Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) wants to open up another impeachment inquiry, this time of U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.
After calling for Barr’s impeachment last week, Cohen formally introduced a resolution Tuesday that would authorize an impeachment inquiry into Barr’s conduct.
Cohen pointed to the recent removal of Geoffrey Berman, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and the Justice Department’s request to dismiss its criminal case against Michael Flynn as evidence of corruption.
He also accused Barr of ordering “the attack on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park, in violation of their constitutional rights.”
“Attorney General Barr has undermined our judicial system and perverted the rule of law,” Cohen said in a statement. “The pattern here is unmistakable. Barr obstructs justice by favoring the president’s friends and political allies. He abuses his power by using the Department of Justice to harass, intimidate and attack disfavored Americans and the president’s political opponents. My oath to support and defend the Constitution compels me to confront this corruption. Congress is a co-equal branch of government and we must get to the bottom of this and hold Bill Barr accountable.”
The resolution claims Barr has “abused the power of his office” by initiating antitrust investigations into companies in the cannabis, automobile, and technology industries.
The Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility said in a memo released last month that the Antitrust Division “acted consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, and DOJ guidelines in its review of the proposed cannabis mergers.”
The resolution states Barr has withheld subpoenaed information, including Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s full report, failed to comply with legitimate subpoenas issued by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and prohibited the referral of an intelligence community whistleblower complaint to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“Attorney General Barr eroded confidence in the judicial system by questioning the legitimacy of Department of Justice investigations” into the 2016 presidential election, the resolution adds.
The measure calls on the House Judiciary Committee to inquire into these matters under the same House rules applied during the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump last year, said Cohen.
The resolution has 35 Democratic cosponsors, including Reps. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13), Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05).
“Today, I introduced H.Res. 1032, which would authorize an impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Barr,” Cohen said on Twitter. “He has politicized the DOJ, undermined the rule of law, abused his power, obstructed justice and violated the First Amendment. He is not fit to be Attorney General.”
Today, I introduced #HRes1032, which would authorize an impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Barr. He has politicized the DOJ, undermined the rule of law, abused his power, obstructed justice & violated the first amendment. He is not fit to be Attorney General. #ImpeachBarr pic.twitter.com/nr5P2OOQFX
— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) June 30, 2020
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen.
Why do we put up with this idiot? It’s not like we don’t know where he lives.
Who ever eliminated my last comment must be a democrat and not from Tennessee and does not understand the Constitution. It’s called freedom of speech.
More and more, Tennessee is becoming a central battle group in this battle between left and right. Evil knows that if they can turn Tennessee, they will win the country. We must stand strong!
And what we need is a strong individual with strong Tennessee values to run against and crush Steve Cohen!
A strong and poven, black conservative is what it will take in Memphis.
This idiot never ceases to amaze me of his stupidity. But , you know you just can’t fix stupid.
Steve Cohen is more of an embarrassment to Tennessee than the meth epidemic. Their is ample evidence why Memphis is such a mess. The same reason as most of our big cities.
Steve Cohen is an embarrassment to the state of Tennessee.
Surprise, surprise! These dip-****s have nothing better to do than waste taxpayer money on a “snipe” hunt.
Thank you Shelby Co for electing a POS like Cohen.
Another reason to not like Memphis, a crime infested cess pool.