Barr concealed clear proof of obstruction
Jennifer Rubin
The Washington Post
We now have a transcript that proves that President Trump committed obstruction of justice, said Jennifer Rubin. Federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan last week ordered the government to publicly release a voice mail from Trump attorney John Dowd to the lawyer for former national security adviser Michael Flynn, asking if Flynn was going to turn over “information that implicates the president.” If so, Dowd said, “then we’ve got a national security issue,” so “we need some kind of heads-up.” Dowd added that Trump still had “feelings toward Flynn”—a strong hint of a pardon. When Flynn’s lawyer responded that his client was indeed cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller, Dowd was indignant and warned that he would inform the president of Flynn’s “hostility” toward him. This is clear witness tampering—the same kind that was included in the articles of impeachment drawn up against President Richard Nixon. To protect Trump, Attorney General William Barr redacted nearly all material about Flynn from the public version of the Mueller report. Barr’s claim that Mueller found no obstruction lies in tatters, and with Sullivan now considering releasing more hidden evidence, including audiotapes, Trump could be facing real trouble.
May 24, 2019 THE WEEK
Jennifer Rubin
The Washington Post
We now have a transcript that proves that President Trump committed obstruction of justice, said Jennifer Rubin. Federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan last week ordered the government to publicly release a voice mail from Trump attorney John Dowd to the lawyer for former national security adviser Michael Flynn, asking if Flynn was going to turn over “information that implicates the president.” If so, Dowd said, “then we’ve got a national security issue,” so “we need some kind of heads-up.” Dowd added that Trump still had “feelings toward Flynn”—a strong hint of a pardon. When Flynn’s lawyer responded that his client was indeed cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller, Dowd was indignant and warned that he would inform the president of Flynn’s “hostility” toward him. This is clear witness tampering—the same kind that was included in the articles of impeachment drawn up against President Richard Nixon. To protect Trump, Attorney General William Barr redacted nearly all material about Flynn from the public version of the Mueller report. Barr’s claim that Mueller found no obstruction lies in tatters, and with Sullivan now considering releasing more hidden evidence, including audiotapes, Trump could be facing real trouble.
May 24, 2019 THE WEEK
