Barr will never recuse himself from anything pertaining to Donald Trump
by digby
Remember when everyone said there’s no such thing as an “unrecusal?” Well, that’s no longer operative. Yesterday William Barr said he was recused from the Epstein matter. But it turns out that wasn’t exactly true:
After consulting Justice Department ethics officials, Attorney General William Barr will not recuse himself from overseeing the sex-trafficking case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in New York, according to reports.
A Justice official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Barr is still recused from any review of a 2008 plea deal that allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges in Florida.
“I am recused from that matter because one of the law firms that represented Epstein long ago was a firm I subsequently joined for a period of time,” Barr told reporters in South Carolina on Monday.
That’s because Barr’s former law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, had previously represented the convicted sex offender. The deal Epstein secretly made allowed him to avoid federal prosecution for nearly identical allegations.
Epstein was charged Monday in federal court in Manhattan with sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.
Barr considered whether he would have to remove himself from involvement in the New York case in part because Epstein had previously hired lawyers from the law firm.
Barr served as counsel to the company before becoming AG.
Yeah, whatevs. Trumpie doesn’t like “recusals” So Barr will never recuse in any matter that could affect him.