Justice Department threatens executive privilege over entire Mueller report

[H_Arendt]

@SpacemanSpiff

Remember back in the good old days when conservatives on these very forums wouldn’t hesitate to tell us there is no such thing as executive privilege because it’s nowhere in the Constitution?

Or opposed to this unprecedented expansion of Executive Privilege at the expense of Congress.

[H_Arendt]

By your logic, Barr should ask to have any contempt citation thrown out in court. There is no precedent for this becoming a matter of Executive Privilege. And like the Wall emergency it will set a precedent that R’s will rue when there next is a D president.

[Tim]

@DougBH

@Vigilante

Done

And did you read the reasons in that letter as to why this is happening? When, after three years in court, the judge ruled against Holder and executive privilege the judge then said Congress and the DOJ should work together so they could cooperate. In the current case, Congress is finding out that their “my way or the highway” tactic isn’t going to work like they expected.
They can try to work with the executive or they can sit there and eat Kentucky Chicken and look the fools they are.

And…they are even subpoenaing the AG to provide grand jury documents that Congress itself has made it illegal for him to do.

Assistant attorney general Boyd sent a letter to Nadler yesterday explaining this in great detail. Chairman Nadler moved ahead today anyway.

[DougBH]

@H_Arendt

By your logic, Barr should ask to have any contempt citation thrown out in court. There is no precedent for this becoming a matter of Executive Privilege. And like the Wall emergency it will set a precedent that R’s will rue when there next is a D president.

As I am sure you realize by now, Holder already set such a precedent. It took the courts three years to resolve.

[DougBH]

Fine. House Dems have decided they had rather have court battles than hearings.

[conan]

Two words, Eric Holder.

[JayJay]

No he shouldn’t have been.

Incompetence, unfortunately, is not a high crime or misdemeanor.

[Plasmaball]

Yeah I’m sure Pelosi is gonna get right on that one

[Plasmaball]

This is hilarious…

[TheDoctorIsIn]

@H_Arendt

By your logic, Barr should ask to have any contempt citation thrown out in court.

Can’t happen. Contempt of Congress is not justiciable. It’s a separation of powers issue.

@H_Arendt

There is no precedent for this becoming a matter of Executive Privilege.

There is, actually. This is far from the first time Congress and the Executive have fought this battle.

[WuWei]

@JayJay

He absolutely did.

No he didn’t. Holder took what little bit of heat there was and there were no repercussions. He found out in the papers, like everybody else.

[Plasmaball]

But he waived it …

[TheDoctorIsIn]

Whether or not the claim of privledge is valid is a question for the courts - as is whether he can waive priviledge, then re-assert it.

I would guess that the court will reject the claims of priviledge, but that will take years.

[bluedogdem]

You can’t unwave executive priveledge

[TheDoctorIsIn]

Well, no one has tried before.

So we don’t really know what will happen.

It certainly will make arguing it in court interesting.

[DOLOOP]

@Bodecea

@DougBH

@conan

You do understand they meaning libs in congress is demanding Barr to break the law…law that libs played a big part in implementing themselves…a law that I basically agreed with libs on.

That was back when libs claimed they care about privacy.

Shouldn’t those members of Congress who have asked Barr to break the law be impeached, as long as everybody is impeaching everybody?

Those who actually have read the Constitution know that members of Congress cannot be impeached.

The Constitution is a contrivance of convenience for many Trump supporters.

[bluedogdem]

It’s just like trying to take your ball and go home during a pick up game. After you let them use it for 3 quarters of the game

[TheDoctorIsIn]

Well, that’s the thing about Contempt of Congress. They can vote to hold someone in contempt - and they can refer that person to the U.S. Attorney for punishment.

But the U.S. Attorney is part of the Executive, and has prosecutorial discretion - and can choose not to pursue any punishment.

This is what happened with Holder, and what will happen with Barr.

[Plasmaball]

It’s all he has…delay with court battles…

[Kelby]

@hindsight

If the report exonerates Donald Trump, what is he attempting to hide?

'Tis truly a mystery.