As one who thought the DOJ was doing a serious investigation, on the basis that they understood how dangerous their opponent was and how airtight a case they needed to bring ("if you strike the king you must kill him"), I need now to say to those I said needed to calm themselves down and give the system the opportunity to work, that I apologize for that. I'm particularly pissed off at myself after 60 years of being able to prove that the nitwits who rise to the top of American govrnment usually can't tie their own damn shoelaces, that I let myself get bamboozled this way. I know these morons for the idiots they are! My books are full of the proof.
I wanted what we all wanted, to believe that normalcy had been restored, when the truth is normalcy hasn't been anywhere in contention for 80 years (at least!). The truth is that Merrick Garland, after all the years spent promoting his judiciousness as a judge, has lost whatever edge he had when he took on McVeigh and Waco. Too bad Jack Smith can't become AG. He at least appears to know how to tie his shoes.
Tom, Although no apologies are necessary (we are all on the same side), many commentators who were mistaken are spending today saying the Post's reporting is false, or that they never said that Garland was working behind the scenes on Trump specifically, or that "we should just be looking forward." The fact that you haven't tried to revise your historical views speaks volumes about your integrity and character. I will use your model next time I get something wrong--which happens frequently. Thank you.
Thank you for gifting us the WaPo article. I read it all and learned so much. Whoever writes the history of this time is going to have one heck of a “who-done-it” .
Sally Yates would have been a good AG choice, I believe.
Biden should request Garland's, and Wray's resignation. They have failed to properly perform their important jobs. And, therefore, I agree with Robert that irreparable harm has been done.
After reading the WaPo article, I am disappointed in Garland and Wray and their apparent fear of giving ammunition to TFG's supporters, to the point where they didn't want to even touch an investigation into TFG and his inner circle. But I'm not completely sold on blaming them for being overly cautious.
One thing we know about TFG is that he's adept at insulating himself from the actual misdeeds that clearly are led by him. He's also adept at tentacularly pursuing his ends and filling the landscape with mines and rabbitholes. Any prosecution has to be prepared for that.
I can agree with some who say that Garland is too much of a judge to be a prosecutor, and Wray may be too tied to TFG's administration to be trusted and/or effective. But those concerns may be behind us. I'm very pleased that Garland ripped the bandaid off just after TFG announced his 2024 candidacy, by appointing Jack Smith as Special Counsel, an appointment I can't imagine was accidental or capricious.
How ever we got to this moment, the 2nd impeachment of TFG was pivotal, as was Jack Smith's appointment. The impeachment was important because it informed the public without all of the burdens of judicial process. Jack Smith's work is important because it is seemingly iron-clad, which it needs to be.
So, I don't think you need to apologize just yet. It's more important that we make sure TFG never sets foot in the White House again (maybe Jack can find room for him in the big house), and that his apologists and enablers suffer the consequences of their betrayal of their oaths to support and defend the Constitution.
So, I read the complete WaPo article and have these takeaways as a person admittedly not a member of the legal community.
First and foremost, as a citizen who watched January 6 live on TV, who listened to DJT say as early as fall 2016 that if he lost the system was rigged, who then listened and watched as DJT began immediately (if not before) the 2020 election results to urge his supporters “to fight back and come to D.C. - ‘it will be wild’ on January 6;” I have long been astonished that a host of Trump higher ups and elected leaders from the House of Representatives were not immediately sought out for questioning. Might even that small step have tempered their rhetoric?
Second, what the heck were Garland and others thinking? It didn’t take imagination to hear and see so many Trump cohorts actively involved from the very beginning. For god sake, Roger Stone had previously been found guilty and pardoned by Trump. The man (Roger Stone) had been openly hostile toward our government/democracy since the Nixon era. Newer players to D.C. were mouthing off with great pride about their support as they engaged at Trump’s side.
Third, this article demonstrates to me that D.C. culture is too much driven by old (read “stale”) perspectives that serves no one particularly well. It just didn’t take a mental giant to see how broad the participation was in an insurrection. Here’s the opening WaPo quote that got me: “A wariness about appearing partisan, institutional caution, and clashes over how much evidence was sufficient to investigate the actions of Trump and those around him all contributed to the slow pace. Garland and the deputy attorney general, Lisa Monaco, charted a cautious course aimed at restoring public trust in the department while some prosecutors below them chafed, feeling top officials were shying away from looking at evidence of potential crimes by Trump and those close to him, The Post found.”
Seriously?!! Our country was for the first time in it’s history confronted with what this observer saw live on TV as a frontal assault on our democracy and constitutional law. And yet, the folks at DOJ focused on charting a course to restore public trust. How about restoring “law and order” from the Republicans White House down. Didn’t they recognize that DJT, mentored by Roy Cohn and Fred Trump, had run this playbook for the entirety of their life.
Finally, let me just observe as others have, we have begun to see justice and accountability. We will see more. For now, “Get Out The Vote” is the only song that matters. Vote in 2023 and 2024!! Vote up and down the ballot for those who will restore civil discourse (thanks Joyce Vance.) and get on with the business of governing.
We owe it to ourselves and even to those who have been drinking the cool aid.
I agree TC. I said the same. And now I’m even angrier at the D’s. Do they really want to save democracy? Which one of them are going to start investigating the representatives and senators who were involved? Or are they jealously guarding their superior piece of the pie while allowing lies and division to flourish? Are there any courageous democrats? Or are they just going along, wiping their brows hoping to keep their own possible questionable behavior from being revealed. All faith is dashed. So sure, use Biden as the balm for your vision of democracy. While the D’s are not “rocking the boat” the R’s are drilling holes in the bottom. I have no confidence in our future.
It’s interesting that both this report and the Mueller Report were published by WaPo. The Muller Report was played down by Barr and shouted down by Jim Jordan. I suspect there is a lot more damning evidence of seditious conspiracy to be revealed before this is over. I suggest we all focus on the facts and tune out the Republican noise machine. Fasten your seatbelts. This could be a very bumpy road.
