In defense of William Barr
By Jonathan Turley, opinion contributor — 02/18/20 11:00 AM EST
In Franz Kafka's work, “In the Penal Settlement,†an officer stood next to a lethal punishing machine and, when asked about his qualifications, explained simple: “My guiding principle is this: Guilt is never to be doubted.â€
It seems many in Washington can claim the same Kafkaesque qualification this week when it comes to Attorney General William Barr. Soon after a sentencing recommendation was withdrawn and replaced in the case of Trump associate Roger Stone, presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren said that “if that guy won't resign, then the House should start impeachment proceedings against him.†Not to be outdone, Representative Maxine Waters declared: “Bill Barr should not only be disbarred, but he, Donald Trump, and Roger Stone should be sharing a jail cell.â€
What is most astonishing about these calls for impeachment, incarceration, and disbarment — we have not reached the disembowelment stage yet — is that they entirely ignore countervailing information or any explanation other than raw political manipulation of the Justice Department. More importantly, they ignore even the slightest possibility that the Justice Department may have done the right thing for the right reason.
more
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/483440-in-defense-of-william-barr
