George Floyd killing was “horrible.”
Barr did not agree that there is systemic racism in our police departments or in the society, but he would root it out if it exists. He also did not agree with removing qualified immunity afforded to officers.
Barr said some protests have been hijacked by “violent rioters and anarchists” and argued that federal properties must be protected.
Barr also accused many protesters of demonizing police.