I'm still willing to give AG Garland the benefit of the doubt. First, the DOJ was a mess at the end of the DT administration and it would have taken some time for AG Garland to understand what was going on and what needed to be corrected. That the investigation into DT should have been opened on January 7th is ridiculous given that DT was still President and there was no AG (Bill Barr resigned on Dec. 26th). Second, AG Garland got the job as a consolation prized for not being on the Supreme Court. That ignored how different the two jobs are. Speaking as a former senior manager in a Fortune 100 tech company, stepping into running an organization of thousands of people is quite a different and much larger challenge compared to running a single courtroom. For example, VP Kamala Harris who ran the very large California AG organization would have been well ready to step into the US AG job if she wasn't in the VP job. AG Garland was not. In the same vein, I think it would be a big waste to make Jack Smith the AG in the second Biden administration. He is superb in the job he is doing and we need him there (good call by AG Garland, by-the-way)! Third, yes, let's learn from the past but I'm personally sick of the what-if-isms and the what-about-isms of this political time. I just turned off the news focusing on the Hunter Biden plea agreement. No, I don't want to hear Speaker McCarthy and Rep. Jordan gloat and say there is more where that came from (out of someone's ass I assume). I'd like to see some balanced journalism and accountability for all our leaders. We're better than this! To conclude, I'll predict that DT will not be the GOP nominee for President because the momentum of a few GOP leaders speaking out against the insanity of supporting an insane cruel desperate man-child and losing all chance at gaining back the White House will gain traction. Don't drink the Kool-Aid! Let's dream of enjoying the steady, calm, focused implementation of a superb vision of President Biden and a Democratic Congress for another term. A toast to President Biden and his Cabinet! We, the People, all of us this time.
While "stepping into running an organization of thousands of people is quite a different and much larger challenge compared to running a single courtroom", and surely it took time to gather the reins, I would think that by the time it was obvious to the average Democrat or Independent voter in America that the upper echelon of that administration needed to be investigated and indicted, it should have been obvious to the DOJ. I feel they had more than enough rein gathering time and let the horses grow fat in the barn out of fear of what lurked in the field. (Ha ha! Just having fun with allowing my metaphor to run rampant.)
Good points...but one of the final truths in all this is that Donald Trump threatens and bullies EVERY 'non-compliant' institution, person, opponent...every critic and their families that he comes across...and fear of his violence is real and palpable....understandable, but so depressing and distressing!
You were one of the people who told me I didn't understand the complexities of the DoJ. My common sense and gut instincts rarely steer me wrong. Occam's Razor comes to mind.
I suspect that Garland et al., in addition to trying to project judiciousness were also simply intimidated by Trump and his minions – following the dictum that if you wrestle with a pig you’ll get muddy.
But in Garland’s defense: it’s important to recognize that he’s had to repair a (justifiably) badly battered and probably demoralized Justice Department – from the inside out and from the outside in.
We saw it on TV. The insurrection led by Donald J. Trump. The moment he left office, he should have been cuffed. Busted and charged with insurrection. Charged with tampering with election results. Charged with the fake electors scheme. Mark Meadows and anyone connected with Trump's clumsy attempt at a coup should have been arrested and held without bail. Eastman, Rudy, Clark, etc.
I won't spend any more of my precious consciousness whining about the DOJ and Garland. The wheels are in motion - a couple of years late. But hey, what's the rush? /s
Now that I have calmed down after the WAPO article stirred my bile, I return to the concept that we should worry less about the ultimate result in a legal sense. And work really hard to elect decent people next year. Work for the Blue Trifecta. Work for a Blue Tsunami of voters to take back this nation from the fascists and the oligarchs who fund them. Work to eject the bigoted yahoos on a state and local level.
We will not get all the convictions and sentences we want. But Trump is looking weaker and more demented every day. His fellow hyenas and jackals are circling the soon to be carcass.
As Jack Smith and Fani Willis and others haul him into court, he will look more and more like the creepy crook he is. Not to the MAGA maniacs, of course. But let's remember they are a percentage of the roughly 25% of Americans who consider themselves Republicans. 50% of voters consider themselves "Independents". There is a boatload of them who will be disgusted enough to not vote for a creepy crook.
And then there is the incredible work the Biden administration is doing - HCR described it well again today. I am angry at the DOJ. But that won't get us the election results we need and the country deserves.
Thanks Bill. Really well said, and spot on. We have to keep our priorities in order and remember why the lunatic fringe is just fringe, and not the whole garment.
Wonderful rant and great advice. This is our country. We the people need to roll up our sleeves and get louder and clearer. I find Simon Rosenberg’s suggestions for how to do this really helpful.
I must admit, I'm a bit undecided about this. We're already going to jump on the DOJ? Really? To be clear, I'm not a fan of AG Garland's long delay before bringing Jack Smith onto the case. But I'm not so sure about attacking DOJ at this stage. I just want to see a straight road to accountability for the criminals in this mess ... not side roads of blaming, attacking, and second-guessing. I'll probably get a few angry comments now. Maybe not. Just not sure at all about creating more unrest, more distraction, more division. Just my 2 cents.
I’m a card carrying member of this democracy, I am a good citizen and I pay my taxes. I want Trump charged and convicted for a crime that I would have already been in jail for.
Agree. I intensely dislike group think. And this piling on of AG Garland and the DOJ smacks of group think. I am not a lawyer. I am not privy to the processes needed to do what the DOJ has done at this point. One thing I do know. The fascist Republicans haven't been accusing the DOJ of acting too hastily and not having enough evidence.
Barbara, those of us who criticized the DOJ for not investigating Trump were criticized for being impatient and immature. Now that the truth has come out demonstrating that the DOJ was in fact doing nothing for 15 months after an attempted coup, we are accused of "group think" and "piling on."
What should we have done and when should we say it? Nothing then and nothing now? What makes criticizing the DOJ "group think"--as differentiated from criticizing Trump or Barr or Jim Jordan. Why is that not group think? That is a genuine question.
I think criticism of any institution is good for a healthy democracy. It’s warranted. But right now we need all still-sane people in this country to speak up, speak out, and put the damn crooks in jail. Government by lunatic and grifters doesn’t work.
"...the DOJ was in fact doing nothing for 15 months after an attempted coup..." I question this statement. Given the tight-lipped nature of the DOJ we can't know this to be true.
I have read every single comment here today and way too many of the WaPo comments. Why aren't more people saying "wait a minute"? Why is this WaPo article being taken as the gospel? I read the Washington Post every day. Their blatant courting of increasingly fascist leaning guest writers and their regular MAGA columnists leads me to view this "expose" with a careful eye. Why aren't more people doing this? Too many times people have run over to one side of the boat based on a media "truth coup" only to be misled. Then they run back to the other side of the boat. Over and over and over.
Where is our loyalty? Where is our dedication to defeating the growing number of fascist voices in politics today? How can we do this if we turn on the very institutions we need to defeat them? How can we support what Jack Smith is doing while complaining about and even making undermining statements about the person who hired him?
We need to steady this ship, support the DOJ and defeat the pants off our political enemies. Giving the Republican Party written and media statements about how shitty Garland is only gives them the "proof" they need that trump is innocent. Twisted thinking yes; but true.
