Garland's DoJ pens strongly worded letter to Musk

[Mr.WeRP]

https://www.24sight.news/p/scoop-doj-sends-musk-pac-warning

The Justice Department's head of election crimes sent a warning letter to Elon Musk's America PAC Monday, alerting it that it was a crime to knowingly offer anything of value to register to vote or vote, a person familiar with the warning letter told 24sight News.

Robert Heberle, the head of the Justice Department's election crimes branch, wrote in the brief warning letter to America PAC lawyer Chris Gober, that offering anything of value to influence voting was in violation of U.S. law barring-payments to sway votes.

Must be nice to be an oligarch who commits crimes and is only sent a letter for it.

[Scrivener7]

1. .

[TheBlackAdder]

31. You're breaking my balls Hans, you're breaking my balls.

[Scrivener7]

43. HOW did I miss that when it came out??? It's awesome!

[TheBlackAdder]

54. Every time I hear strongly written letter, I think of this scene.

[Best_man23]

2. The DOD Inspector General needs to review all of Leon's contracts with the US Government

From here on, I'm referring to the owner of the cesspool formerly known as Twitter as "Leon", because that is what the Convicted Felon called him.

[PeaceWave]

3. Legal perspective - A "strongly worded letter" is the equivalent of farting into a stiff wind.

[newdayneeded]

5. That's what the OP means.

Kamala needs to make a change at this position. period!

[Mr.WeRP]

6. Trump has Judge Cannon lined up for it

[Angleae]

16. She's in the wrong district.

[bigtree]

24. where has DOJ issued a 'warning letter' to any perp in the past?

...and what evidence is there that DOJ did so in this case, outside of this leak that could only have come from the target?

Where is 'warning letter' sending outlined in Justice Dept. regs?

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. Many people get letters before getting indicted

It creates a paper trail proving they had criminal intent (for acts that continue after receiving the letter).

The next step would be a subject/target letter informing Musk he is the subject/target of a criminal investigation (not sure if a grand jury must be seated before those letters go out or not). DOJ doesn’t announce those letters typically, but the recipients sometimes do.

Trump and Giuliani both got target letters IIRC.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

8. Sshhh, don't want to disturb the Biden Adminstration's critics

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. I know, they've got such little time left to bash Garland

What will they do when they find that Harris’ new AG can’t just “lock him up!” either?

[BWdem4life]

44. Strawman

Criticizing a Biden appointee does not even remotely come close to being a Biden Administration Critic.

I thought this site was for intellectually honest people, not stink-bomb throwers.

[onenote]

15. +1

[bigtree]

18. I doubt it was a 'warning letter'

...that isn't really a thing from DOJ, right?

Target letter, I would believe.

If this happened, it would be an effort to try and protect what's left of this election from the criminal activity described, not any definitive or final action.

[RidinWithHarris]

20. With less than two weeks left until the election this kind of time scale doesn't suffice

It's more important to stop the criminal activity in a timely manner that " (create) a paper trail proving they had criminal intent".

So, a follow-up more-strongly-worded letter after the election? That'll do it.

[Diraven]

7. Bet he'll ignore it

Because if Trump wins, this all goes away.

[brush]

10. On no. Is there someone else to stop Musk? I mean Garland tends to take months to get up to speed and begin...

enforcement on matters...if we go by his past history with finally starting after the J6 principal exciters and insurrectionists?


He when after the little guys who invaded the Capitol all right, but the big traitors...NO.

[bigtree]

21. he has zero guidance from his critics

...about how to obtain evidence that will survive the kinds of challenges and appeals Musk can afford.

It's as if we knew nothing about how high profile cases are investigated and charged; not on a will or whim, but through the lengthy grand jury process that the Justice Dept. almost exclusively relies on to bring charges forward.

I know critics believe relying on clickbait reporting which has never revealed ANY of the details of investigations they criticized as slow or inept, mostly because those details aren't publicly available in ongoing investigations and prosecutions outside of court filings and testimony, is the beat all.

So sure, I believe anonymous internet prosecutors working it all out in the fantasy prosecution in their heads.

