WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — “The Department of Justice is not persuaded that this (proceeding against Mr. Flynn) was material to any legitimate Counter-Intelligence Investigation. So it was not a crime,” said United States Attorney General William Barr Thursday, announcing the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) was moving to drop the case against former National Security Sdviser Michael Flynn for charges of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia in 2017.
New documents unsealed and released in Flynn’s case last month confirmed suspicions that the FBI was out to entrap Flynn.
As a result, the DOJ said in a court filing Thursday it no longer believed it could make a case against Flynn, a former 3-Star Army General. Barr said the decision was “easy” to make — and was a determination he did not need to consult the Commander-In-Chief about.
“I think it's sad nowadays that these partisan feelings are so strong that people have lost any sense of justice,” said Barr (right, with former Deputy Att. Gen. Rod Rosenstein at a news conference discussing the Mueller Report.)
“And the groups that usually worry about 'civil liberties' – and making sure that there's proper procedures followed and standards set – seem to be ignoring it and are willing to destroy people's lives and see great injustices done.”
“And the groups that usually worry about 'civil liberties' – and making sure that there's proper procedures followed and standards set – seem to be ignoring it and are willing to destroy people's lives and see great injustices done.”
Prominent Democrats, including former Democrat presidential candidate Sens. Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Kamala Harris (CA) called for Barr to resign Thursday after the DOJ moved to drop the case against Flynn, and accused Barr of making the decision out of Trump’s interest, rather than the nation’s.
Barr, noting his belief that FBI officials set a “perjury trap” for Flynn, said he is “prepared” to face backlash and referred to the legal reasoning laid out in Thursday's Department of Justice filings which determined the statements Flynn was prosecuted for telling FBI investigators wasn't actually "material" or influential to an investigation.
Barr, noting his belief that FBI officials set a “perjury trap” for Flynn, said he is “prepared” to face backlash and referred to the legal reasoning laid out in Thursday's Department of Justice filings which determined the statements Flynn was prosecuted for telling FBI investigators wasn't actually "material" or influential to an investigation.
"A crime cannot be established here. They did not have a basis for a counter-intelligence investigation against Flynn at that stage," Barr said, referring to the FBI.
“I'm doing the law’s bidding. I’m doing my duty under the law as I see it,” Barr told CBS News during an interview Thursday, dismissing Democrat attacks that he may have been doing the “president’s bidding” in moving to drop the case.
"The whole exercise was just about creating the lie," Barr told CBS News, adding that he thought Flynn's call with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was appropriate and even "laudable."
Barr defended current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who has come under criticism after the recent revelations in the Flynn case.
"He's been a great partner to me in our effort to restore the American people's confidence in both the Department of Justice and the FBI, and we work very well together," Barr said.
"I think both of us know that we have to step up — that it's very important to restore the American people's confidence," said the Attorney General.
"The whole exercise was just about creating the lie," Barr told CBS News, adding that he thought Flynn's call with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was appropriate and even "laudable."
Barr defended current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who has come under criticism after the recent revelations in the Flynn case.
"He's been a great partner to me in our effort to restore the American people's confidence in both the Department of Justice and the FBI, and we work very well together," Barr said.
"I think both of us know that we have to step up — that it's very important to restore the American people's confidence," said the Attorney General.