Barbara M — You ask why the WaPo article is being treated as gospel. In my case: having read two books and numerous WaPo articles by Carol Leonnig, I’ve developed deep confidence in her reporting.
Michael my main point is this. Can we please not go on a Garland hating spree? Can we not discredit the DOJ just when we need them so very much?
Coincidentally here is a quote from Maureen Dowd in the NYT that speaks to my point of not running over the cliff in some kind of moral outrage.
"Unresolved
America Is ...
We asked 17 columnists to pick the one piece
of culture that best captures the country.
OPINION
AMERICA IS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE
MAUREEN DOWD
on
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched. If you haven’t been snatched by some invader or other, you’re nobody.
America has undergone a toxic transformation in which many seem to have been taken over by ideas, slogans, conspiracy theories, lies and emotions, to the point that they have become unrecognizable, even to those close to them. They are running in gangs, crowds and mobs, with an increasing abdication of the responsibility to think for oneself, surrendering to whatever germ is in the water. There’s no calm, no deliberation, no chance to change your mind about anything. Just a collapse of individuality, the very trait the country was founded on. In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched by some invader or other."
I just ran across a Dowd quote in the New York Times today.
Coincidentally here is a quote from Maureen Dowd in the NYT that speaks to my point of not running over the cliff in some kind of moral outrage.
America Is ...
We asked 17 columnists to pick the one piece
of culture that best captures the country.
OPINION
AMERICA IS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE
MAUREEN DOWD
on
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched. If you haven’t been snatched by some invader or other, you’re nobody.
America has undergone a toxic transformation in which many seem to have been taken over by ideas, slogans, conspiracy theories, lies and emotions, to the point that they have become unrecognizable, even to those close to them. They are running in gangs, crowds and mobs, with an increasing abdication of the responsibility to think for oneself, surrendering to whatever germ is in the water. There’s no calm, no deliberation, no chance to change your mind about anything. Just a collapse of individuality, the very trait the country was founded on. In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched by some invader or other."
We all saw and heard the evidence with our own eyes and ears.. TFG’s request of Brad Raffensberger to find just enough votes to win GA is just one example.
I resisted the DOJ criticism for 3 years, thinking same as you. But, once again, govt has let us down. J6 was The Biggest betrayal of our democracy. Investigation should have been swift and instant. Instead we learn it was slow walked. Thank goodness for Speaker Pelosi and the J6 committee.
I'm not sure we are "blaming" the DOJ, but now that we understand that there was no movement for over a year, we now understand what happened. We don't have to like it.
I want to see Trump serve time for his crimes. I fear even if found guilty the sentencing judges will fall into the same pit as AG Garland and make decisions based on their perception of public reaction. I know there will be intense anger on the part of the GOP, but I pray they don’t let him off for “the good of the nation” and to “move on” as Ford claimed with Nixon.
I agree. This is an enormously complicated and incendiary case. I suspect one of the reasons Smith could work so quickly is that he had a lot of resources to build on. I can’t think of a single man made institution or program that can’t be made better.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that the right wing wants to get rid of the FBI and the DOJ. Focus on not letting that happen. Let the right wing become the gingham dog and the calico cat, not us. We need to pull together and rid ourselves of the MAGA pestilence first and then do the hard work of institutional reform.
Same - I think he may have made a good SCOTUS, but a prosecutor he is not. And that should have been taken into account instead of Biden feeling bad that Garland didn't get SCOTUS and giving him the highest ranking cop in the country.
Thank you for speaking out. I found it necessary to take a few days totally off news. It took 617 days for Garland to appoint Special Counsel Jack Smith. I always felt Garland was Biden's worst appointment for his Cabinet. He looks half asleep at press briefings. He was appointed as a consolation prize when McConnell blocked his appointment to the Supreme Court. Monaco seems to be mute. I will read the Washington Post and Jennifer Ruben articles later today. January 6 was one of several very frightening days for me personally as my son worked for a Democrat in the Senate. He resigned after January 6, moved home, and is working at Whole Foods researching locally sourced products for their stores in the Midwest. It's called "Forager". One of his assignments in the Senate related to Agricultural Economics. My son's very expensive Graduate Degree in Public Policy is paying off in a much more creative and interesting career path.
Linda, My son works in Criminal Justice down in DC, I live in Vermont. On Jan 6th I was out walking the dogs when the cell phone rings, he was activated to ‘get those people out of the Capitol”. Oh my goodness, I didn’t hear from him till 5:am the next morning. We went down to see him, had a lot to say about what it was like. Suffice to say he’s been in some pretty insane situations but this he said was like nothing he’d seen before: a medieval battle- “mom, they were like animals”. Every time I see Trump pulling his crap I just feel anger. They knew for months that Trump was planning something violent and yet Trump allowed the people who work in the Capitol to be sitting ducks and then our sons and daughters in law enforcement were put in harms way… all so Trump good do as he pleased. Your son chose to pick up and went home (lucky you!), ah well, thank goodness our kids are safe. It is hard to sit and wait for trump to be taken down from his insane pedestal. (Just charge him. Convict him. I could care less if he goes to jail. Just let others know you can’t get away with this stuff)… sorry for the wee rant but it shows these fears and angers are something that we have all had to live with while waiting for Justice to prevail. JACK SMITH!
Hi, Karen. Thanks to your son for helping to protect the members of Congress and their staff on January 6th. I hope that you and he have recovered from the experience.
Thank you. My son is fine, though soured on much. I won’t speak for him but as for me I too am happy but - ya know – we have our kids, and grandkids and we want a heathy world for them…
Karen - I'm truly relieved to learn of your own family's horror on January 6. I thought I was alone in my feelings. My son called me in tears that day. I thought someone had died. He kept calling all day to let me know he was alive. Your comment is not a rant at all. I LOVE VERMONT!
Linda — It’s a crazy story to tell. We heard it from our kids. Many people have no idea what it was really like. ‘Speaking’ with you is reassuring in that through our somewhat shared experience it’s nice to know that someone else ‘gets it’.
Thank you. My son is in a much better place. He loves cooking and working at Whole Foods as a "Forager" makes him relaxed. He likes meeting the farmers and being away from DC and the "rat race".
I gave Garland the benefit of the doubt for a long time...too long! I wanted him to be a pitbull but instead, he was a meek kitty. Unconscionable that one solid year went by without the DOJ doing NOTHING about Fake 45! NOTHING! They had a “duh” moment when the J6 Committee brilliantly did their due diligence in presenting the facts to the public, here and abroad. Wray too, should have been ousted the minute Biden became president. I’d really like to know why he kept him. Bottom line: They’re flakes and they need to go. Put Jack in as DOJ. At least we’d get a pitbull.