Alright, sure, okay.

[bigtree]

11. so you used a Elon Musk generated leak to ding the Justice Dept.

...with the 'strongly worded letter' thing. Always a weird criticism.

Knowing even less about what the DOJ is actually investigating or intends to prosecute than Musk.


context:


Joyce Alene @JoyceWhiteVance 1h
If true makes absolute sense. DOJ policy prohibits confirming or denying a criminal investigation is underway except in rare circumstances, not applicable here. But hard to believe they wouldn't be taking a look at Musk's million dollar payments to potential voters.


..weird to pretend, as Musk is doing here, that this makes him immune from prosecution. If anything, it makes it even more certain they'll take action, warning him against further efforts to influence this election underway.

[Mr.WeRP]

19. What exactly did Musk "generate" in that article?

[bigtree]

23. the leak of something termed a 'warning letter' here which could only have come from Musk

...DOJ hasn't responded, as they are apt to do.

please point me to where the DOJ issues 'warning letters' so I can believe this weird reporting.

Link?

[Mr.WeRP]

25. It's widely reported now. You can come off the fainting couch

If you don’t trust the site I linked in the OP, which is local to DC, they are talking about it on MSNBC.

You may want to refrain from being a Garland apologist as well. It’s messing with your perception.

[bigtree]

35. lol

...the report of a 'warning letter' whatever that is, came from Musk, not the DOJ.

All of the faulty reasoning you used to present this as DOJ intransigence is belied by these simple realities.

Any warning from DOJ would be to preserve the integrity of the election, not as a disciplinary action.

An actual investigation and prosecution of the crimes described would involve a grand jury process which DOJ relies on to bring charges forward, so it's premature, to say the least, to present this as the totality or pinnacle of DOJ action against Elon Musk as you've presented it here.

If I'm a Garland 'apologist' for explaining the facts behind this Biden DOJ bashing take on the report, what does misrepresenting the DOJ's actions and process in this thread make you?

[Mr.WeRP]

36. You know nothing

Musk has not responded to comments and neither has DoJ.

The story was sourced by multiple sources and by multiple news organizations.

Bottom line is you can’t accept Garland’s inadequacy as AG. Noted.

[bigtree]

37. heh 'multiple sources could be the two reporting outlets using the same source.

...there are only two news orgs mentioning 'a' source each.

I do know that DOJ didn't leak anything about sending a 'warning letter' to a perp.

Silliness. You're drafting off of Musk's leak. It's obvious, and sad that this is being presented and regarded as legitimate news, and used as some nebulous, undefined criticism of DOJ.

Who's the perp here?

[Mr.WeRP]

38. "Sources familiar with the letter"

Could be DoJ, could be someone at America PAC.

You do not know.

If there are DoJ agents that are trying to press charges and the head is preventing them, then hell yes there could be leaks from DoJ.

But you do throw accusations freely here at DU. That much is clear. Some advice: take a break and sit this one out.

[bigtree]

39. when we see leaks like this they are almost always from the target

...this DOJ has shown zero propensity to leak anything.

You've done nothing here except cast aspersion on the people charged with enforcing the law, as if they aren't proceeding with criminal charges, or won't. Neither is in evidence in this 'report' of a 'warning letter.

The Justice Department declined to comment in response to requests from USA TODAY...

Robert Heberle, the head of the Justice Department’s election crimes branch, sent the "brief warning letter" to America PAC lawyer Chris Gober, saying that offering anything of value to influence voting was in violation of U.S. law barring payments to sway votes, according to the media outlet 24sight.news. (lol, 'media outlet')

ABC News, citing a source, also said the letter came from DOJ’s election crimes branch within its public integrity section.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/23/elon-musk-election-giveaway-petition-doj/75813730007/

...the 'source' is obviously the Musk PAC lawyer.

I provided reciepts, beyond what Bianco and that internet news outlet reported, which you seem to think represents everything but a certificate of exoneration.

Silliness.

[Mr.WeRP]

40. Please, proceed.

Keep digging… you’re almost there

🤣

[bigtree]

41. I'm on solid ground

...you're hanging all of your Garland-bashing on an unsubstantiated leak from the Musk PAC.

