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Cetacea

(7,400 posts)
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:02 PM Apr 2019

Barr has ties to Russia

"A few of Barr’s previous employers are connected to key subjects in the probe. And some argue that, even if Barr didn’t break any rules, his financial ties to companies linked to aspects of the Russia investigation raise questions about whether he should—like his predecessor, Jeff Sessions—recuse himself.

“The legal standard is really clear about these issues. It’s not about actual conflict, it’s about the appearance of a conflict, about the appearance of bias,” Jed Shugerman, a professor at Fordham University’s School of Law and an expert on judicial and government ethics, tells Newsweek . “The problem is that we have so many flagrant conflicts that are so obvious, we get distracted from what the legal standard is.”

This much is known: On Barr’s public financial disclosure report, he admits to working for a law firm that represented Russia’s Alfa Bank and for a company whose co-founders allegedly have long-standing business ties to Russia. What’s more, he received dividends from Vector Group, a holding company with deep financial ties to Russia.

These facts didn’t get much attention during Barr’s confirmation hearing, as Congress was hyperfocused on an unsolicited memo Barr wrote prior to his nomination, which criticized the special counsel’s investigation—and whether he would release an unredacted Mueller report to Congress. Much of the information is public, but it has so far been unreported in relation to Barr..."


Link To Newsweek article:
https://www.newsweek.com/so-many-conflicts-so-little-time-1396435

53 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Barr has ties to Russia (Original Post) Cetacea Apr 2019 OP
Oooooh dear Hekate Apr 2019 #1
Anyone surprised by this? sheshe2 Apr 2019 #2
I'm shocked I tell you malaise Apr 2019 #8
LOL. sheshe2 Apr 2019 #10
It seems to be enevitable with Trump appointees. Mr. Evil Apr 2019 #28
Well, tblue37 Apr 2019 #36
damm. am i the only person left in the usa that does not have ties with russia ??? drray23 Apr 2019 #3
Да, да. Shell_Seas Apr 2019 #12
You may be rusty fender Apr 2019 #22
probably. I have 'tied' to Russia. pangaia Apr 2019 #32
IKR !?!?! uponit7771 Apr 2019 #38
He must recuse, or submit Mueller's report unredacted. Cracklin Charlie Apr 2019 #4
He's far too cocky Cetacea Apr 2019 #7
Filthy. Rotten. Scoundrels. lindysalsagal Apr 2019 #5
Like Brian Benczkowski. Mc Mike Apr 2019 #6
Isn't it too late for this? Shell_Seas Apr 2019 #9
How special Stinky The Clown Apr 2019 #11
Just call them the Russia Party. nt coti Apr 2019 #13
Wasn't it the Alpha bank that was mysteriously communicating with Trump Org computers... PeeJ52 Apr 2019 #14
yes indeed. nt. drray23 Apr 2019 #16
barr may be vulnerable to blackmail by trump or putin. Could explain his sucking empedocles Apr 2019 #20
What crossed my mind while I was reading KPN Apr 2019 #47
Yup the computer @ Alfa Bank had links to Putin, the Trump Campaign, Cambridge Analytica, Botany Apr 2019 #25
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Golden Raisin Apr 2019 #26
Yep, Alfa bank was in on the conspiracy. triron Apr 2019 #31
I think the DeVoss organization was the third leg on this connection, if memory is correct. dameatball Apr 2019 #46
That explains things a bit. Glimmer of Hope Apr 2019 #15
I wondered what his tax returns would show. Grasswire2 Apr 2019 #17
Something's rotten all right! BigmanPigman Apr 2019 #18
This entire maladminstration and UpInArms Apr 2019 #35
Our Democratic Party leaders SHRED Apr 2019 #19
Not surprised. kentuck Apr 2019 #21
And worse still, the Bush crime family sandensea Apr 2019 #23
Rusian ties are a rerequisite for a position in the Trump Admin. Amaryllis Apr 2019 #24
THIS !!!! uponit7771 Apr 2019 #39
Bogus. crazytown Apr 2019 #27
I'm shocked!!! Shocked!!! Initech Apr 2019 #29
it is only a conflict if he worked on cases involving alpha bank (Did he?) Takket Apr 2019 #30
Are There Any Republicans, in Office, Not Connected to Russia? dlk Apr 2019 #33
K&R UTUSN Apr 2019 #34
So Barr is the "unrelated 3rd party" he's protecting... Wounded Bear Apr 2019 #37
This makes me wonder just how deep Russian connections go in the Republican Party. Lonestarblue Apr 2019 #40
I agree and believe this is the much bigger issue. Protection redactions Thursday. Evolve Dammit Apr 2019 #53
Russian connections RayStar Apr 2019 #41
WTF? He should be considered a co-conspirator not Attorney General. Vinca Apr 2019 #42
Alfa Bank toddwv Apr 2019 #43
I wouldn't be surprised if he has ties to China, as well. GoCubsGo Apr 2019 #44
This could feed MSNBC all day. lagomorph777 Apr 2019 #45
Barr withheld the full OLC opinion from congress Linda Ed Apr 2019 #48
Walter Shaub quote... Linda Ed Apr 2019 #49
EVERY member of this administration is grotesquely fox guarding henhouse corrupt AdamGG Apr 2019 #50
What has Russia got on Barr?! democratisphere Apr 2019 #51
Why didn't this info come up during the confirmation process?? This should piss people off. ancianita Apr 2019 #52

Mr. Evil

(3,457 posts)
28. It seems to be enevitable with Trump appointees.
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 10:02 PM
Apr 2019

I would've been more shocked if he didn't have ties to Russia. Barr is a typical party above country RWNJ.

drray23

(8,757 posts)
3. damm. am i the only person left in the usa that does not have ties with russia ???
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:06 PM
Apr 2019

each and every one of those guys have ties with russia one way or another. maybe i do and dont realize it..

pangaia

(24,324 posts)
32. probably. I have 'tied' to Russia.
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 10:13 PM
Apr 2019

I have a bunch of musician friends in St Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk,......

