by Bob Barr | Nov 20, 2019 | Uncategorized |
Townhall.com In legal proceedings or interactions with law enforcement, the one rule any defense attorney would offer is to always consult with an attorney first, regardless of the circumstances or whether you might be guilty of anything. The reason is simple: everything you say is or can become a matter of legal consequence (even if not under oath). Absolutely anyone, even if completely innocent of any wrongdoing, can unintentionally cause themselves legal harm or headache by virtue of a simple misstatement or misunderstanding a question put to them. So, under normal circumstances, I would recommend President Trump not give Democrats any ammunition to use against him, even if provided accidentally. Of course, as has become obvious to all but the most diehard Democrats, the ongoing impeachment proceedings are far from “normal.” They are not even normal legal proceedings. They are political theater being orchestrated by Rep. Adam Schiff but with very real potential consequences for the president and the presidency. In these circumstances, the best course for President Trump may very well be for him take the offensive and do what he does best: fight on the playing field provided, but at a time of your choosing and with your choice of weapon; in this match up, Trump has the ability to beat his opponents face-to-face. The pitfalls of such a move are the same as for any witness in a legal proceeding, whether under oath or not — inconsistencies, misstatements, contradictions, etc. This is why my initial thought was that Trump should not testify, and that his advisors should so advise him. However, as the impeachment inquiry has...
by Bob Barr | Nov 18, 2019 | Uncategorized |
The Daily Caller A little noticed, two-page Oct. 16 memorandum from Attorney General William Barr to all federal law enforcement and prosecution offices raises serious questions about whether the Trump administration is seeking to roll back fundamental civil liberties in order to counter “the threat of mass shootings.” The memorandum itself is oddly worded; unusual, perhaps, for such a renowned wordsmith as Barr. For example, it speaks of the necessity for the government to “hone an efficient, effective and programmatic strategy to disrupt individuals who are mobilizing towards violence” (emphasis mine). It also employs medical terminology at several places; for example, noting the need to “triage” threatened violence. The troubling, overarching theme of the document, is that the appropriate way to identify and head off mass shooters within the United States, is to use approaches similar to those employed by federal intelligence and national security agencies in thwarting acts of terrorism since 9/11. If so, this ought to raise a number of red flags, considering the abuses known to have taken place by the CIA and other federal agencies following those horrific attacks. Moreover, a strategy premised on mimicking anti-terrorism tactics in domestic anti-crime enforcement activities risks neglecting the fact that a number of vital civil liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights do not apply equally to the array of powers available to government agencies when acting abroad in anti-terrorism and other national security matters; most notably, perhaps, the Fourth Amendment’s guarantees against unreasonable searches and seizures and warrantless mass surveillance. Some of what the attorney general appears to be advocating is not new. For example, three months before the release...
by Bob Barr | Nov 13, 2019 | Uncategorized |
Townhall.com Virginia was home to eight presidents, including some of America’s immortals — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Its state constitution, penned by Jefferson, was a prelude to the U.S. Constitution. It was in Richmond in March 1775 that Patrick Henry courageously declared, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” However, in the wake of last week’s elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the banner of individual liberty which the state birthed so many years ago, is now dead; replaced by a collectivist mindset distressingly similar to that which now prevails in California. The state’s final transition to Liberalism was preceded by a series of political events that, in more normal times, would have doomed the state’s Democratic establishment to deep minority status: the governor in black face, sexual assault allegations against the Lt. Governor, an abortion bill rivaling that of the most liberal of states, and a growing trend of anti-gun rhetoric from state legislators. Notwithstanding these and other episodes, last week Virginia went solid blue. While some pundits point to demographic shifts in the suburbs – an influx of Hispanic voters, increased numbers of college educated federal employees, and overall population growth leading to greater population density – this tells only half the story at most. The Republican Party has been losing ground for decades. Moreover, it is far from clear that those factors automatically mean more Democrat voters. The real question voters everywhere should be asking – not just in Virginia – is, has the Republican Party given up on what made the GOP attractive to these types of voters in the past? Rather...
