If Trump Is Allowed to Turn the Justice Department Into a Political Weapon, No One Is Safe

[Dennis Donovan]

https://time.com/5783007/donald-trump-doj-resignations/

BY JOYCE WHITE VANCE 12:57 PM EST

Vance is distinguished professor of the practice of law at the University of Alabama, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and an NBC News and MSNBC legal analyst.

There is outrage this morning over what happened to the Department of Justice yesterday. Roger Stone is the President’s longtime friend and former campaign advisor, and now a convicted felon. He was convicted at trial on charges of obstructing justice, making false statements and witness tampering. Now all that’s left is for the judge to sentence him.

At this stage in proceedings, prosecutors make a sentencing recommendation to the judge, which is what the prosecutors here did, recommending a sentence within the federal guidelines. What happened after that—a presidential tweet saying the sentence was too long and a new memo from the U.S. Attorney curtailing its previous recommendation—is such a sharp departure from the norms that it has caused anger and in many corners a sense of sorrow and grief among current and former prosecutors over what is happening at the department.

Link to tweet

Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump

All starting to unravel with the ridiculous 9 year sentence recommendation!

Catherine Herridge ✔@CBS_Herridge

#RogerStone Senior DOJ official tells @CBSNews Department was shocked to see sentencing recommendation Stone case. This is not what was briefed to Dept. The Dept. believes recommendation is extreme, excessive, grossly disproportionate to offenses...#DEVELOPING

8:40 PM - Feb 11, 2020

<snip>

If the President can get special treatment for himself or for those around him, we no longer have a system people can have confidence in. They will know that it’s rigged. A President who controls prosecutions in this manner has assumed the powers of a monarch or a dictator, not those given to the duly elected representative of the people.

<snip>

If a President can interfere in the way professional prosecutors conduct prosecutions, enforcing allegiance to him and stifling dissent, we no longer have a system of justice. No one is safe. Ultimately, a President could prosecute people he wants to jail and prevent prosecutions or lengthy sentences for his allies. If a President can lay claim to these expansive powers with a compliant attorney general at his side, then that President, who is fully above the law, has reduced our democracy to a sham.

</snip>

Barr's recent actions on Stone's sentencing are making legal scholars and analysts nervous AF. So, I'm getting nervous AF.

[7wo7rees]

1. Yes.This spells resl trouble. Like we are f'D!! N/T

[Anon-C]

2. They are just now getting nervous AF?

Loll...just kidding.

[onecaliberal]

3. That ship has sailed.

[TomSlick]

4. If Trump is reelected, there will be a large number of arrests.

No Democratic politician or journalist will be safe.

[Desert grandma]

5. In the unlikely event that Trump is reelected

We are moving to Panama or Portugal. Our sanity cannot handle 4 more years of the Orange Maggot.

[TomSlick]

6. It must be nice to have that as an option.

I wonder if countries may move to limit immigration from the U.S. if Trump is re-elected. It could become a refuge crises in some countries.

[Desert grandma]

7. Yes. We are fortunate.

We have current passports and because I am a retired airline employee, we have travel privileges. If this corrupt orange maggot should be reelected, I think many people will head to Canada and Mexico and ask for asylum. If he should win, which I doubt, there will be many people wanting to leave, I think. That is why it is so imperative that we defeat him in November. He and his senate enablers must be defeated if we want to save our country.

[TomSlick]

9. Agreed.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. Remember in November! Oust *every* Republican for being complicit.