When the government you serve in is taken over by fascists you are forced to choose between A) continuing to serve as a tool of fascist state or B) quitting in protest knowing that another tool will take your place.
I can’t exactly fault an attorney for choosing the latter.
My problem with Masha’s rules is that Putin is still in fucking power, and her “rules” aren’t actually useful survival tips; they’re more “tips” for observing the end of a civilization, not saving one.
It looks like one of the attorneys actually resigned from the DOJ and the other three attorneys still work for the DOJ but merely withdrew from this case, which is more of a symbolic protest at this point.
Worth noting that a lawyer has an ethical duty to withdraw from a case if staying in would require him to lie to the court.
Don’t know why the one attorney left the job entirely, although I’m sure he had his reasons.
The first three rules are admonitions. The last three are prescriptions. They’re all about
[ETA: establishing a mindset for] surviving an autocracy, not overthrowing it. Russia is too far gone, so survival mode is all that’s available there. In the U.S., we still have one last chance to preserve liberal democracy and move out of survival mode.
That’s the problem, in a nutshell.
Commuting a sentence is a reduction. But the person is still has to serve out a sentence. A pardon removes all penalties for the crime.One still has 5th Amendment protection with a commuted sentence.
If I understand the distinction correctly a key difference is that a pardon “forgives” the crime but requires the recipient to accept it (and in doing so take responsibility for the crime), whereas a commuted sentence requires nothing from the convict. So I believe Trump could commute Stone’s sentence to “time served” and then Stone would have a criminal record but no obligation to testify.
In the meantime I read that a convict can turn down a pardon (e.g. “I didn’t do it so I’m not going to accept a pardon, which says that I did”) whereas a commutation happens whether they want it or not.
But that goes back to the earlier question, if it’s 9 years or 99, why worry about it if Trump will commute it anyway? (Maybe they just don’t want that bigger albatross of the longer-yet-commuted around Stone’s neck?)
Again, I don’t think this is really about what happens to Stone. It’s about sending a message to Federal prosecutors: if you value your career and your autonomy in the DOJ you’d better get your ass in line and leave Trump’s associates alone.
It’s kind of like the Romney thing. In the end voting in favor of impeachment and removal didn’t hurt Trump’s power in any tangible way, but it sure as heck hurt his ego and that is one thing this administration cannot abide.
Remember to call Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham and let them know that this is the corruption they have unleashed on the people of America.
Moody? Blue?
Yes Chuck, I’m sure another Sternly Worded Letter will solve everything.
We already know why. If you really must perform oversight in the form of angry letters, you should be writing to Barr to demand his resignation.
Or just continue to do their job they way it should be done until they’re forcibly removed from office.
Trump will not pardon or commute the sentence that Stone gets.
This is Trump flexing to see how much of the dirty work he can get SOMEONE ELSE to do.
Anything for a quid.
Exactly. It’s one reason why he and others like him are able to get away with so much. They get other people to do the dirty work, and if they get caught - well, he’s never met them.
Why so cynical? He has to make this play to make the next. What other options does he have?
Don’t lose heart. Fight with everything you got.
Donald John Trump is the most corrupt president in American history. You can thank McConnell and Graham for this. Let them know. Contribute to their competitors.
