It’s easy to see that, as far as Democrats are concerned, Attorney General William Barr has a target on his back. They are desperate to get rid of him, simply because he stated the obvious --- that there was SPYING going on against the Trump campaign --- and had the gall to say he wants to look into it. (They are shocked –- shocked! –- to find that gambling was going on at Rick’s!) Some people with a lot to lose are scared out of their minds right now, which explains a lot of what they’re babbling.
Of course, now that Barr has dared to tell the truth about this, Democrats have had to admit that they were wrong in thinking Trump “colluded” with Russia, express the relief all Americans should share now that we know the President of the United States is not a Russian agent, and work towards solving the nation’s problems, like border security and aggression from Iran and North Korea.
Ha, I made that last paragraph up. They’d much rather grandstand or munch on chicken in the congressional hearing room than get serious about real issues. It’s hard to even remember such juvenile behavior. These people have no intention of acknowledging the truth, and they will take down Barr any way they can. If they have to ruin his life, they will focus like a laser beam on doing so. But Barr appears to know exactly what he’s up against, and it may well be that he’s not nearly as vulnerable as many potential whistleblowers are. (I would describe the attorney general at this point as a very high-level whistleblower.)
Every would-be whistleblower in government or corporate work has to do a personal risk assessment before deciding to blow that whistle: What’s the worst they could do to me? Blackmail me? Steal my computer files? Destroy my reputation? Ruin my marriage? Hurt my family? Get me fired? End my career? Put me in prison? Make me dead? Then the whistleblower has to weigh that possible harm against the level of corruption and the importance of exposing it. That’s why so many people with stories to tell simply decide to stay quiet.
Investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson has written about this, sadly observing after 30 years of covering national news that in the culture of Washington, DC, truth-telling is frowned upon while cover-ups are rewarded and encouraged. That’s why it’s so challenging and drawn-out to learn what’s been going on, apparently for years, in the intelligence community. It occurs to me that those career intel people are so practiced at keeping secrets –- it’s an integral part of their job as undercover agents –- that it might start seeming routine to lie and hide information even from the officials who are supposed to oversee their work. These are people who’ve been trained to be discreet. Better just to hold on to those secrets.
Attkisson describes how “word on the street” can have a chilling effect on those who would otherwise come forward. She has heard from an FBI source that when numerous whistleblowers went to congressional leaders with information about the FBI and the Trump/Russia scandal, THOSE LEADERS TURNED THEIR NAMES OVER TO THE DOJ. I am not kidding. Attkisson doesn’t say, but I’m guessing these were the Democrats who run the committees, as the Republicans are all for getting the information out.
Another factor is that so often, after whistleblowers risk everything to come forward and tell the truth, they find that nothing changes. People who should be rotting in prison as a result of whistleblower testimony might be getting cushy jobs with CNN or MSNBC instead, or making millions on a sensational book, or just quietly retiring with full benefits at taxpayer expense. Why be a hero and ruin your own life if it’s not going to do any good?
But Attkisson has come up with an interesting idea. She calls it “the whistleblower amnesty period.” AG Barr could start one within the Department of Justice, but she advises him to act quickly, before too many lobbying forces try to stop him.
Imagine if there were period --- say, 60 days --- in which whistleblowers could come forward under a promise of anonymity, job security and legal representation. These people would be part of a group that’s legally protected against retaliation, with independent overseers to enforce it. If an individual wanted a mutually beneficial separation instead, that could be negotiated. If coming forward involved a confession of wrongdoing by the whistleblower, an immunity agreement might be negotiated as well.
They’d also need to establish trusted intermediaries, because, according to Attkisson, the inspectors general are often seen as insiders and are not always trusted by the rank-and-file.
As I was reading her suggestions, it seemed like a good policy to have all the time, but Attkisson presents it as a limited, one-time-only amnesty period, a way to clean house (or, to use another phrase I’ve heard somewhere, “drain the swamp”), and that probably makes better sense. After it’s over, if someone hasn’t come forward but is later implicated in wrongdoing, that person will be punished and/or prosecuted to the full extent of the law or existing regulations.
It sure would be interesting to see what might come out of this. Who can tell what sort of outpouring there would be? (The DOJ might need a lot more intermediaries, the bureaucratic equivalent of actual “shovel-ready jobs.”) Attkisson suggests that if it works for the Department of Justice and the intelligence community and helps change a culture that currently looks the other way at corruption, it could serve as a model for other government agencies as well.
But she doubts seriously that anything like this will be done. On the other hand, with Bill Barr running the Justice Department, maybe it’ll happen. Or maybe he’s got his own way of cleaning up the mess.
