General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNeal Katyal suggests again today: De-fund AG Barr's salary and the AG Office.
In light of the Barr display yesterday, it is clear he will ignore the subpoena, brush off a contempt of Congress, and attempt to force Dems to go down the impeachment process. There is another option, and one I thought was a waste of time a month ago. It's not sounding so far out there now.....
2:48 mark
De-funding the Attorney General of the United States is a legitimate and respectable tool Congress could use to at least curtail lawlessness on the part of the Attorney General and his office? Yes.
[Taxpayers]...shouldnt pay for...this lawlessness. Indeed.
Despite inevitable caterwauling and wailings of Partisanship! Cheaters! by the GOP, Congress should absolutely set these gears in motion while they still can and educate the American people as to why.
1. Bill Barr lied, and continues to lie, about the Mueller Report. That much is clear now that it has been parsed through and reported on. Does he think Americans are stupid? Yes.
2. Bill Barr refuses to release the full, unreacted Mueller Report to the other equal branch of governmentCongressbecause he knows most Americans dont realize that it is Constitutionally required.
3. Bill Barr is threatening to stonewall Congress yet again, by refusing to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee because he disagrees with their format, i.e., he does not want to be questioned by Democratic lawyers.
4. Trump, Barr, and former Acting AG Rod Rosenstein, are thumbing their noses at the PeopleCongressin their quest to to seize power. If the House doesnt act the AG Office/DOJ may start investigating members of Congress to delegitimize Congress even further
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/29/1845857/-Neal-Katyal-s-suggestion-in-March-applies-today-De-fund-AG-Barr-s-salary-and-the-AG-Office
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,985 posts)OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(9,985 posts)OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)Government is shut down
https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/968316/download
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,985 posts)600 is not a small number and Repugs would make it seem like 6000. They'd make sure it backfired on Dems big time.
maxsolomon
(33,327 posts)they can just cut off funding?
Brawndo
(535 posts)Our founders intended that to work as one of our checks and balances. Now is the perfect time to remind the Executive Branch of that fact.
maxsolomon
(33,327 posts)they can do it without legislating it?
Brawndo
(535 posts)my gut is that they can't "just do it".
onenote
(42,700 posts)What would be the implications for legitimate law enforcement activities if the AG's office (not just Barr's salary) was defunded (and at what point might a de-funding bill run afoul of the Constitutional ban on bills of attainder?) If the entire Office of the Attorney General is defunded, How many people, including administrative assistants, etc. would suddenly be left without a salary -- something Mr. Barr could much more easily tolerate than most AG office employees.
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)According to this, about 600
https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/968316/download
onenote
(42,700 posts)to cut off previously authorized and appropriated funds when you control one house of Congress.
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)this then they can. I have to laugh at all the folks trying to poke holes.
erronis
(15,241 posts)Or as Col. Potter would say, the horse's patoot.
onenote
(42,700 posts)engineering a complete government shutdown -- one that would clearly be the Democrats responsibility (and that can't be done until the end of September anyway).
There is no -- I repeat no - mechanism for one house of Congress to block the spending of authorized and appropriated funds. This is and always will be a silly, unachievable idea.
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)That is what he is doing and he must be stopped ASAP! How does this defunding work?
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)AGs said they would represent the people's interest in court.
I presume when they approve funding, the entire budget isn't handed over ?
BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)They`ve defunded the entire government when it suits their partisan interests.
watoos
(7,142 posts)Seriously though, if Mueller doesnt testify by May 15th what do you wait and see crowd suggest?
Hope I dont get spanked for having an opinion different than Speaker Pelosis.
I still support her 100%.
King Donald already decreed that McGahn will not testify. How do you lets wait crowd intend to get the entire Mueller report?
calimary
(81,238 posts)Cut off his budget. Unless he comes in to testify according to the conditions set by the Judiciary Committee. NOT by him. He doesnt set the rules for the House of Reps. The House of Reps does. And the House is led by the Dems.
Congress controls the federal purse strings. And the Democrats control Congress.