Josh Marshall has called individuals who get sucked into Trump's orbit and then watch as their backbone and reputations slowly dissolve Trump Wraiths. They become ghosts of their former selves. Rex Tillerson, Reince Preibus and Sean Spicer were the first victims, but their cautionary tale has meant that fewer and fewer competent Republicans want anything to do with this dumpster fire of an administration.
Enter William Barr. His performance yesterday was an abysmal abdication of his constitutional responsibilities. The Attorney General is not the President's lawyer (despite Trump's oft stated desire to have his "own Roy Cohn"). The AG is the country's top law enforcement officer. Barr has rarely been truthful in his statements surrounding the Mueller probe and has left himself open to perjury charges. His decision not to appear before the House is contempt.
There are whispers that people are considering impeachment. Of course, the performance of the GOP Senators yesterday demonstrates that there are unlikely to hold any Republican accountable. Would an acquittal in the Senate strengthen or weaken Barr and therefore Trump? Or would the impeachment force open a discovery process into the West Wing that would hasten a Trump impeachment?
Barr testified before Mueller. Once again, there is hope that Mueller will somehow save us all. He won't. That's up to us.
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