"The second point is that Trump's defense to the indictments is to win the 2024 presidential election. That makes Trump more desperate and unpredictable—which makes him a weaker candidate." It also makes Trump more dangerous. He will do anything to win in 2024. He must be stopped!
Gina, you are 100% correct. In fact, the sentence that you quoted above originally had the word "dangerous" in it--but I deleted it because it was one of the final sentences in concluding thoughts.
I’m going to read the whole article, but I’m a little afraid of my own reaction. Heather Cox Richardson had a brilliant newsletter today about Anthony Blinken in China. It was a relief to see really good government at work and to not be reading about Trump. I know I will be furious about the DOJ’s endless delay in prosecuting crimes we all saw in broad daylight. But aside from recriminations we are realistically at the point of “better late than never.” We have to look forward - not ignoring the lessons of the past, but giving all our energies to ensuring the mistakes of the past will not cripple efforts needed now to protect the future. My reflection about Biden/Garland is they thought Trump would fade away and not be a factor once he was no longer president. But they were very wrong - Trump grew more menacing and wouldn’t fade, so that was the major miscalculation of the new administration. Ok, blame has been assigned and mistakes clarified. Push forward now with fierce purpose to prevent further spread of anti-democratic disease!
I wildly distrust the Washington Post. Their stable of fascist writers grows monthly. And now this article. This timing is circumspect. Be mad at the DOJ and AG Garland all you want folks. At the end of the day don't discredit them. We are in dire straits, and we need this Branch of Government to be respected and trusted.
..."the DOJ treated Trump with undue deference and applied higher evidentiary hurdles because of concern over the DOJ’s reputation..."
Good for them. In a Democracy we do not prosecute nor jail our political opponents out of hand. In our form of Government we have 3 separate Branches. I am glad the DOJ protected the vital Judicial Branch.
This movement to constantly criticize the DOJ and AG Garland has concerned me for some time. It is too reflective of the Republican Fascists' desire to dismantle/defund the FBI and the Department of Justice. This, of course, opens the flood gates to complete dissolution of our Democracy. Be careful of this mindset folks.
Be very, very careful in discrediting the DOJ at this point. We need the Jack Smith cases to be strong and convincing.
I did not say the article was fascistic. I said the Washington Post has a lot of fascist leaning guest writers and MAGA staff writers. I distrust the Washington Post and cast a wary eye at this expose. Sure do wish they would do something like this on a Republican.
My intent is not to disprove the article step by step; an impossible task in one day. This sentence caught my eye though: "Whether a decision about Trump’s culpability for Jan. 6 could have come any earlier is unclear."
My bigger and more urgent point is what I said at the end of my response to you. Let's please not cut off our noses to spite our faces here. I acknowledge the yearning for revenge, justice and an end to our national misery caused by this man. We need to stay steady and support our imperfect systems and people we voted for to get the job done. I fail to see how lambasting Garland achieves anything good.
I gave Merrick Garland the benefit of the doubt for so long. His major missteps have certainly backfired BUT we have Jack Smith!!! I am grateful for his level of expertise and I do believe he will make this unfortunate situation right!!
“Citizens concerned about the possibility that a coup-plotting president would escape accountability were dismissed as “impatient,” “immature,” “rash,” “tiresome,” and “unprofessional.” In fact, they were rightly concerned that the DOJ was failing in its central mandate. The delay shook their faith in the legitimacy and righteousness of the DOJ—and yet they were viewed as “the problem” for criticizing the DOJ.”
You did NOT go on about the Washing Post report too long. Thank you for brilliantly summarizing and analyzing the report, the course of events, our predicament, and our path forward. So grateful.
Isn’t it naive to think they were just cautious? It seems fairly clear they never had the desire or intention to investigate, and then only a purposeful slow walk.
Sometimes, feeling that one was right does not result in feeling any relief in that. I too was furious with Garland's silence and delay. For today I feel sad and depressed. I get weary of the lack of courage ( if that is what it is) and timidity of people who should know better. The expression, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!!!' comes to mind. At least he appointed Jack Smith whom I admire enormously - and would not like to meet in a dark alley. (lol) I now will go back to writing postcards to high school and college kids - but remain pissed off.
As one who thought the DOJ was doing a serious investigation, on the basis that they understood how dangerous their opponent was and how airtight a case they needed to bring ("if you strike the king you must kill him"), I need now to say to those I said needed to calm themselves down and give the system the opportunity to work, that I apologize for that. I'm particularly pissed off at myself after 60 years of being able to prove that the nitwits who rise to the top of American govrnment usually can't tie their own damn shoelaces, that I let myself get bamboozled this way. I know these morons for the idiots they are! My books are full of the proof.
I wanted what we all wanted, to believe that normalcy had been restored, when the truth is normalcy hasn't been anywhere in contention for 80 years (at least!). The truth is that Merrick Garland, after all the years spent promoting his judiciousness as a judge, has lost whatever edge he had when he took on McVeigh and Waco. Too bad Jack Smith can't become AG. He at least appears to know how to tie his shoes.
Tom, Although no apologies are necessary (we are all on the same side), many commentators who were mistaken are spending today saying the Post's reporting is false, or that they never said that Garland was working behind the scenes on Trump specifically, or that "we should just be looking forward." The fact that you haven't tried to revise your historical views speaks volumes about your integrity and character. I will use your model next time I get something wrong--which happens frequently. Thank you.
I've learned I might as well, since obfuscation almost always leads to looking like an idiot, a category I dislike ending up in.
Thank you for gifting us the WaPo article. I read it all and learned so much. Whoever writes the history of this time is going to have one heck of a “who-done-it” .
Smith could become AG in the second Biden administration.
Sally Yates would have been a good AG choice, I believe.
Biden should request Garland's, and Wray's resignation. They have failed to properly perform their important jobs. And, therefore, I agree with Robert that irreparable harm has been done.
I agree about Yates, maybe she couldn't afford the pay cut. You're right about the other two too.
You know, TC, I had the exact thought as you did. Wouldn’t Jack Smith have made a hell of an AG?
After reading the WaPo article, I am disappointed in Garland and Wray and their apparent fear of giving ammunition to TFG's supporters, to the point where they didn't want to even touch an investigation into TFG and his inner circle. But I'm not completely sold on blaming them for being overly cautious.
