justice

And The Barr Just Keeps Getting Lower

May 8, 2020 By John DeProspo 2 Comments

Yesterday Americans got one more example (if they needed one) of how the rule of law no longer exists in the United States. Well, at least for those associated with the Trump crime syndicate.

William Barr has given the admittedly guilty criminal, Michael Flynn, a “get out of jail free card.”

William Barr, who many have labeled Trump’s personal Roy Cohn, has turned the Department of Justice into the Department of Just-us.

We should not be surprised.

We all knew Barr was lying through his teeth when he said, at his confirmation hearing, he would never cave to political pressure from Trump or anyone else, insisting his age and experience freed him to act independently.

And yet some Democrats are stunned. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, condemned Barr in a written statement: “The decision to drop the charges against General Flynn is outrageous. The evidence against General Flynn is overwhelming.”

“He pleaded guilty to lying to investigators,” continued Nadler. “And now a politicized and thoroughly corrupt Department of Justice is going to let the President’s crony simply walk away. Americans are right to be furious and worried about the continued erosion of our rule of law.” Nadler predictably called for a new inspector general’s investigation. Good luck with that!

Remember this is the same William Barr who lied to the American people about the contents of the Mueller Report; the same henchman who reversed prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations for convicted Trump confidant Roger Stone; the same toady who refused to investigate Trump’s extortion of Ukraine for political gain; and the same Attorney General who wants us to believe he was “appalled” by the “apparent suicide” of Jeffrey Epstein.

It is probably too late for Barr to be impeached for his unprecedented assaults on the rule of law.

At the very least, Barr needs to be disbarred for transforming the role of our nation’s top law enforcement officer into that of a corrupt consigliere for Trump’s personal interests.

Adam Schiff has been quoted as saying Barr has “weaponized” the Justice Department to go after Trump’s enemies. He could have added, “and to go light on Trump’s criminal associates.”

Let’s not let the coronavirus pandemic distract us from what Barr is doing to undermine the bedrock of American democracy … the rule of law. The man needs to be held accountable in whatever way possible.

Democrats, Republicans, and anyone who believes in the primacy of American justice, should be calling for Barr’s resignation … immediately.

Photo | businessinsider.com

AOC Tweet: “Justice Isn’t Blind. It’s Bought”

March 8, 2019 By John DeProspo 4 Comments

The phrase “Equal Justice Under The Law” is engraved in the facade above the entrance to the United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

As any student of the law will tell you, this phrase is not so much a promise but an aspirational goal … at best … or just plain hogwash meant to hoodwink the average Joe. The truth is there are, and have always been, two systems of justice in this country … one for the haves, and one for the have-nots. There is “justice” for the well-to-do and “justice” for everyone else.

Yesterday, once again, the ugly truth was put on full display. Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manger and career criminal, was handed such a light sentence by Judge T.S. Ellis that nearly everyone following the Manafort saga was shocked.

While sentencing guidelines called for Manafort to be given a prison term anywhere from 19 to 24 years, Judge Ellis ordered Manafort to serve only 47 months in the can. The judge, who seemed to show a bias against the prosecution from the get go, even had the audacity to comment Manafort has lived “an otherwise blameless life!”

No. Justice in American is not blind. That statue of a blindfolded Lady Justice we are all so used to seeing is a fraud. What we’re not told is that the blindfold is actually see-through.

Although Manafort escaped with a small penalty in the first case he was sentenced, another sentencing day awaits him next week in front of a less forgiving judge who could add another 10 years to his jail time.

Let’s hope for some better “justice” handed down by Judge Amy Berman Jackson.

Have no doubt … the leniency granted to Manafort only highlights the inequities in our criminal justice system, which has led to excessively harsh — and often biased — sentencing that favors wealthier, white defendants.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in her tweet, has only stated what we already knew. The United States has the best ”justice” money can buy.

Photo | wired.com

Could Another Rat Bring Down Another Don?

February 28, 2019 By John DeProspo 3 Comments

Yesterday, Michael “The Fixer” Cohen, testified against his former boss, Donald Trump, much like Sammy “The Bull” Gravano sang against his boss, John “The Don” Gotti.

If you’re a fan of the rule of law, Cohen’s testimony will help bring down Trump and send him to a 6×8 semi-furnished “penthouse” much like the one Gotti occupied until the end of his days.

