Can someone help me out? Today I’ve read several complaints, pertaining to AG Barr’s investigations, of violations of the Justice Department’s independence. Where did the notion that the Justice Department was an independent branch of government come from? It’s not true. It’s a department of the executive branch. I don’t recall hearing such complaints about the DoJ during the Kennedy, Johnson, or Carter Administrations.
The independence arguments are the expected propagandist drivel. Those who make them know it, and they should be ignored.
Gird your loins, with Durham elevating the investigation to criminal status the independence complaint is going to very rapidly (like probably today) escalate into claims of malfeasance. Barr and Durham will soon become scoundrels who need to be corralled, unlike St Mueller who was pursuing truth and justice and was not to be deterred even by expression of opinion.
They’re already being portrayed that way.
I guess Eric Holder calling himself Obama’s Wingman was somehow a sign of the DOJ’s independence? It simply amazes me how differently administrations are viewed, especially the perimeters of what may or may not constitute abuses of power, depending on which party holds the power.
For the entirety of my adult memory AGs have been the axemen for the administrations they serve. People have a way of forgetting that.
One theory: Perhaps people live in a state where the AG is an independently elected official, and it may not be unique to see a dispute btw/ the AG and the governor erupt into open conflict and litigation, in part because the AG may be an aspirant to the chief executive’s office (like Bobby under LBJ).
Obviously the AG is appointed by the President and one of his or her chief recommending factor will be “works well with POTUS.”
Having a hard time remembering a prior AG who who was concentrating so much on revenge, and it is a bit bizarre that the Trump DOJ is investigating the Trump DOJ. You would think that a competent, disciplined, intelligent leader wouldn’t have people in the department who need to be investigated.
Steve