One thing we know about TFG is that he's adept at insulating himself from the actual misdeeds that clearly are led by him. He's also adept at tentacularly pursuing his ends and filling the landscape with mines and rabbitholes. Any prosecution has to be prepared for that.
I can agree with some who say that Garland is too much of a judge to be a prosecutor, and Wray may be too tied to TFG's administration to be trusted and/or effective. But those concerns may be behind us. I'm very pleased that Garland ripped the bandaid off just after TFG announced his 2024 candidacy, by appointing Jack Smith as Special Counsel, an appointment I can't imagine was accidental or capricious.
How ever we got to this moment, the 2nd impeachment of TFG was pivotal, as was Jack Smith's appointment. The impeachment was important because it informed the public without all of the burdens of judicial process. Jack Smith's work is important because it is seemingly iron-clad, which it needs to be.
So, I don't think you need to apologize just yet. It's more important that we make sure TFG never sets foot in the White House again (maybe Jack can find room for him in the big house), and that his apologists and enablers suffer the consequences of their betrayal of their oaths to support and defend the Constitution.
I like your “big house” comment.
So, I read the complete WaPo article and have these takeaways as a person admittedly not a member of the legal community.
First and foremost, as a citizen who watched January 6 live on TV, who listened to DJT say as early as fall 2016 that if he lost the system was rigged, who then listened and watched as DJT began immediately (if not before) the 2020 election results to urge his supporters “to fight back and come to D.C. - ‘it will be wild’ on January 6;” I have long been astonished that a host of Trump higher ups and elected leaders from the House of Representatives were not immediately sought out for questioning. Might even that small step have tempered their rhetoric?
Second, what the heck were Garland and others thinking? It didn’t take imagination to hear and see so many Trump cohorts actively involved from the very beginning. For god sake, Roger Stone had previously been found guilty and pardoned by Trump. The man (Roger Stone) had been openly hostile toward our government/democracy since the Nixon era. Newer players to D.C. were mouthing off with great pride about their support as they engaged at Trump’s side.
Third, this article demonstrates to me that D.C. culture is too much driven by old (read “stale”) perspectives that serves no one particularly well. It just didn’t take a mental giant to see how broad the participation was in an insurrection. Here’s the opening WaPo quote that got me: “A wariness about appearing partisan, institutional caution, and clashes over how much evidence was sufficient to investigate the actions of Trump and those around him all contributed to the slow pace. Garland and the deputy attorney general, Lisa Monaco, charted a cautious course aimed at restoring public trust in the department while some prosecutors below them chafed, feeling top officials were shying away from looking at evidence of potential crimes by Trump and those close to him, The Post found.”
Seriously?!! Our country was for the first time in it’s history confronted with what this observer saw live on TV as a frontal assault on our democracy and constitutional law. And yet, the folks at DOJ focused on charting a course to restore public trust. How about restoring “law and order” from the Republicans White House down. Didn’t they recognize that DJT, mentored by Roy Cohn and Fred Trump, had run this playbook for the entirety of their life.
Finally, let me just observe as others have, we have begun to see justice and accountability. We will see more. For now, “Get Out The Vote” is the only song that matters. Vote in 2023 and 2024!! Vote up and down the ballot for those who will restore civil discourse (thanks Joyce Vance.) and get on with the business of governing.
We owe it to ourselves and even to those who have been drinking the cool aid.
Due to the lack of information and our propensity to be patient, most of us were guilty of trying to stay calm and wait. Our mistake.
Indeed.
I agree TC. I said the same. And now I’m even angrier at the D’s. Do they really want to save democracy? Which one of them are going to start investigating the representatives and senators who were involved? Or are they jealously guarding their superior piece of the pie while allowing lies and division to flourish? Are there any courageous democrats? Or are they just going along, wiping their brows hoping to keep their own possible questionable behavior from being revealed. All faith is dashed. So sure, use Biden as the balm for your vision of democracy. While the D’s are not “rocking the boat” the R’s are drilling holes in the bottom. I have no confidence in our future.
It’s interesting that both this report and the Mueller Report were published by WaPo. The Muller Report was played down by Barr and shouted down by Jim Jordan. I suspect there is a lot more damning evidence of seditious conspiracy to be revealed before this is over. I suggest we all focus on the facts and tune out the Republican noise machine. Fasten your seatbelts. This could be a very bumpy road.
I'm still willing to give AG Garland the benefit of the doubt. First, the DOJ was a mess at the end of the DT administration and it would have taken some time for AG Garland to understand what was going on and what needed to be corrected. That the investigation into DT should have been opened on January 7th is ridiculous given that DT was still President and there was no AG (Bill Barr resigned on Dec. 26th). Second, AG Garland got the job as a consolation prized for not being on the Supreme Court. That ignored how different the two jobs are. Speaking as a former senior manager in a Fortune 100 tech company, stepping into running an organization of thousands of people is quite a different and much larger challenge compared to running a single courtroom. For example, VP Kamala Harris who ran the very large California AG organization would have been well ready to step into the US AG job if she wasn't in the VP job. AG Garland was not. In the same vein, I think it would be a big waste to make Jack Smith the AG in the second Biden administration. He is superb in the job he is doing and we need him there (good call by AG Garland, by-the-way)! Third, yes, let's learn from the past but I'm personally sick of the what-if-isms and the what-about-isms of this political time. I just turned off the news focusing on the Hunter Biden plea agreement. No, I don't want to hear Speaker McCarthy and Rep. Jordan gloat and say there is more where that came from (out of someone's ass I assume). I'd like to see some balanced journalism and accountability for all our leaders. We're better than this! To conclude, I'll predict that DT will not be the GOP nominee for President because the momentum of a few GOP leaders speaking out against the insanity of supporting an insane cruel desperate man-child and losing all chance at gaining back the White House will gain traction. Don't drink the Kool-Aid! Let's dream of enjoying the steady, calm, focused implementation of a superb vision of President Biden and a Democratic Congress for another term. A toast to President Biden and his Cabinet! We, the People, all of us this time.
While "stepping into running an organization of thousands of people is quite a different and much larger challenge compared to running a single courtroom", and surely it took time to gather the reins, I would think that by the time it was obvious to the average Democrat or Independent voter in America that the upper echelon of that administration needed to be investigated and indicted, it should have been obvious to the DOJ. I feel they had more than enough rein gathering time and let the horses grow fat in the barn out of fear of what lurked in the field. (Ha ha! Just having fun with allowing my metaphor to run rampant.)
Good points...but one of the final truths in all this is that Donald Trump threatens and bullies EVERY 'non-compliant' institution, person, opponent...every critic and their families that he comes across...and fear of his violence is real and palpable....understandable, but so depressing and distressing!