Brilliant stuff. Legal-like reasoning and all.

[Mr.WeRP]

42. As solid as quicksand 🤣

[bigtree]

45. showing us what a 'warning letter' is, according to DOJ regs

...would go a long way in proving there actually was one.

I'm almost convinced that what Musk got was a 'target' letter, and he's intent on presenting it as some kind of benign warning.

The PAC already moved to change the language in the fine print of the contest rules, but legal observers say it's still in violation of the law.

What this should be speculated as is a precursor to a grand jury, not some nebulous 'warning letter' which isn't found anywhere in DOJ terminology, much less their regulations.

[Mr.WeRP]

46. A crime is committed in broad daylight on national TV and instead of an indictment

A strongly worded letter.. oooooooo. That’ll stop it.

Get. Fucking. Real.

[bigtree]

48. tell us more about how little you know about how DOJ conducts investigations and prosecutions

...this is where that thing where critics claim DOJ can prosecute all crimes in an instant, and brings charges forward on Garland's will or whim comes in, right?

There's a grand jury process for all of that. It's not going to be like Serpico knocking down Musk's door, no matter what you've seen on teevee.

Moreover, we'll likely see the PAC members with charges before Musk, to squeeze them into testifying against him before the same GJ.

[Mr.WeRP]

49. You're so brimming with facts and knowledge /s

Why don’t you educate us all. You are a prosecutor, no?

[bigtree]

51. lawd

...now you're going to start listening to me?

I have my doubts.

Start with presenting more relevant facts other than your own projected cynicism of Garland behind an unsubstantiated report about something that the DOJ has never been reported doing ever.

They send 'target' letters, not nice warnings to perps guiding them in the letter of the law through their crimes. I'd expect folks to understand that, but here we are.

[ramedy]

12. A strong letter!

😂🤣😂 That ought to do it!

I’m sure Musk is terrified of the current DOJ.

[bigtree]

14. he should be

...they've just warned him against further criminal actions described.

He can pretend this means he's off the hook, but what's the interest in anyone else doing the same?

[doc03]

13. A stongly worded letter with a bunch of exclamation points I bet. That should

have him shaking in his boots.

[OneGrassRoot]

17. That's where I live. I thought he was just doing it in PA. smh n/t

[Mr.WeRP]

34. Any swing state according to Musk's rules

[tinrobot]

22. Covering bases with a warning first is pretty standard

Hope they follow through on the warning and arrest the dipshit when he ignores it.

[Think. Again.]

29. And we're supposed to ignore the fact that the crime has already been committed, multiple times?

[Mr.WeRP]

33. A person who commits a crime in broad daylight on national TV

Doesn’t get a warning letter. They get arrested.

[NoRethugFriends]

26. Oooh. Strongly worded

[Permanut]

27. Let's not be hasty here..

He could be fined THOUSANDS of DOLLARS!

[Think. Again.]

28. The doj has an "Election Crimes Branch"???

Is this that branch's first day in service?

[jcgoldie]

30. Settle down Garland

Someone somewhere may accuse you of being too political.

[Think. Again.]

32. A warning letter might have been appropriate BEFORE the crime was committed.

....but a warrant is what's appropriate now.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. Oooooohhhhhhhhh that'll learn him!

[ecstatic]

50. imagine if a Democrat did what musk is doing. nt

[bigtree]

52. they'd be investigated, and charged if they were found to be committing a prosecutable offense

...same as in this case where the individuals involved associated with Musk's PAC will be threatened with charges or indicted to compel their testimony against Musk.

AFTER that process of investigation, if what they've found supports it, the material evidence they've obtained will be presented to the grand jury, along with the testimony of all involved who aren't incriminating themselves (outside of an cooperating agreement) by talking.

DOJ will pursue evidence until they believe the benefit in continuing outweighs moving forward, or if they don't find enough they believe will convict.

Same for Dem or republican with this DOJ.

[UTUSN]

53. Thought the strongly worded letter was BOROWITZ