Quit it. Quit it now.
A federal judge on Thursday strongly criticized Attorney General William Barr’s disclosure of the Mueller report last year, calling early statements about special counsel Robert Mueller’s conclusions “misleading.”
In an order in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking access to the unredacted report, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said Barr’s action caused him “to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Mueller report in favor of President Trump.” …
Barr’s “lack of candor,” Walton wrote in a 23-page ruling in Washington, calls into question the credibility of Barr and the Justice Department in making redactions to the report. For that reason, Walton ordered government lawyers to give him the complete report so he can evaluate whether the material was properly blacked out. [NBC News]
Judge Walton is not a liberal appointee. He’s been nominated and confirmed to various judicial positions and commissions by no less conservative icons than Presidents Reagan and Bush (I), as well as Chief Justice Roberts. And this confirms it:
… Walton, a judge for a quarter-century [+13 more years – HAW], is known throughout the defense bar as a “long-ball hitter” — a jurist willing to put defendants away for a long time to deter future crimes. [WaPo]
My point? Labeling someone a conservative and hating them for it is regressive. It’s important to understand that the conservatives have some serious fissures, and its strong rightward skid since the days of Gingrich have left a lot of basically good Republicans in its wake with little connection to the likes of Trump, McConnell, and the other toxic personalities seeking to elevate their profiles through extremism.
Maybe I’m just cranky from last night’s quick skim of The Daily Kos highlights and their tendency to treat all conservatives as if they’re Ted Bundy, but personally I find Judge Walton’s words heartening. This is why we have an independent, non-elected judiciary. If Walton’s job was dependent on the good graces of Barr or Trump, would he still speak his mind?
Barr should resign.