You’re not alone, for sure. Thanks, and admiration, for you honesty.
Bravo!
You were one of the people who told me I didn't understand the complexities of the DoJ. My common sense and gut instincts rarely steer me wrong. Occam's Razor comes to mind.
And I hope you will accept my apology.
I suspect that Garland et al., in addition to trying to project judiciousness were also simply intimidated by Trump and his minions – following the dictum that if you wrestle with a pig you’ll get muddy.
But in Garland’s defense: it’s important to recognize that he’s had to repair a (justifiably) badly battered and probably demoralized Justice Department – from the inside out and from the outside in.
💯
Was the McVeigh case drilled down enough to be certain there were no co-conspirators?
We saw it on TV. The insurrection led by Donald J. Trump. The moment he left office, he should have been cuffed. Busted and charged with insurrection. Charged with tampering with election results. Charged with the fake electors scheme. Mark Meadows and anyone connected with Trump's clumsy attempt at a coup should have been arrested and held without bail. Eastman, Rudy, Clark, etc.
I won't spend any more of my precious consciousness whining about the DOJ and Garland. The wheels are in motion - a couple of years late. But hey, what's the rush? /s
Now that I have calmed down after the WAPO article stirred my bile, I return to the concept that we should worry less about the ultimate result in a legal sense. And work really hard to elect decent people next year. Work for the Blue Trifecta. Work for a Blue Tsunami of voters to take back this nation from the fascists and the oligarchs who fund them. Work to eject the bigoted yahoos on a state and local level.
We will not get all the convictions and sentences we want. But Trump is looking weaker and more demented every day. His fellow hyenas and jackals are circling the soon to be carcass.
As Jack Smith and Fani Willis and others haul him into court, he will look more and more like the creepy crook he is. Not to the MAGA maniacs, of course. But let's remember they are a percentage of the roughly 25% of Americans who consider themselves Republicans. 50% of voters consider themselves "Independents". There is a boatload of them who will be disgusted enough to not vote for a creepy crook.
And then there is the incredible work the Biden administration is doing - HCR described it well again today. I am angry at the DOJ. But that won't get us the election results we need and the country deserves.
Thanks Bill. Really well said, and spot on. We have to keep our priorities in order and remember why the lunatic fringe is just fringe, and not the whole garment.
Why is it that the really soulless, vacuous people out there get so much attention. Time for another “ spare the hot air day.”
Wonderful rant and great advice. This is our country. We the people need to roll up our sleeves and get louder and clearer. I find Simon Rosenberg’s suggestions for how to do this really helpful.
Exactly, Bill. As Robert posted last week, we won’t win through the courts, but must win at the ballot box.
Of course we must dig even deeper than before to elect Dems everywhere, but we needed the Rule of Law to help us out! Infuriating.
Entirely right as usual, Bill. Spot on.
I must admit, I'm a bit undecided about this. We're already going to jump on the DOJ? Really? To be clear, I'm not a fan of AG Garland's long delay before bringing Jack Smith onto the case. But I'm not so sure about attacking DOJ at this stage. I just want to see a straight road to accountability for the criminals in this mess ... not side roads of blaming, attacking, and second-guessing. I'll probably get a few angry comments now. Maybe not. Just not sure at all about creating more unrest, more distraction, more division. Just my 2 cents.
I’m a card carrying member of this democracy, I am a good citizen and I pay my taxes. I want Trump charged and convicted for a crime that I would have already been in jail for.
Agree. I intensely dislike group think. And this piling on of AG Garland and the DOJ smacks of group think. I am not a lawyer. I am not privy to the processes needed to do what the DOJ has done at this point. One thing I do know. The fascist Republicans haven't been accusing the DOJ of acting too hastily and not having enough evidence.
Barbara, those of us who criticized the DOJ for not investigating Trump were criticized for being impatient and immature. Now that the truth has come out demonstrating that the DOJ was in fact doing nothing for 15 months after an attempted coup, we are accused of "group think" and "piling on."
What should we have done and when should we say it? Nothing then and nothing now? What makes criticizing the DOJ "group think"--as differentiated from criticizing Trump or Barr or Jim Jordan. Why is that not group think? That is a genuine question.
I think criticism of any institution is good for a healthy democracy. It’s warranted. But right now we need all still-sane people in this country to speak up, speak out, and put the damn crooks in jail. Government by lunatic and grifters doesn’t work.
"...the DOJ was in fact doing nothing for 15 months after an attempted coup..." I question this statement. Given the tight-lipped nature of the DOJ we can't know this to be true.
I have read every single comment here today and way too many of the WaPo comments. Why aren't more people saying "wait a minute"? Why is this WaPo article being taken as the gospel? I read the Washington Post every day. Their blatant courting of increasingly fascist leaning guest writers and their regular MAGA columnists leads me to view this "expose" with a careful eye. Why aren't more people doing this? Too many times people have run over to one side of the boat based on a media "truth coup" only to be misled. Then they run back to the other side of the boat. Over and over and over.
Where is our loyalty? Where is our dedication to defeating the growing number of fascist voices in politics today? How can we do this if we turn on the very institutions we need to defeat them? How can we support what Jack Smith is doing while complaining about and even making undermining statements about the person who hired him?
We need to steady this ship, support the DOJ and defeat the pants off our political enemies. Giving the Republican Party written and media statements about how shitty Garland is only gives them the "proof" they need that trump is innocent. Twisted thinking yes; but true.
Did you read the article? They sat there for 15 months like French Generals in 1940 watching the German blitzkrieg while sitting on their damn thumbs!
My larger point is this TC. We do the case against trump no good when we discredit Garland and hence Smith. We better coalesce around the DOJ soon.
Can you tell me one concrete thing coming out of this WaPo article that will aid in the espionage case against trump?
And yes I did read the article. It's damning. Now let's move on. When was the last time you saw any Republican wearing a hair shirt?
Nerofiddling seems appropriate
Barbara M — You ask why the WaPo article is being treated as gospel. In my case: having read two books and numerous WaPo articles by Carol Leonnig, I’ve developed deep confidence in her reporting.
Michael my main point is this. Can we please not go on a Garland hating spree? Can we not discredit the DOJ just when we need them so very much?
Coincidentally here is a quote from Maureen Dowd in the NYT that speaks to my point of not running over the cliff in some kind of moral outrage.
"Unresolved
America Is ...
We asked 17 columnists to pick the one piece
of culture that best captures the country.