by Bob Barr | Nov 11, 2019 | Uncategorized |
The Daily Caller As the Adam Schiff-orchestrated impeachment debacle plays itself out on Capitol Hill amid intense media and public interest, just a few blocks away in a hushed federal courthouse, 67-year old political consultant Roger Stone — the man everyone loves to hate — is fighting a lonely battle against the federal government fixated on punishing him for doing what most every political consultant and candidate for public office routinely does. Stone has made a living out of blustery, often exaggerated rhetoric; sometimes for himself and other times for his clients. That practice now places him at high risk of being incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life. Stone’s career as a hard-edged political consultant began in the 1960s. In the 1980s he first advised Donald Trump, then a brash New York businessman, on how to navigate the turbulent waters of national politics. Never one to shy away from controversy — instead often courting it — Stone in 2016 was a vocal supporter of candidate Trump. Even though he was not a member of the Trump campaign team, Stone’s razor-sharp political mind and his vast storehouse of political knowledge were valued by those directly aiding the then-candidate; and he maintained contacts with people in the campaign. In this he was not alone. Dozens, if not hundreds of individuals with political skills and who viewed Trump’s anti-establishment message and persona favorably, communicated with the Trump campaign; hardly fodder for a federal criminal indictment. The release of emails by WikiLeaks damaging to the campaign of Hillary Clinton in the late summer of 2016, however, focused renewed attention on Stone...
by Bob Barr | Nov 6, 2019 | Uncategorized |
Townhall.com For years President Donald Trump has warned the nation about the dangerous mission creep of America’s intelligence agencies into the domestic affairs of the nation. For just as long, if not longer, those of us who have been involved in the political arena have raised alarms about the dangers of embedded careerists in government, whose agenda is expanding – not limiting – the powers of the federal government. The mainstream media and the liberal Establishment, of course, have delighted in mocking us for issuing such warnings. Now, thanks to a former head of the Central Intelligence Agency declaring publicly and proudly, “Thank God for the Deep State,” it can no longer be disputed that such a creature exists. That utterance last week by John McLaughlin ought to sound alarms throughout our Land; but in a sense, we should thank him for clearing the air and removing any doubt as to why it is vital that Trump be reelected next year. Trump is the Deep State’s worst nightmare. In the 1970s, when I was training for a career at the CIA, one of the principles hammered into us was that good intelligence was, is, and must continue to be objective in nature, and delivered to policymakers without a political perspective or agenda. In other words, our job was to gather, analyze and report information to our country’s decision-makers and most definitely, not to make those decisions ourselves. As a classmate of mine during this extensive training, I know McLaughlin knows — or at least knew — this founding principle as well. The difference, however, is that while I left the agency and grew...
by Bob Barr | Nov 4, 2019 | Uncategorized |
The Daily Caller A question heard often in politics is, “what have you done for me lately.” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, less than one year into his long-awaited chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, may be hearing echoes of that refrain as he faces criticism of his leadership from within his own caucus. Graham, who is universally acclaimed in the GOP as having virtually single-handedly resurrected the Supreme Court confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh last fall, now is being chastised by some of his colleagues for failing to more aggressively move a conservative agenda through his committee. A review of Graham’s freshman year as Judiciary chair belies such criticism, but if permitted to go unchallenged, it could cut short his tenure at the helm of this key committee. For starters, Republicans should not lose sight of Graham’s pivotal role ensuring that President Trump’s nominees for U.S. district courts and the all-important federal courts of appeals, move expeditiously through his committee and to the Senate floor for votes. Since being handed the Judiciary Committee gavel from outgoing Chairman Chuck Grassley in January, some 100 federal judges — all strong constitutionalists — have been confirmed by the committee. While critics may argue that any Republican serving as committee chair could have orchestrated such confirmations, from my vantage point as a long-serving member of the House Judiciary Committee, the Senate chairman plays an essential role in the confirmation process. In this regard, Graham has been relentless in making sure Trump’s judicial nominees do not languish in his committee. He deserves praise, not scorn. Regarding the question of social media, another hot-button issue that has come...