Right now, Barr is kind of busy, though, dealing with what’s being presented as a “showdown” with House Judiciary Committee Democrats, with Jerry Nadler giving him till Wednesday to turn over the completely unredacted Mueller report AND all the underlying evidence, including the grand jury material, which would be against the law for Barr to share on his own. He could go to a judge and ask for the grand jury material to be released, and he might get permission in time, but doing that undercuts the whole idea of grand jury secrecy. Dems don’t care.
Committee Democrats can already view an almost totally unredacted version of Mueller’s report but not one of them has even bothered to go look at it. It seems they’re just looking for an opportunity to hold Barr in contempt. Some of them are even talking about having him arrested and tossed into jail. But Barr has obviously conducted that personal risk assessment and decided to stand up against this idiocy. As U.S. Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd put it, “You have yet to take advantage of the Department’s offer to review the less-redacted version of the Special Counsel’s report, which naturally raises questions about the sincerity of the Committee’s interest in and purported need for the redacted material.”
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Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2019/5/attorney-general-bill-barr-and-the-problems-of-whistleblowers
Comments 1-25 of 33
EDWARD LESTER
05/13/2019 06:53 PM
Like DACA, democrats want the issue not the information/solution. If they can deligitimize Barr they can by proxy deligitimize Trump but it must be done a week or so before Nov 8th. Time is of the essence because defeating an incumbent with a historically hot economy is a formidable task even given the democrats penchant for voter fraud. There is a point where the fraud will not work when the margins are very large, it is a known mathematical calculation. Trump is likely to reach that point soon, Nadler realizes that. The democrats have invested their very political lives in stopping Trump, and it looks like they will lose their investments.
Catherine Taylor
05/08/2019 03:10 PM
Thank you so much for your God given common sense messages. I try so hard to think positive but I worked for the federal government and saw how hard it was to change attitudes and business practices. I realize just how deep and how far the tentacles reach. I had to quit, I couldn’t stand the nonsense. I pray every day for this country and this administration. Your lovely daughter is a mentor to women everywhere. You are a inspiration to all of us. Keep up the great work!
Robert Quesenbury
05/08/2019 11:18 AM
Judging by their public behavior, Dem leaders are acting on this and many other issues indicating a subversive attempt on their part to change the very core of the US intended by the Founding Fathers which has prevailed since the authoring of those two documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution Of the United States of America, so that we become subservient to their devious minds.
Their quoting the Constitution to support their tactics is a subterfuge. They are trying to use it to accomplish their own program.
Josephine Warren
05/08/2019 10:40 AM
I just listened to the house voteting to hold Barr in contemt of court !!!! How I hope that all our prayers for our country will be heard by Almighty God and the Democrates will stop t;his nonsence !!!! They are so detemined to shut our president down and destroy him, but they do not know that God has a much better plan. Again though we need all Christians to pray.
Tony Weaver
05/08/2019 09:23 AM
Is this and other actions becoming the Reign of Terror (France 1794) ?
Jessie Teddlie
05/08/2019 08:01 AM
The same people who defended Holder when republicans were wanting him held in contempt are now saying it is ok to go after the attorney general. Such treasonous hypocrites! I firmly believe that the DOJ and FBI broke many laws before President Trump was elected and were given orders to knowingly do so! ALL so need to be brought to justice! Comey, Holder, Obama and ALL!
Bella Gray
05/08/2019 07:57 AM
Can you get this link to POTUS? It is important that he be aware of it. https://mtlcounterinfo.org/a-recipe-for-nocturnal-direct-actions/
Frank Chavez
05/07/2019 11:39 PM
Is it any surprise that Representatives from two states are the main antagonists for our President?? NY and CA! The others are just hanging on coat tails trying to make a name for themselves.
Anita Mae Barker
05/07/2019 09:38 PM
It would appear that hardly anyone in D.C.can be trusted. What to do? Bless you.
Michael Galloway
05/07/2019 06:16 PM
Governor: Another revealing article about the attempted coup and of course the anti-American Democrats! I really liked one commentor's opinion as to pursuing all involved in the attempted coup, round them up and give them their choice whether they want prison, firing squad or deported to a socialist country. Too bad someone wouldn't take that seriously, as it seems like nothing but appropriate for TREASON.
This attempted coup cannot and should not be just talked about, it absolutely needs to be investigated and justice pursued against all involved. It is time that Americans see truth, accountability and justice, no matter how high ranking anyone is. Our Founding Fathers took treason seriously and rightfully so. Today, sadly, our nation doesn't take treason seriously, but it is time that we do, because way too many
involved in trying to destroy our President and the Democrats trying to destroy our nation.
