The leaders of a group of federal judges will meet Tuesday to "address growing concerns" about the recent intervention of President Donald Trump and the Justice Department in "politically sensitive cases," USA Today reports.
Trump and Attorney General William Barr ignited fresh concerns about the impartiality of the Justice Department last week when Barr retracted a recommended sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone after the President criticized it on Twitter. Barr is also ordering a re-examination of several high-profile cases, including that of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The actions prompted more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials who served in Republican as well as Democratic administrations to sign a statement calling on Barr to resign.
Philadelphia US District Judge Cynthia Rufe, who serves as president of the 1,100-member Federal Judges Association, told USA Today that the group "could not wait" until a regularly scheduled April conference to discuss a "deepening crisis" involving the department and Barr. She said members called for Tuesday's meeting following Trump's criticism of the original sentencing recommendation for Stone, according to USA Today.
"There are plenty of issues that we are concerned about," Rufe said, according to the newspaper. "We'll talk all of this through."
Rufe, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, told the newspaper that the judges "are set to convene via a conference call involving 15 to 20 officers and members of the association's executive committee." She said the judges have not yet decided how or if they will report the "result" of the meeting.
CNN has reached out to the group for comment on the meeting.
Rufe told USA Today that the association is "not inclined to get involved with an ongoing case," but "voiced strong support" for Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is overseeing Stone's case.
"I am not concerned with how a particular judge will rule," she said while praising Jackson's reputation, according to the newspaper. "We are supportive of any federal judge who does what is required."
Originally posted by Nina: It's significant. Our government is built upon 3 pillars, judicial, legislative, executive. We're pretty much down to 1. That's called a dictatorship.
EXACTLY
And I don't understand why the R are aiding it.
when Barr was being interviewed, I thought back then that he was just toooooo smooth with his answers.
And then the hiding of the investigation...grrr...
-------------------------------- The earth laughs in flowers
Posts: 16320 | Location: north of boston | Registered: 16 May 2005
I'm sure he feels better to be on record as opposing Trump's takeover of the judicial system. In no way do I mean to minimize this. But it's also true that as a law professor in a private religious school of law, he is fairly safe.
And it will not change a freaking thing.
Posts: 35428 | Location: West: North and South! | Registered: 20 April 2005