Anonymous ID: 2d280f Aug. 10, 2020, 9:49 a.m. No.10242715   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>2805 >>2953

Barr: Media helped create 'doomsday scenario' for abuse of government power

 

Attorney General William Barr harshly criticized the media's role in the "Russiagate" controversy. During an interview with conservative commentator Mark Levin, who broached allegations of Russian collusion and the conduct of former FBI Director James Comey, Barr blamed the Fourth Estate for enabling what he deemed the "doomsday scenario" unleashed on President Trump and his associates.

 

"It is the doomsday scenario of abuse of government power, which is the party in power uses the police and intelligence services to tilt the field against their political opponents. And that’s terrible from a governmental and civil rights standpoint," Barr said in an interview that aired Sunday evening on Fox News's Life, Liberty, & Levin. "The media was part of this, and that’s, to me, probably the worst aspect of this. The so-called watchdogs of the system — they became attack dogs. They weren’t watchdogs. They had no critical — they didn’t use any critical faculties," Barr continued. "In fact, some things that were clearly preposterous, they took hook, line, and sinker, and they fanned the flames of this worse than anybody else," Barr said. "They all got out on the limb. The limb has been sawed off, but you wouldn’t know it, because there’s, you know, they don’t even say, 'Whoops, we got that one wrong.' They’re onto the next conspiracy theory." Barr faces a growing political firestorm over U.S. Attorney John Durham's criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation. With less than 90 days until Election Day, Democrats and their allies have raised concerns about an "October Surprise." Barr, who has said he expects "developments" from Durham's team by the end of the summer, argued to Levin that his goal is to restore the criminal justice system to one not wielded as a "political tool."

 

Some of Trump's most ardent supporters have called for indictments for what they see as an effort to sabotage Trump's campaign and his administration. Asked to address a growing sense of impatience, Barr said that the process "takes some time," noting the "sprawling" nature of the investigation and the roadblocks posed by witnesses and lawyers. He also discussed how there is a process in gathering evidence and dealing with a grand jury. "What I want to do is make it clear that we will indict people only when we are satisfied that the standards of the department have been met, which means that we believe a crime has been committed by this person and we have proof beyond a reasonable doubt to prove it," Barr said. "And we have to go to a grand jury, and the grand jury has to agree to get the indictment," Barr continued. "And proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a high standard. And I think all political sides have gotten into the habit in this country of just sort of saying that their political opponents have done something terrible. They think it’s terrible. It’s enough for me to conclude he’s terrible, why isn’t he in prison?"

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ag-barr-media-helped-create-a-doomsday-scenario-for-abuse-of-government-power