Attorney General Barr needs to put together one tough team of investigators and go after all involved in the attempted coup and all the other violations of law and violations of ethics. Time to go after the Jerry Nadler's and all the other phony Democrats. It is time now to send a clear message that they have been caught in their web of lies, deception, violations of law up to and including treason. Not counting the liberals getting so much attention, there is at least 63+ million people (who voted for Trump) and hopefully many more waiting to see justice.
There would have been no pursuit of justice with the likes of Holder and Lynch under Obama and now people are starting to see the truth and it is definitely time to undo the damage of that administration and set things right and straight. AG Bill Barr and his team can do that and I hope we soon see some results.
Gladys Hizer
05/07/2019 05:58 PM
I don't think that Trump made any mistakes in the people he chose or were chosen for him, rather the 'chosen' ones made the mistakes that made for bad results. Today I read a newspaper article by Martin Schram for the Tribune News Service. He started out saying he was defending Barr and I will do quotes after the first paragraph. " ....America's 77th attorney general under President George H.W. Bush is a very smart man who always knows precisely what he is doing. And why. And assumes he can get away with it. You saw him performing as a mumbling, bumbling, dissembling apologist for Trump. But Barr was careful to be technically precise. He was under control as he performed the role of maybe-deceiving-but-never-quite-lying-Trump apologist." My 82 year old eyes didn't see what he saw and perhaps he gets paid by the word because he repeated his negativity throughout the column that took up a third of a page of the newspaper.
ED DAIGLE
05/07/2019 05:35 PM
Don't like to watch too much of these committee hearings, but watching Barr the other day was a pleasure and entertaining,as you can get.
His expressionless look, and he seem to be thinking, what am I doing sitting here with these idiots, or maybe tantrum trowing children, cause they can't get it there way.
Mary Botha
05/07/2019 04:47 PM
https://www.arcamax.com/politics/editorialcartoons/algoodwyn/
https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/surveillance
Synonyms for surveillance:
care control examination inspection scrutiny supervision vigilance wiretap bug direction eye lookout spying stakeout superintendence tab tail
https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/spying
Synonyms for spying:
surveillance bugging observing prying voyeurism surveyance tap track vigil watch body mike bugging eagle eye
rodney burke
05/07/2019 04:37 PM
and dems have a BIGGER target on their back. Bill Barr holds the key to a massive downfall. Dems know that and they are terrified. He called them out for criminal behavior and they are shocked? that is comical. He'd been justified to slap Nadler and Hirono into next week.
Yes, Mike their behavior is junior high level and that seems to reflect their collective IQ. Bill Barr knows so much he can take them down and hard! They are running scared because the AG knows their game and he holds all the cards. Do a damage assessment for all those who would harm a whistle blower and then send them to GITMO. People want to play hardball, then we play with a ball made out of stone.
Bill I'm sure, has a plan. he and the Trump team are prepared. Nadler is looking for trouble and it's about to happen. Things are about to get sticky. When the indictments come out, it's game over. Dems and RINOs have no where to hide. What's the penalty for violation of the tenets of the "grand jury" secrecy? Has Nadler ever thought of that?
Barr in contempt, really? Who has shown nothing but contempt, for law, secrecy and procedure. Who has shown contempt for the DOJDuh! Nadler know he's lying and trying to BS us. Barr ain't buying what he's selling. The USC is very clear and who is the chief prosecutor for the USA? Bill Barr. Nadler better think about that and back off! The IG report solves a lot of problems, the indictments are the final nail. Le't have them. let's end this now!
Amelia Little
05/07/2019 04:22 PM
A snippet I heard on the radio (had to change the station) was that "spying" has such a negative connotation. I think he was going to give us some namby-pamby pc alternative phrases that would, you know, make the spy or the people paying the spy to not feel so bad. I just smh.
As for the demand on Wm Barr--it's my understanding that the redacted portions of the report were from grand jury testimony and it would be against the law to release that information. Uhmm...it seems that I have read about all kind of reports over the years with redacted (sometimes heavily) material. Where was all the pressure and demands all those other times? Oh, yeah, no pressure, because it was against the law to reveal it. And, the tight deadline. How many MONTHS did good ol' hil keep her emails and communications that had been subpoenaed? Then, of course, she did her own permanent "redacting" with bleach bit and hammers. Or some time ago, there were documents that the FBI and DOJ were to turn over (I can't remember the issue.) Did they ever turn over those documents? And, with repeated demands to do so, I don't think they worried about any timeline. I kept saying--raid the FBI and DOJ offices, the homes, offices, any hotels rooms, etc of the high ups in those departments--early morning raids--before they deal with that information like hilary did.