OPINION
AMERICA IS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE
MAUREEN DOWD
on
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched. If you haven’t been snatched by some invader or other, you’re nobody.
America has undergone a toxic transformation in which many seem to have been taken over by ideas, slogans, conspiracy theories, lies and emotions, to the point that they have become unrecognizable, even to those close to them. They are running in gangs, crowds and mobs, with an increasing abdication of the responsibility to think for oneself, surrendering to whatever germ is in the water. There’s no calm, no deliberation, no chance to change your mind about anything. Just a collapse of individuality, the very trait the country was founded on. In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched by some invader or other."
I just ran across a Dowd quote in the New York Times today.
Coincidentally here is a quote from Maureen Dowd in the NYT that speaks to my point of not running over the cliff in some kind of moral outrage.
America Is ...
We asked 17 columnists to pick the one piece
of culture that best captures the country.
OPINION
AMERICA IS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE
MAUREEN DOWD
on
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched. If you haven’t been snatched by some invader or other, you’re nobody.
America has undergone a toxic transformation in which many seem to have been taken over by ideas, slogans, conspiracy theories, lies and emotions, to the point that they have become unrecognizable, even to those close to them. They are running in gangs, crowds and mobs, with an increasing abdication of the responsibility to think for oneself, surrendering to whatever germ is in the water. There’s no calm, no deliberation, no chance to change your mind about anything. Just a collapse of individuality, the very trait the country was founded on. In America now, it seems, everyone has been snatched by some invader or other."
If due to timing, Trump manages to get re-elected, who are we to blame if not the DOJ and FBI?
Lots more to blame, esp. if 70million+ vote for him in 2024. We all have a responsibility to see that doesn't happen, doing whatever we can.
Absolutely...but those choosing to be in charge, that we've indirectly chosen to be in charge, have more responsibility I think.
Ourselves.
We all saw and heard the evidence with our own eyes and ears.. TFG’s request of Brad Raffensberger to find just enough votes to win GA is just one example.
I am not a lawyer, therefore, I have zero clue what it takes to put together an airtight case of this magnitude.
But it takes SOME effort to put together a case. If the WaPo reporting is accurate, the DOJ did NOTHING. That's the point.
I resisted the DOJ criticism for 3 years, thinking same as you. But, once again, govt has let us down. J6 was The Biggest betrayal of our democracy. Investigation should have been swift and instant. Instead we learn it was slow walked. Thank goodness for Speaker Pelosi and the J6 committee.
I'm not sure we are "blaming" the DOJ, but now that we understand that there was no movement for over a year, we now understand what happened. We don't have to like it.
I want to see Trump serve time for his crimes. I fear even if found guilty the sentencing judges will fall into the same pit as AG Garland and make decisions based on their perception of public reaction. I know there will be intense anger on the part of the GOP, but I pray they don’t let him off for “the good of the nation” and to “move on” as Ford claimed with Nixon.
With Trump, there will be no “moving on”, especially if Trump is not successfully convicted, sentenced, *and* incarcerated.
I agree. This is an enormously complicated and incendiary case. I suspect one of the reasons Smith could work so quickly is that he had a lot of resources to build on. I can’t think of a single man made institution or program that can’t be made better.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that the right wing wants to get rid of the FBI and the DOJ. Focus on not letting that happen. Let the right wing become the gingham dog and the calico cat, not us. We need to pull together and rid ourselves of the MAGA pestilence first and then do the hard work of institutional reform.
Nancy, I am on that “side road” with anger, but agree with your post. The process would only be a delay if u rest occurs.
I’ve always said that Garland was a fine judge. Excellent work on the OKC bombing case. Fine legal mind.
But....
Judges are not prosecutors.
Prosecutors are born killers. Get in close and go to work. Peel the hide off the defendant.
The people needed a prosecutor.
We had a judge.
I have to wonder how this would have been different had Kamala Harris entered her appearance For the People.
OMG! Agreed. I can hardly hold myself back- Kamala Harris, yes! Oh shucks I’m gonna say it: Kamala! f*ckin A – she’d be kickin ass and taking names!
There… I said it out loud
VP Kamala will be getting lots of support. EMILY’S List announced spending 10million to boost her !!💙
Al Griffin –
But Garland *was* a prosecutor, responsible for putting away Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber and others.
What distinguishes the Trump case is its inevitable admixture of politics into investigation and legalities.
You are correct. Thanks for letting me know.
Same - I think he may have made a good SCOTUS, but a prosecutor he is not. And that should have been taken into account instead of Biden feeling bad that Garland didn't get SCOTUS and giving him the highest ranking cop in the country.
Thank you for speaking out. I found it necessary to take a few days totally off news. It took 617 days for Garland to appoint Special Counsel Jack Smith. I always felt Garland was Biden's worst appointment for his Cabinet. He looks half asleep at press briefings. He was appointed as a consolation prize when McConnell blocked his appointment to the Supreme Court. Monaco seems to be mute. I will read the Washington Post and Jennifer Ruben articles later today. January 6 was one of several very frightening days for me personally as my son worked for a Democrat in the Senate. He resigned after January 6, moved home, and is working at Whole Foods researching locally sourced products for their stores in the Midwest. It's called "Forager". One of his assignments in the Senate related to Agricultural Economics. My son's very expensive Graduate Degree in Public Policy is paying off in a much more creative and interesting career path.
Linda, My son works in Criminal Justice down in DC, I live in Vermont. On Jan 6th I was out walking the dogs when the cell phone rings, he was activated to ‘get those people out of the Capitol”. Oh my goodness, I didn’t hear from him till 5:am the next morning. We went down to see him, had a lot to say about what it was like. Suffice to say he’s been in some pretty insane situations but this he said was like nothing he’d seen before: a medieval battle- “mom, they were like animals”. Every time I see Trump pulling his crap I just feel anger. They knew for months that Trump was planning something violent and yet Trump allowed the people who work in the Capitol to be sitting ducks and then our sons and daughters in law enforcement were put in harms way… all so Trump good do as he pleased. Your son chose to pick up and went home (lucky you!), ah well, thank goodness our kids are safe. It is hard to sit and wait for trump to be taken down from his insane pedestal. (Just charge him. Convict him. I could care less if he goes to jail. Just let others know you can’t get away with this stuff)… sorry for the wee rant but it shows these fears and angers are something that we have all had to live with while waiting for Justice to prevail. JACK SMITH!
Hi, Karen. Thanks to your son for helping to protect the members of Congress and their staff on January 6th. I hope that you and he have recovered from the experience.