Lady Justice loves rats.

Photos| celebsiren.com, tmz.com

Something Even The Writers Of “Animal House” Could Not Have Imagined

October 6, 2018 By John DeProspo Leave a Comment

During the final scenes of perhaps the greatest frat movie ever made, the audience of National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) is treated to a glimpse of what becomes of some of the wild boys of Delta Tau Chi. Ladies’ man Eric Stratton (“Otter”) goes on to become a Beverly Hills gynecologist. Eternal loser Kent Dorfman (“Flounder”) finds his calling as a sensitivity trainer and obnoxious boozer John Blutarsky (“Bluto”) becomes a U.S. senator.

It now appears the movie’s comedy writers were too timid in their satire. They needed to think bigger, especially for John Belushi’s “Bluto” character. But back then, even satire had its limits. To be fair, how could the writers have ever imagined that in the year 2018, an actual hard-drinking frat boy could be appointed Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court?

Without a doubt, in the Age of Trump, satire is dead.

Photo | theconservativetreehouse.com

Trump Mocks McCain In Life … “The Maverick” Disses Trump In Death

August 26, 2018 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

Oh sweet justice!

If you recall, at an event in Iowa, then candidate Donald Trump belittled John McCain’s Vietnam war record by questioning his heroism.

“He’s not a war hero,” said Trump. “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”

Both Democrats and Republicans roundly criticized Trump for his comment. Though it was suggested Trump apologize to McCain, he never retracted the statement.

And now that the U.S. Senator, often called “The Maverick,” has passed away at the age of 81, it is McCain who gets the last dig.

While almost anyone who’s anyone will be attending McCain’s funeral, there will be one very noticeable absentee … Donald Trump.

It was McCain’s wish that Trump be barred from his funeral.

To make matters worse, McCain left specific instructions that a former president, Barack Obama, eulogize him!

That’s got to hurt the man-child currently occupying the Oval Office whose main goal is to erase Obama’s legislative accomplishments.

As one observer, Bruce Lindner, has noted, “Other than Obama’s roast of Trump at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner seven years ago, I don’t think anything anyone has ever done to Trump will infuriate him as much as this.”

How humiliating! How perfect!

Thank you, Sen. McCain, for your years of service to our country. However, I do not think I will ever forgive you for unleashing Sarah Palin on an defenseless nation!

Now all we need is for some more justice to be shown to our incompetent, narcissistic, illegitimate president by another true American patriot … one Robert S. Mueller.

Photo | yahoo.com

Sorry, Rudy, There Is One Place Where Truth IS Still Truth

August 22, 2018 By John DeProspo 2 Comments

Donald Trump’s TV lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told NBC’s Chuck Todd something quite extraordinary a few days ago. On Meet the Press this Sunday, Giuliani said to a stunned Todd, “Truth isn’t truth.”

Upping the ante on Kellyanne Conway’s infamous “alternative facts” comment, Giuliani doubled down on his Orwellian pronouncement the following day by tweeting: “My statement was not meant as a pontification on moral theology but one referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements, the classic ‘he said, she said’ puzzle.”

As crazy as it sounds, Giuliani’s statement does have some merit when it comes to political speech or when referring to some news outlets. The truth can be malleable.

As we found out yesteray, however, the truth is still the truth in a court of law. The bulwark of our democracy, our legal system, works.

A jury in Virginia convicted Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, on eight felony counts of bank fraud and tax evasion. At about the same time, in a New York court, Trump’s legal fixer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance violations, tax and bank fraud.

It didn’t matter what lies or fakery Manafort and Cohen engaged in prior to their day in court, once they stood in front of the man in the black robe, all the BS, the spin, the mangling of facts, ended.

It is said that justice is based on truth. Truth, in the law, means objective, reliable facts that can be admitted as evidence in a trial.

With what Cohen admitted to yesterday under oath, namely that Donald Trump directed him to violate campaign finance laws, it won’t be long before all of Trump’s claims of innocence, of “witch hunt”, of “no collusion”, will be put to the test … hopefully at an upcoming trial in the United States Senate after the House approves articles of impeachment.

Hey Rudy, when two people make contradictory statements, you know, the old he, said she said … one is telling the truth, one is lying.

Photo | nypost.com