I guess the democrats don't have attorneys on staff (oh, wait, aren't a great number of congressmen attorneys? Except of course the barista.) to advise them on LEGAL issues? An article I read (maybe right here) is that, if Wm Barr turns over the full report, unredacting grand jury portions, he can be impeached for breaking the law. But, if he DOES NOT comply with the insane demands, they will get him on obstruction of some kind. Someone needs to put their feet down on all this idiocy and ignoring of laws by the left. As Barney would say--"Nip it!!! Nip it in the bud!!!'
Keethlyn Fletcher
05/07/2019 04:02 PM
Since this pack has tried to run a coup against our President and our country, and , since I believe that is a treasonous act, and since they failed, when will they be brought up on charges and put in prison? ALL of the people that took part in this conspiracy to unseat the President need to face the consequences and can have a choice. Prison, firing squad, Or deportation to a socialist country. Well that is, if any country will take them.
Christina McCall Panter
05/07/2019 03:59 PM
Hi Mike,
My comment is about the brief article citing the overwhelming (rightful) opposition to allowing teens 16 or 17 to vote. It is correct that these kids are not yet mature enough! Soooo, if even Democrats recognize that young age is a valid reason for not being allowed to vote, how can they justify their reasons for indoctrinating children even younger with the lie that they are able to “determine” their gender, for example. (Even though anyone with a shred of common sense knows this is genetically impossible.) Why is it acceptable for kids the same age and younger to make critical medical decisions about hormone therapy, birth control, or abortion without the consent of their parents?
Anyway, these really are rhetorical questions, because I understand that it isn’t fair to ask for the illogical to be made logical, so I’ll end on a positive note. The high percentage of Democrats who recognize that teens of 16 or 17 should not be allowed to vote (bet most of them are parents) gives me a lot of hope for America. Outside DC, and despite the doomsday reporting from CNN and MSNBC, most of us are just living out our everyday lives with our families, friends and neighbors, and treating all folks (mostly) like somebody WITHOUT trying to make headlines with the next political absurdity barfed up in DC.
Thanks for letting me vent a little.
Hope you have a great evening!
Gene
05/07/2019 03:55 PM
If it's illegal to produce grand jury info in the report and the Committee Democrats are asking for it to be provided in a fully unredacted report are they not asking for something illegal then? By asking for someone to do something illegal isn't that a crime? If the president can be investigated why couldn't a congressman such as Nadler be investigated or submitted as a criminal referral for asking someone to do something that is clearly illegal?
Ted Hitzler
05/07/2019 03:46 PM
Sir.it seems that just about everyone reads Facebook (Idon't,my wife does and she is for TRUMP).Is their anyone who can slam the big name dems,about how come you are a foreign agent,you sure as hell aren't a AMERICAN.
I,m just a Old American who fought for my country,The dems.don't belong in my country.
Joy Randolph
05/07/2019 02:59 PM
Government agencies should never get political; therefore, my prayer is that Attorney General Barr has the will and the courage to seek and expose the truth of how these agencies have become corrupted and finally drain the swamp.
Robert McFate
05/07/2019 02:50 PM
Their attempts to intimidate Barr are futile as if you have been listening he said that he has already appointed people to investigate the whole mess. They can do what they want to him but the wheels are already rolling that may bring down many who were involved in the whole farce. With Obummer being so chummy with DemonRATs in congress how many had full knowledge of the conspiracy?
Bob Blankenship
05/07/2019 02:43 PM
Wasn’t the AG Eric Holder held in contempt of Congress and see what happened to him, NADA.
Lady Aycock
05/07/2019 02:41 PM
Dear Gov. Huckabee. I pray every day several times a day for this country . Truth, morality and God have been trampled on by the Democrats.
Karlene Sullivan
05/07/2019 01:54 PM
Why am I not hearing unity on republican side? It seems like the democrats have unity!
Alfred Grosfield
05/07/2019 01:28 PM
The nation states created the so called fed as a service provider for the states. (18 enumerated services)The fed has declared itself equal to, or greater than the nation states, just like Satan declared himself equal or greater then his creator. If you follow Satan are you not satanic??? This corporation is out of its created purposes and has declared all government part of this corporation ,with the united states inc. as the head of it all.
We are owed a government of the people ,by the people ,for the people. Rise up nation states & declare your status. Run these imposters back from whence they came.