Thank you. My son is fine, though soured on much. I won’t speak for him but as for me I too am happy but - ya know – we have our kids, and grandkids and we want a heathy world for them…
Karen - I'm truly relieved to learn of your own family's horror on January 6. I thought I was alone in my feelings. My son called me in tears that day. I thought someone had died. He kept calling all day to let me know he was alive. Your comment is not a rant at all. I LOVE VERMONT!
Linda — It’s a crazy story to tell. We heard it from our kids. Many people have no idea what it was really like. ‘Speaking’ with you is reassuring in that through our somewhat shared experience it’s nice to know that someone else ‘gets it’.
Conviction is not a deterrent without hard time.
Hi, Linda. I am sorry your son had to experience the events of January 6th from close range. I hope that you and he are doing okay.
Thank you. My son is in a much better place. He loves cooking and working at Whole Foods as a "Forager" makes him relaxed. He likes meeting the farmers and being away from DC and the "rat race".
Best story of the day!
I gave Garland the benefit of the doubt for a long time...too long! I wanted him to be a pitbull but instead, he was a meek kitty. Unconscionable that one solid year went by without the DOJ doing NOTHING about Fake 45! NOTHING! They had a “duh” moment when the J6 Committee brilliantly did their due diligence in presenting the facts to the public, here and abroad. Wray too, should have been ousted the minute Biden became president. I’d really like to know why he kept him. Bottom line: They’re flakes and they need to go. Put Jack in as DOJ. At least we’d get a pitbull.
**can’t edit comment on iPhone. Should be “with” not “without”**
DeJoy also should have been gone.
Trying to rebuild the reputation of the DOJ/FBI after 4 years of Trump/Barr
and the damage they both did to the department, was
not "slow walking" the J6
coup attempt and then the
theft of classified documents.
Many of us gave Merrick Garland a long leash to start
any kind of serious investigation into DJT. He
and Monoco dropped the ball.
The J6 Committee was an
invaluable service to this
country and the DOJ. They're
the ones that gave DOJ the
months and countless hours
of diligent investigation to
finally go after the bigger fish.
Bringing in Jack Smith was the only smart thing Garland
has done.
"The second point is that Trump's defense to the indictments is to win the 2024 presidential election. That makes Trump more desperate and unpredictable—which makes him a weaker candidate." It also makes Trump more dangerous. He will do anything to win in 2024. He must be stopped!
Gina, you are 100% correct. In fact, the sentence that you quoted above originally had the word "dangerous" in it--but I deleted it because it was one of the final sentences in concluding thoughts.
I’m going to read the whole article, but I’m a little afraid of my own reaction. Heather Cox Richardson had a brilliant newsletter today about Anthony Blinken in China. It was a relief to see really good government at work and to not be reading about Trump. I know I will be furious about the DOJ’s endless delay in prosecuting crimes we all saw in broad daylight. But aside from recriminations we are realistically at the point of “better late than never.” We have to look forward - not ignoring the lessons of the past, but giving all our energies to ensuring the mistakes of the past will not cripple efforts needed now to protect the future. My reflection about Biden/Garland is they thought Trump would fade away and not be a factor once he was no longer president. But they were very wrong - Trump grew more menacing and wouldn’t fade, so that was the major miscalculation of the new administration. Ok, blame has been assigned and mistakes clarified. Push forward now with fierce purpose to prevent further spread of anti-democratic disease!
Very wise!
I wildly distrust the Washington Post. Their stable of fascist writers grows monthly. And now this article. This timing is circumspect. Be mad at the DOJ and AG Garland all you want folks. At the end of the day don't discredit them. We are in dire straits, and we need this Branch of Government to be respected and trusted.
..."the DOJ treated Trump with undue deference and applied higher evidentiary hurdles because of concern over the DOJ’s reputation..."
Good for them. In a Democracy we do not prosecute nor jail our political opponents out of hand. In our form of Government we have 3 separate Branches. I am glad the DOJ protected the vital Judicial Branch.
This movement to constantly criticize the DOJ and AG Garland has concerned me for some time. It is too reflective of the Republican Fascists' desire to dismantle/defund the FBI and the Department of Justice. This, of course, opens the flood gates to complete dissolution of our Democracy. Be careful of this mindset folks.
Be very, very careful in discrediting the DOJ at this point. We need the Jack Smith cases to be strong and convincing.
Can you point to something in the Post article that is false? Or fascistic?
I did not say the article was fascistic. I said the Washington Post has a lot of fascist leaning guest writers and MAGA staff writers. I distrust the Washington Post and cast a wary eye at this expose. Sure do wish they would do something like this on a Republican.
My intent is not to disprove the article step by step; an impossible task in one day. This sentence caught my eye though: "Whether a decision about Trump’s culpability for Jan. 6 could have come any earlier is unclear."
My bigger and more urgent point is what I said at the end of my response to you. Let's please not cut off our noses to spite our faces here. I acknowledge the yearning for revenge, justice and an end to our national misery caused by this man. We need to stay steady and support our imperfect systems and people we voted for to get the job done. I fail to see how lambasting Garland achieves anything good.
“Their stable of fascist writers…”?? Wow.
I gave Merrick Garland the benefit of the doubt for so long. His major missteps have certainly backfired BUT we have Jack Smith!!! I am grateful for his level of expertise and I do believe he will make this unfortunate situation right!!
“Citizens concerned about the possibility that a coup-plotting president would escape accountability were dismissed as “impatient,” “immature,” “rash,” “tiresome,” and “unprofessional.” In fact, they were rightly concerned that the DOJ was failing in its central mandate. The delay shook their faith in the legitimacy and righteousness of the DOJ—and yet they were viewed as “the problem” for criticizing the DOJ.”
Yes, exactly.
You did NOT go on about the Washing Post report too long. Thank you for brilliantly summarizing and analyzing the report, the course of events, our predicament, and our path forward. So grateful.
Sir, You are right on. And what happened to the House Select Committee on Jan 6’s referrals to the DOJ beginning in June 2022?
Isn’t it naive to think they were just cautious? It seems fairly clear they never had the desire or intention to investigate, and then only a purposeful slow walk.
There's cautious, and then there is over-cautious. What happened at DOJ was the latter.
Sometimes, feeling that one was right does not result in feeling any relief in that. I too was furious with Garland's silence and delay. For today I feel sad and depressed. I get weary of the lack of courage ( if that is what it is) and timidity of people who should know better. The expression, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!!!' comes to mind. At least he appointed Jack Smith whom I admire enormously - and would not like to meet in a dark alley. (lol) I now will go back to writing postcards to high school and college kids - but remain pissed off.