Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Mrs. Overall

(6,839 posts)
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 07:54 PM Jan 2019

Trump startled by cozy Barr-Mueller relationship

Source: CNN

President Donald Trump was startled Tuesday as he watched television coverage of his nominee for attorney general describing a warm relationship with the special counsel Robert Mueller in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to three people familiar with the matter.

During the first day of his confirmation hearing, William Barr described telling the President the first time he met him in June 2017 that he was friends with Mueller, referring to him on a first name basis.

"I told him how well I knew Bob Mueller and that the Barrs and Muellers were good friends and would be good friends when this was all over," Barr said. "Bob is a straight-shooter and should be dealt with as such."

While Barr said during his hearing that Trump "was interested" in hearing about the friendship, the details that emerged this week caught the President off guard, the three sources said. He bristled at Barr's description of the close relationship, complaining to aides he didn't realize how much their work overlapped or that they were so close.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/17/politics/donald-trump-william-barr-robert-mueller/index.html

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump startled by cozy Barr-Mueller relationship (Original Post) Mrs. Overall Jan 2019 OP
Don't buy it Perseus Jan 2019 #1
I'll say! sandensea Jan 2019 #4
Just a thought liberalgunwilltravel Jan 2019 #17
GOOD, I was afraid he wouldn't hear about this Leghorn21 Jan 2019 #2
What Trump forgets is this, Wellstone ruled Jan 2019 #3
poorr donny is having another sad. riversedge Jan 2019 #5
Must piss off Trump when he appoints scumbags that have limits... Thomas Hurt Jan 2019 #6
This. I detest everything about Sessions. GulfCoast66 Jan 2019 #8
Reputation matters. Stand up to Trump he's "a man of integrity," give in and history will call him LastLiberal in PalmSprings Jan 2019 #13
I suspect too that dumb as Barr and Whitaker may be, they realize . . . Journeyman Jan 2019 #15
I respectfully disagree about Whitaker. GulfCoast66 Jan 2019 #16
Don't buy it either. More like deception via chaos ffr Jan 2019 #7
Or Barr... Aviation Pro Jan 2019 #9
Oh, how I would love this to be the case. SayItLoud Jan 2019 #11
Barr lies. Every time I have seen an interview with him littlemissmartypants Jan 2019 #10
Trump forgets he's a Beltway Outsider, an interloper, as it were. rickyhall Jan 2019 #12
Ohhh myyyy. That could be more interesting that we thought at first... Hekate Jan 2019 #14
LOL SunSeeker Jan 2019 #18
Why Would Trump Be Surprised? DallasNE Jan 2019 #19
Because he's a dumbass who doesn't do his homework? flibbitygiblets Jan 2019 #22
I don't believe that. Honeycombe8 Jan 2019 #20
Barr had to answer certain questions hinting that he might slant his opinions.... northoftheborder Jan 2019 #21

sandensea

(21,720 posts)
4. I'll say!
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 08:02 PM
Jan 2019

He was behind Poppy Bush's post '92 election decision to pardon everyone indicted in his Iran-COCAINE-Contra scandal.

Cheeto's kind of AG alright.

17. Just a thought
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 10:51 PM
Jan 2019

The Bushes hate/hated Trump. GHW Bush despised Trump. Even for all of his faults, GHW Bush loved America and its ideals. Barr was a loyal servant of GHW Bush. Wouldn't it be sweet...

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
3. What Trump forgets is this,
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 08:01 PM
Jan 2019

the clock is running as well as the Calendar. Barrs Confirmations is not going to happen for some time. Donnie has 24 months left if he is not kicked our of Office. And 24 months in Politics is a life time .

GulfCoast66

(11,949 posts)
8. This. I detest everything about Sessions.
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 08:38 PM
Jan 2019

The racism, 18th century reading of the Constitution. All of it.

And it pisses me off that History may well be kind to him the way he tried to keep trump from interfering with Mueller.

That night while trump was raging against the whole investigation that Session publicly went out to eat with Rosenstein and Wray was when I knew even he had his limits.

I have my doubts about Barr. He does not seem that smart and like many here think he may well be a stooge. But he has to know where this is heading. Standing up to trump will help his legacy and at his age that must mean something.

What Mueller know will come out. The people want it too bad for it to be suppressed.

13. Reputation matters. Stand up to Trump he's "a man of integrity," give in and history will call him
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 09:20 PM
Jan 2019

"Trump's toady." No matter how he truly feels about the investigation (and I think his writings are closer to the truth than his testimony), if he's seen killing it he knows that when the history of the abomination that was Trump is written he will not come off well.

My concern is how many ways Barr can dilute the final report if it released. Congress should be entitled to Mueller's unedited report, not a summary. And they should subpoena Mueller's work products to use during the impeachment and trial.

I agree with the conclusion of the Atlantic article: the impeachment process should begin NOW, before Trump has a chance to do even worse damage, like pulling us out of NATO.

Journeyman

(15,044 posts)
15. I suspect too that dumb as Barr and Whitaker may be, they realize . . .
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 09:57 PM
Jan 2019

Mueller operates on an entirely different plane than they do. I don't believe they'll risk challenging him.

GulfCoast66

(11,949 posts)
16. I respectfully disagree about Whitaker.
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 10:04 PM
Jan 2019

He is a religious nut and thinks god is directing trump. And is not very smart.

My fear is that on his last day in office he fires Rosenstein and Mueller.

If not I agree with you. Barr will not get dive into the chess pool.

ffr

(22,681 posts)
7. Don't buy it either. More like deception via chaos
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 08:22 PM
Jan 2019

Barr cannot be trusted, just like all of tRump's appointees.

littlemissmartypants

(22,868 posts)
10. Barr lies. Every time I have seen an interview with him
Thu Jan 17, 2019, 08:55 PM
Jan 2019

I've seen nonverbal signs of deception. He can't be trusted. These "Bob" statements just make him look like a name dropping braggart.

DallasNE

(7,404 posts)
19. Why Would Trump Be Surprised?
Fri Jan 18, 2019, 03:05 AM
Jan 2019

Barr was AG for 1990-1992. So what was Mueller doing at the same time. Well, from Wikipedia, he was "In 1990 he became the United States Assistant Attorney General in charge of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division."


Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
20. I don't believe that.
Fri Jan 18, 2019, 09:35 AM
Jan 2019

Trump and his team would have zeroed in on Barr's relationship w/Mueller and found out everything about it. No doubt in my mind that Trump thought that was an advantage, so he could say "See? I chose someone who worked w/Mueller & was friendly with him! I'm so fair!"

northoftheborder

(7,575 posts)
21. Barr had to answer certain questions hinting that he might slant his opinions....
Fri Jan 18, 2019, 05:00 PM
Jan 2019

....sympathetic to Dotard---or his nomination would have been immediately withdrawn by D.T. Dotard would never allow another person to get close to the "recusal" situation as with Sessions. I think the above analysis of why Barr decided to flatter DT into nominating him as AJ is interesting history.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Trump startled by cozy Ba...