Bill Barr is embarrassing the nation
by digby
Here's a quote for you:
“This sort of idea that there is a kind of a ASIS-ASIO-MI6-MI5-FBI-CIA-Ukrainian government conspiracy to bring down the Trump administration, that this is treason, that I should be in Guantanamo Bay … I mean, it’s a little bit sad that people take that kind of thought seriously." --- Alexander Downer, former Australian high commissioner to the United Kingdom
It's ridiculous. But Bill Barr and John Durham are pursuing it anyway. And keep in mind that the conspiracy theory is actually about bringing down the Trump administration. They are all accused of trying to bring down the Trump campaign and yet never said a word about it before the election.
U.S. Attorney John Durham reportedly interviewed the Australian diplomat whose tip about George Papadopoulos effectively started the counterintelligence investigation into President Trump's campaign in July 2016.
Alexander Downer, who was Australia's high commissioner to the United Kingdom up until last year, met with Durham's team last month in London and is said to have told investigators he was not part of a conspiratorial plot to undermine Trump, according to the Australian.
Under the supervision of Attorney General William Barr, Durham is conducting an investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, examining the conduct of the Justice Department, FBI, and intelligence community. Last month, Durham shifted his administrative review to a criminal investigation that allows his team the power to impanel a grand jury and hand down indictments.
He has also been in communication with DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who recently completed an investigation into allegations of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuses by the DOJ and the FBI. Horowitz's report is expected to be released in the coming weeks following a classification review.
Remember, it's not just the stupid Biden Ukraine conspiracy theory we are dealing with. There's also the stupid 2016 Ukraine hacking conspiracy. This is associated with that. And the Attorney General and his appointed special prosecutor are all over the world making fools of the American government on behalf of the American fool we call a president. It's just embarrassing.
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