And one living in Den Haag who had to leave the Soviet Union. Can't go back... And another living in Manchester, UK.....

Cracklin Charlie

(12,904 posts)
4. He must recuse, or submit Mueller's report unredacted.
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:07 PM
Apr 2019

Or they can all resign, and let President Pelosi take over.

Traitors.

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
14. Wasn't it the Alpha bank that was mysteriously communicating with Trump Org computers...
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:16 PM
Apr 2019

before the election?

empedocles

(15,751 posts)
20. barr may be vulnerable to blackmail by trump or putin. Could explain his sucking
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:29 PM
Apr 2019

up to WH. Justice Kennedy ties to Deutsch/trump. The plots thicken.

KPN

(17,377 posts)
47. What crossed my mind while I was reading
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 10:04 AM
Apr 2019

the piece. Maybe Barr got a “suggestion” that he write that memo to tRump that got him the “job”?

Botany

(77,323 posts)
25. Yup the computer @ Alfa Bank had links to Putin, the Trump Campaign, Cambridge Analytica,
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 09:10 PM
Apr 2019

Wikileaks, the Mercers, and Facebook.

Golden Raisin

(4,755 posts)
26. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 09:12 PM
Apr 2019

Back in 2016 Alfa Bank and Trump Organization servers tried to communicate or had "repeated activity" with each other.

dameatball

(7,669 posts)
46. I think the DeVoss organization was the third leg on this connection, if memory is correct.
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 09:49 AM
Apr 2019
 

SHRED

(28,136 posts)
19. Our Democratic Party leaders
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:28 PM
Apr 2019

They need to start fighting like our lives depend on it.
Because they do.

sandensea

(23,343 posts)
23. And worse still, the Bush crime family
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 08:40 PM
Apr 2019


"As you've all heard I'm out of the loop - and here's the guy who keeps me out of it."

crazytown

(7,277 posts)
27. Bogus.
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 09:22 PM
Apr 2019

Barr employed by Law. Employed. Not linked to individual clients. Not a conflict of interest at the time, let alone now.

Barr is corrupt. He has disgraced the office of Attorney General for the most base political motives. The Elephant is the room is Trump himself who by his own words expects the AG to do as he’s told. As Cohen said- Trump expects you to protect him, to lie and to stand over others. Barr knew , he applied for the job as has acted accordingly.

Takket

(23,715 posts)
30. it is only a conflict if he worked on cases involving alpha bank (Did he?)
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 10:12 PM
Apr 2019

and receiving dividends is okay as long as he divested himself from that holding company prior to becoming AG. (Has he?)

Lonestarblue

(13,480 posts)
40. This makes me wonder just how deep Russian connections go in the Republican Party.
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 06:54 AM
Apr 2019

I assume all of the Republican leadership in Congress has illicit ties to Putin. Perhaps that conversation when Kevin McCarthy said he believed that Putin was paying two people, Trump and Rohrabacher, has deeper meaning in that Ryan and others all had liaisons with Russia but they weren’t being paid directly, maybe just through campaign contributions to PACs. And why did Paul Ryan leave at the height of his power and without achieving two of his goals by killing social security and Medicare?

RayStar

(417 posts)
41. Russian connections
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 07:54 AM
Apr 2019

Is anyone #45 picks for a position in his administration NOT connected to Russian banking or finances?

toddwv

(2,831 posts)
43. Alfa Bank
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 09:21 AM
Apr 2019
https://www.businessinsider.com/deutsche-bank-tried-to-shed-loan-it-made-to-vtb-group-a-russian-bank-2019-2

Deutsche Bank reportedly tried to jettison a $600 million loan it made in 2016 to VTB Group, a Russian state-owned bank, amid questions over Russia's meddling in the 2016 election that made Donald Trump president, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Deutsche sold $300 million of the loan to Alfa Bank in December 2016, and wasn't able to sell the rest of loan, according to The Journal. VTB Group paid the rest of loan back in full in August 2017.

Linda Ed

(518 posts)
48. Barr withheld the full OLC opinion from congress
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 11:50 AM
Apr 2019

Barr’s Playbook: He Misled Congress When Omitting Parts of Justice Dep’t Memo in 1989
It is better to think of Barr’s summary as a redacted version of the full OLC opinion. That’s because the “summary” took the form of 13 pages of written testimony. The document was replete with quotations from court cases, legal citations, and the language of the OLC opinion itself. Despite its highly detailed analysis, this 13-page version omitted some of the most consequential and incendiary conclusions from the actual opinion. And there was evidently no justifiable reason for having withheld those parts from Congress or the public.
https://www.justsecurity.org/63635/barrs-playbook-he-misled-congress-when-omitting-parts-of-justice-dept-memo-in-1989/

And also this https://www.washingtonpost.com/

Linda Ed

(518 posts)
49. Walter Shaub quote...
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 11:56 AM
Apr 2019

If Barr had a concern about the investigation and wanted the truth, he'd cite facts and rely on the IG. If he wanted to provide his boss political cover or intimidate investigators so they won't investigate his boss again, he'd cite a conspiracy theory and launch his own inquiry.

ancianita

(43,307 posts)
52. Why didn't this info come up during the confirmation process?? This should piss people off.
Tue Apr 16, 2019, 06:58 PM
Apr 2019
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