Trump wanted Barr to hold news conference saying the president broke no laws in call with Ukrainian leader
Category: News & Politics
Via: sister-mary-agnes-ample-bottom • 5 years ago • 42 commentsBy: Matt Zapotosky, Josh Dawsey, Carol Leonnig
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Trump wanted Attorney General William P. Barr to hold a news conference declaring that the commander in chief had broken no laws during a phone call in which he pressed his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate a political rival, though Barr ultimately declined to do so, people familiar with the matter said.
The request from Trump traveled from the president to other White House officials and eventually to the Justice Department. The president has mentioned Barr’s demurral to associates in recent weeks, saying he wished Barr would have held the news conference, Trump advisers say.
In recent weeks, the Justice Department has sought some distance from the White House, particularly on matters relating to the burgeoning controversy over Trump’s dealings on Ukraine and the impeachment inquiry they sparked.
People close to the administration say Barr and Trump remain on good terms. A senior administration official said Trump praised the attorney general publicly and privately Wednesday, and deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement: “The President has nothing but respect for AG Barr and greatly appreciates the work he’s done on behalf of the country — and no amount of shady sources with clear intent to divide, smear, and slander will change that.”
But those close to the administration also concede that the department has made several recent maneuvers putting it at odds with the White House at a particularly precarious time for the president. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the politically fraught situation.
The request for the news conference came sometime around Sept. 25, when the administration released a rough transcript of the president’s July phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The document showed that Trump urged Zelensky to investigate former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter — while dangling a possible White House visit for the foreign leader.
By then, a whistleblower complaint about the call had moved congressional Democrats to launch the impeachment inquiry, and the administration was on the defensive. As the rough transcript was released, a Justice Department spokeswoman said officials had evaluated it and the whistleblower complaint to see whether campaign finance laws had been broken, determined that none had been and decided “no further action was warranted.”
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The President has nothing but respect for AG Barr and greatly appreciates the work he’s done on behalf of the country...
I predict Barr's dismissal, via Twitter of course, by Valentine's Day.
Barr works for Trump, not America. Trump works for Trump, not America.
The bus is warming up. Barr's new nick name will become road bump.
people familiar with the matter said.
More of those reported and unnamed sources?
No verification or corroboration??
They are the same sources trump said have remarkable proof that Obama wasn't born in the USA... There, now you can accept with glee, every word they say.
I saw that, Greg. It's a familiar line that is almost always included in the fake news reports. Trump said he never ask Barr to do what the article says. If anyone can prove differently, then provide proof. Trump plays with them, but Barr isn't going to address every stupid accusation the Left comes up with from people familiar with the matter.
I'll accept truth or proof from anyone. Otherwise it's a bunch of bull schiff.
Trump's inherent need to have others step up and protect him may eventually wear to thin.
For Barr, of all people, to decline Trump's request makes me wonder if Barr is looking down the road and is contemplating 'that road' may be a difficult one or a road not to be traveled.
Another fine Trumpian quality.
Humpty Trumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Trumpty had a great fall
All the king's and all the king's men
Said "Screw him!" Let's go for pizza
All the king's horses and all the king's men*
Crooked donnie the most corrupt president the U.S. has ever had...sad people don't see him for what he really is.
For some, a cult is a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, the word sense has more than one meaning.
Agreed. In addition, the lowest common denominator seems to involve a GED certificate. Trump loves the uneducated for a reason.
Barr still has some use to Trump. He's in charge of investigating Trump's enemies, which is an expanding list. He better not say no again though.
That's true. I feel a little sorry for him, though. Nothing like being dog-walked by the President of the United States.
He better not say no again though.
Even if he didn't say no again, Trump will never forget this one.
I don't feel sorry for him one bit. Anything he gets, he deserves.
Trump is an apology No one... Deserves !
You're right. He knew the real deal going in.
Loretta Lynch
Sally Yates
Dana Boente
Jeff Sessions
Matthew Whitaker
And besides, when your first order is to make a public statement suggesting that there is truth behind the spying/witch hunt/fake news/unjust presidential persecution/true penis size rumors, your mission is clear: Defend Cadet Bonespurs at all costs.
I can't see how Trump could be happy they found no evidence of Strzok setting up Flynn. But DOJ isn't Barr alone. That finding sure bites that big conspiracy theory down the drain.
Barr left himself no choice but to be backed up against the proverbial wall when he hitched his wagon to the orange bafoon. Like everyone who doesn't take a mob boss command from Donald because it's illegal gets thrown out like yesterday's hamberder. Covfefe that! Ahh the millions in book deals when this is over with.
Yesterday's hamberder. Priceless!!!
Roger that good buddy.
DUH
I thought that it resembled your hometown hero, Alex Jones professional liar and nut case.
wishin somebody still does
shoot his eye out,
as i do not like that POS picked by the other
POS
And the award for the most subtle bird-flip ever, goes to...
Trickle down politics.
too bad both didn't trickle down daddys leg
Lol. Spot on memes! It really is just a sad state of affairs. I can't wait for this American nightmare chapter to end!
But, but, but he's a traitor to his heritage. /s
Used to be a poster on another site that hated, so she said, Ben Carson, Tim Scott, Condi Rice, Candace Owens and others because they "betrayed" THEIR people by daring to be Conservative. It was truly sad to read.
Here is one sample..............
"I loathe Ben Carson. More than I loathe Trump. And that's saying something. I don't care if he is a famous neurosurgeon. He's a GD idiot. And I don't hate anyone more than I hate a black person that forgets where they come from"
It all comes from not towing the line with some people.
I've read his bio. It's bullshit just like most of what he has to say. He claims to be 6% Comanche and the Comanche knows nothing about him...
You might want to read what he has to say about Indians before you get on his bandwagon. The rant on NA's and the stereotypes he uses.
ICTM tried to contact him to back up what he had to say...As usual, he disappeared.
Try to do better next time, BF.
Read it the first three times you posted it today. Still bullshit. Resisters are con men that soak you into the fold to "line their own pockets". They play on your emotions and you lap it up because..............well.........Trump
Trump is a haza (a pig that doesn't fly straight).
No one knows who he is but he sure does resemble pajama boy.
So then Barr isn't the slavishly obedient puppet the Left has been claiming he is. Good news, then? Anyone want to say they were wrong about him? Happy to be wrong? Anyone?
Only reaSn he's silent on this one, is because he was in,
on this one, and knows he should recuse & recluse
No, he's still the obedient puppet, he's just not so stupid as to believe that the protection from consequence for going out on 5th Ave and shooting someone doesn't extend to himself, he knows only Trump has that apparent super power. All he did here was refuse to openly and brazenly break the law even if the President he works for does it all the time.
The GOP is running out of excuses to explain this away, they are down to saying trump is too stupid to pull off a quid pro quo. I wish I was making that up...