Drama in the DOJ: Trump, Barr & Stone
Last week, the Department of Justice experienced some turbulence when all four federal prosecutors, assigned to the trial of Roger Stone, withdrew from the case. Stone, President Trump’s 2016 campaign advisor, was facing a sentencing of up to 9 years in prison after being convicted of several criminal offenses including witness tampering, obstruction and lying under oath.
Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for Drama in the DOJ: Trump, Barr & Stone
Links
“William Barr’s actions spark unease among US prosecutors”
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/15/politics/william-barr-roger-stone-prosecutors-outrage/index.html
“Roger Stone, William, McCabe: the turbulent week at the DOJ”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/15/roger-stone-william-barr-mccabe-turbulent-week-doj/4766984002/
“Bill Barr calls for outside prosecutor to review the Michael Flynn case”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-barr-calls-for-outside-prosecutor-to-review-the-michael-flynn-case-2020-02-14/
“Tucker Carlson: Roger Stone case is about the left wanting to send political enemies to jail”
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-roger-stone-case-is-about-left-wanting-to-send-political-enemies-to-jail
“Attorney General William Barr’s declaration of independence from Trump”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-editorial-barr-trump-stone-mccabe-20200214-xwazrnlup5bzln4kiu2ymonv5q-story.html
“Why Is William Barr Really Criticizing Donald Trump?”
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/who-is-william-barr
Assessment
- Writing: : Briefly describe the proceedings of the Roger Stone case. What were the specific crimes with which Stone was convicted? Why is it a problem if President Trump directed Attorney General Barr to intervene in the Stone case to recommend a lighter sentence?
- Debate: Attorney General William Barr was acting independently when he suggested a reduced sentence for President Trump’s former campaign advisor, Roger Stone, and is therefore within his right.
- Poll: Given these recent events, do you trust the Department of Justice to act impartially and without a political agenda?
- Short Answer: If it is true that President Trump directed William Barr to intervene in the Stone case, how might this impact the separation of powers across the three branches of the federal government?
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