Barr tells Trump to stop tweeting about Stone case; juror calls it 'appalling'

By Sarah N. Lynch and David Morgan

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs for travel to North Carolina from Washington, U.S. February 7, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Thursday pushed back against Donald Trump after the president's attacks on the prosecutors, judge and jury in the trial of a longtime adviser, saying Trump should stop tweeting about Justice Department cases and that he would not be "bullied" by anyone.

 

Barr, the top U.S. law enforcement officer, said in an ABC interview that Trump's tweets "make it impossible for me to do my job."

 

A juror in the trial in which veteran Republican operative Roger Stone was convicted told Reuters that he was appalled by Trump's remarks.

 

"I'm not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it's Congress, a newspaper editorial board or the president," Barr said. "I'm gonna do what I think is right. And you know ... I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me."

 

"I think it's time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases," Barr added.

 

Seth Cousins, who served as a juror in the Stone trial, told Reuters he was concerned by developments that prompted all four prosecutors to quit the case.

 

"It feels like something outrageous is going on," Cousins said in an interview.

 

Stone was found guilty in November on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering.

 

Cousins spoke after Trump posted a Fox News story on Twitter that accused some of the jurors in Stone's case of political bias.

"This is not looking good for the 'Justice' Department," Trump wrote.

 

Cousins said he was upset by Trump's remarks.

 

"I think it is appalling for the president of the United States to be attacking American citizens for patriotically fulfilling their duties," he said.

 

Trump on Tuesday criticized U.S. prosecutors who recommended a prison sentence of seven to nine years for Stone in connection with his conviction in a case stemming from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation detailing Russian interference in the 2016 election to benefit Trump's candidacy.

 

The Republican president called their sentencing recommendation for Stone, whose friendship with Trump dates back decades, "horrible" and a "miscarriage of justice."

 

Hours later, the Justice Department abandoned the recommendation, prompting all four prosecutors to quit the case. One left the department altogether.

 

In addition, former U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu, who oversaw the Stone case, resigned from the Treasury Department this week after the White House dropped her nomination for a post overseeing economic sanctions, a source confirmed to Reuters on Thursday.

 

Trump on Wednesday thanked Barr, who he appointed last year, for "taking charge" of the case. He also tweeted criticism of U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is scheduled to sentence Stone on Feb. 20.

 

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Trump's comments on the Stone case amounted to interference in the workings of the U.S. government's judicial branch.

 

"This is an abuse of power - that the president is again trying to manipulate federal law enforcement to serve his political interest," Pelosi, a Democrat, told a news conference. "This is not what America is about. It is so wrong."

 

Trump has said he has not had direct talks with the Justice Department on the matter. The Justice Department has also said it did not confer with the White House, with one senior official on Tuesday calling the timing of Trump's tweet "an inconvenient coincidence."

 

BETRAYAL

Early on in the jury selection process, Jackson overruled Stone's lawyers when they tried to strike prospective jurors who worked for the government or who had opinions about Trump.

 

In his interview, Cousins said politics was never discussed as the jury deliberated.

 

"As a whole group, and in every single conversation that I was involved in or overheard, we never discussed politics as a jury. I have no idea what anyone's political affiliation is," he said.

 

Since the trial, the jurors have kept in touch and have followed recent developments, he said, adding that all of his fellow jurors "echo the sense of being appalled. Maybe a little bit betrayed."

 

Grant Smith, one of Stone's defence lawyers, told Reuters that the defence team is examining social media posts, including one by the jury forewoman. Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani also called for an investigation into the forewoman, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

All 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday called for an investigation, but the panel's Republican chairman, Lindsey Graham, has dismissed that idea.

 

He wrote on Twitter that he hoped the court would take the jury allegations seriously if the report was accurate, calling it "not fair."

 

Other Republicans have largely shrugged off the furore.

 

"I'll leave it up to a judge to decide whether a juror is biased or not," Senator Chuck Grassley told Reuters.

 

Justice Department representatives did not respond to a request for comment. Barr is due to testify before a House panel next month.

 

Stone was one of several close Trump associates charged in Mueller's probe, which Trump called a "witch hunt."

 

Stone's supporters are pushing for a presidential pardon, which Trump has declined to comment on.

 

Trump was acquitted in the Republican-led Senate last week on impeachment charges brought by the Democratic-led House accusing him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

 

(Reporting by David Morgan, Sarah N. Lynch, Susan Heavey, Mark Hosenball and Tim Ahmann; Writing by Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-14

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Barr has seen the writing on the wall.

 

I think I’ve spotted the basis of his cunning defense strategy:

 

’I was only following tweets’. 

Has Barr had an epiphany? Or is the reality it's a tactical response as he is concerned about his reputation damage by the New York Bar's criticism of his disregard for the Rule of Law as a trump sycophant.

 

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/nyc-bar-association-condemns-barr-for-acting-in-concert-with-trump-to-protect-roger-ston

 

 

 

 

He don't need to twit about it said Barr , our private conversations are enough

Oh I donno but I think old billey Barr may just get disbarred lol i find it especially laughable he says trumps tweeting make it impossible to do his job lol and what job is that?cleaning up and protecting your master?resign you tody

The President of the United States should stop tweeting all together. 

Barr will shortly be on the stand and under oath.

 

An opportunity for him to explain in what respects are Trump’ Tweets making it impossible for him to do his job?

 

The direct and swift correlation between Trump’s Tweet and Barr’ action suggest there is not the slightest difficulty for Barr doing the job Trump wants him to do.  

 

 

Edited February 13, 20206 yr by Chomper Higgot

It's like asking a friend going through a difficulty divorce...not to talk about it...ain't going to happen...

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump has said he has not had direct talks with the Justice Department on the matter. The Justice Department has also said it did not confer with the White House, with one senior official on Tuesday calling the timing of Trump's tweet "an inconvenient coincidence."

Yeah, right...

LOL. And the new AG will be....................?

I don't buy it.  It's a reality show ploy to keep things exciting (DT said the problem with the Dem debates is they are boring, this is his idea of excitement). 

What did Ashley really say to Horsley about Chutney's new boyfriend?  Tune in tomorrow...

 

 

Edited February 13, 20206 yr by bendejo

hmmm,

 

with the following utterance;

 

"I'm not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it's Congress, a newspaper editorial board or the president," Barr said. "I'm gonna do what I think is right. And you know ... I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me."

 

I think Barr should resign

17 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

hmmm,

 

with the following utterance;

 

"I'm not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it's Congress, a newspaper editorial board or the president," Barr said. "I'm gonna do what I think is right. And you know ... I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me."

 

I think Barr should resign

I think he cut and paste that comment from the responses he received from one of the four of his own subordinates who did resign when he himself interfered in the case they were prosecuting.

 

 

Edited February 14, 20206 yr by Chomper Higgot

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"I'll leave it up to a judge to decide whether a juror is biased or not," Senator Chuck Grassley told Reuters.

...he said, fully aware that the odds were in his favor that the judge would be a member of The Party.

 

 

Quite an about face for Barr. He is bought and paid for. For a man without one nanogram of integrity in his entire body to be complaining of Trump's tweets all of a sudden, reeks of suspicion. Is he now afraid of a Barr disbarment? He should be. He has turned the Justice department into a personal crusade for his buddy. This man has stooped to the lowest level possible and does not deserve one iota of respect or honor. 

 

Even the very name of his department reeks of irony. 

 

Trump and Barr have lowered the level of trust in the system, beyond the depths it stood at prior to their arrival.

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Oh I donno but I think old billey Barr may just get disbarred

Possibly the most nonsensical thing I have seen posted yet.

 

1 hour ago, gk10002000 said:

The President of the United States should stop tweeting all together. 

Yes and no. The Yes being about Criminal Justice matters.

 

Im sure we are all aware of the current furor regarding jurors in the case? The conviction will probably be reversed on appeal anyway, so why all the furore?

1 minute ago, Nyezhov said:

Possibly the most nonsensical thing I have seen posted yet.

 

Yes and no. The Yes being about Criminal Justice matters.

 

Im sure we are all aware of the current furor regarding jurors in the case? The conviction will probably be reversed on appeal anyway, so why all the furore?

Is this another ‘Manafort’ moment?!

 

 

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

Has Barr had an epiphany? Or is the reality it's a tactical response as he is concerned about his reputation damage by the New York Bar's criticism of his disregard for the Rule of Law as a trump sycophant.

 

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/nyc-bar-association-condemns-barr-for-acting-in-concert-with-trump-to-protect-roger-ston

I think it takes longer than overnight to grow a pair. 

It's just Barr's way of saying, "Unlike Eric Holder, I am not the President's wingman."

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

The President of the United States should stop tweeting all together. 

He should stop being president altogether. 

 

Then he can tweet all he likes. 

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

LOL. And the new AG will be....................?

Kelly Anne Conway! 

 

But the position requires senate confirmation so she would have to be acting. 

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

He should stop being president altogether. 

 

Then he can tweet all he likes. 

He can tweet all he likes while still being president.

12 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

It's just Barr's way of saying, "Unlike Eric Holder, I am not the President's wingman."

You are correct he is trumps tody a wingman has honor mr Barr is supposed to be the people’s attorney not trumps as he has shown time and time again he is donalds lap dog not the ag 

3 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

He can tweet all he likes while still being president.

Don't rub it in. 

24 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

It's just Barr's way of saying, "Unlike Eric Holder, I am not the President's wingman."

Post of the Year. Says all thats needed to be said about the hypocrisy of the media.

46 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

It's just Barr's way of saying, "Unlike Eric Holder, I am not the President's wingman."

He can say what he wants, but it does not change the truth. Barr is a Trump lackey.

 

42 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

It's just Barr's way of saying, "Unlike Eric Holder, I am not the President's wingman."

But just like Holder remained Obama's wingman despite denying it, the same will apply to Barr. Just going through the same old motions of faux discomfort and covering ass as his predecessor Sessions the Recuser.

20 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Post of the Year. Says all thats needed to be said about the hypocrisy of the media.

That’s weird oh well I don’t think Barr will go anywhere donald needs his tody but I’ll bet it’s gonna get frosty between the to for a few days donald can’t stand criticism lol he gonna get all winey and have a tantrum 

3 minutes ago, Tug said:

That’s weird oh well I don’t think Barr will go anywhere donald needs his tody but I’ll bet it’s gonna get frosty between the to for a few days donald can’t stand criticism lol he gonna get all winey and have a tantrum 

Its spelled "toady".  No politician can stand critisism. Some spin it off. Trump has tantrums. Id rather a President pitch a hissy fit, then cooly and collectedly turn loose the power of government on his real or perceived enemies. We have see that before, yes?

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Barr will shortly be on the stand and under oath.

 

An opportunity for him to explain in what respects are Trump’ Tweets making it impossible for him to do his job?

 

The direct and swift correlation between Trump’s Tweet and Barr’ action suggest there is not the slightest difficulty for Barr doing the job Trump wants him to do.  

 

 

What Barr is really saying: "Mr. President, I'm happy to do your dirty work, violate public trust, violate the constitution, lie to Congress, throw all of my DOJ personnel under the bus, and essentially be your lapdog.  Just don't tell everybody about it!"