In a heated hearing with the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Attorney General William Barr held his own as rabid Democrats slung stones and arrows at him, accusing him of being a political pawn for President Trump and using his seat at the Department of Justice to help reelect him. And like clockwork, the liberal broadcast networks diligently did their job as the propaganda wing of the Democratic Party and pushed their baseless slander.
CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell was particularly enthusiastic about bashing Barr as she led into the segment. “Today, Democrats accused Attorney General Bill Barr of doing President Trump's political bidding and of a double standard by using federal agents against protesters in Portland, while ignoring armed militias who took over Michigan's capitol building earlier this year,” she announced.
Of course, CBS (and also ABC) never noted the nuance that the protesters in Michigan never tried to destroy the Capitol building. The only thing they were guilty of, and deserved to get beaten for in the eyes of the left, was wanting the state to reopen so they could feed their starving families.
The report was conducted by CBS chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes, who tag-teamed with Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) to smear Barr and federal agents defending the courthouse (click “expand”):
CORDES: And they questioned his motives.
NADLER: The President wants footage for his campaign ads. And you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered. In most of these cities, the protests had begun to wind down before you marched in and confronted the protesters.
BARR: We are at the courthouse defending the courthouse. We're not out looking for trouble.
CORDES: Navy veteran Christopher David would tell a different story. He was protesting unarmed and was attacked.
“Portland's mayor and its police commissioner are now requesting what they call a cease-fire, the removal of all federal forces from Portland,” Cordes said while wrapping up her report, echoing Democratic fear-mongering that the officers were somehow military troops.
Over on ABC’s World News Tonight, chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas touted how “Barr [was] under fire on several fronts,” with “Democrats accusing him of trying to help the president in his re-election campaign. Sending law enforcement to Democratic-led cities.”
Thomas also decried how “Republicans [were] helping Barr make his case” that the riots in Portland were out of control by detailing how violent and extreme they were. And anchor David Muir gleefully flaunted disgusting slander a Democrat who accused Barr of being a racist (click “expand”):
MUIR: And Pierre Thomas with us now. Pierre, I know there was another moment today that made news. Attorney General Barr had paid his respects to the late Representative John Lewis and then later Congressman Cedric Richmond had this to say.
CONGRESSMAN CEDRIC RICHMOND (D-LA): The one thing that you have in common with your two predecessors, both Attorney General Sessions and Attorney General Whitaker, is that when you all came here and brought your top staff, you brought no black people. That, sir, is systematic racism. That is exactly what John Lewis spent his life fighting. And so I would just suggest that actions speak louder than words. And you should really should keep the name of the honorable John Lewis out of the Department of Justice's mouth.
MUIR: Pierre, did the Attorney General respond to the Louisiana Congressman?
THOMAS: David, it was dramatic, but he chose not to respond to Richmond's comments.
But it was a bit of a different story over on NBC Nightly News.
While anchor Lester Holt bragged that Barr was on the receiving end of “a heated congressional hearing today,” Justice correspondent Pete Williams was the first and only network reporter to inform viewers that federal officers were permanently maimed by the rioters.
“Thrown things, used explosives, and injured police, including just this past weekend perhaps permanently blinding three federal officers with lasers,” Barr said in the soundbite NBC shared. Williams also allowed this tongue-lashing from Barr: “I would just ask people – I’m supposedly punishing the President's enemies and helping his friends. What enemies have I indicted?”
But Williams did also promote Democratic slander from Nadler and Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
This propaganda campaign on behalf of the Democratic Party was made possible by lucrative sponsorships from Amazon on ABC, Allstate on CBS, and Chase on NBC. Their contact information is linked.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
July 28, 2020
6:43:43 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: In the meantime, we turn next to the heated confrontation on Capitol Hill today. Attorney General William Barr testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, facing accusations that he lacks independence from the President and the White House. Here's our chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas now.
[Cuts to video]
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, Attorney General William Barr under attack.
CONGRESSMAN JERRY NADLER (D-NY): In your time at the department, you have aided and abetted the worst failings of the President.
THOMAS: For the first time, taking questions from the House Judiciary Committee. Barr under fire on several fronts. Democrats accusing him of trying to help the president in his re-election campaign. Sending law enforcement to Democratic-led cities.
(…)
THOMAS: Barr saying the violence in Portland justifies federal action.
AG WILLIAM BARR: What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called protests. It is by any objective measure an assault on the government of the United States.
THOMAS: Republicans helping Barr make his case.
CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Are peaceful protests violent, Mr. Attorney general?
BARR: No.
JORDAN: Do peaceful protests destroy businesses?
BARR: No.
JORDAN: Do peaceful protests injure officers?
BARR: No.
THOMAS: Democrats were not having it, accusing Barr of a double standard.
CONGRESSMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): There is a real discrepancy on how you react as the attorney general, the top cop in this country, when white men with swastikas storm a government building with guns, there is no need for the President to, quote, “activate you,” because they're getting the President's personal agenda done.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: And Pierre Thomas with us now. Pierre, I know there was another moment today that made news. Attorney General Barr had paid his respects to the late Representative John Lewis and then later Congressman Cedric Richmond had this to say.
CONGRESSMAN CEDRIC RICHMOND (D-LA): The one thing that you have in common with your two predecessors, both Attorney General Sessions and Attorney General Whitaker, is that when you all came here and brought your top staff, you brought no black people. That, sir, is systematic racism. That is exactly what John Lewis spent his life fighting. And so I would just suggest that actions speak louder than words. And you should really should keep the name of the honorable John Lewis out of the Department of Justice's mouth.
MUIR: Pierre, did the Attorney General respond to the Louisiana Congressman?
THOMAS: David, it was dramatic, but he chose not to respond to Richmond's comments. David?
MUIR: Pierre Thomas, thank you.
CBS Evening News
July 28, 2020
6:39:03 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Today, Democrats accused Attorney General Bill Barr of doing President Trump's political bidding and of a double standard by using federal agents against protesters in Portland, while ignoring armed militias who took over Michigan's capitol building earlier this year. Here's CBS' Nancy Cordes.
[Cuts to video]
AG WILLIAM BARR: Since when is it okay to try to burn down a federal court?
NANCY CORDES: Attorney William Barr came loaded for bear, defending his decision to take on protesters in Portland.
BARR: They have these powerful sling shots with ball bearings that they shoot. They’ve used pellet guns. We believe we have found those projectiles – have penetrated marshal's to the bone.
CORDES: Democrats argued the unidentified federal agents he deployed are only causing more tension.
(…)
CORDES: And they questioned his motives.
CONGRESSMAN JERRY NADLER (D-NY): The President wants footage for his campaign ads. And you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered. In most of these cities, the protests had begun to wind down before you marched in and confronted the protesters.
BARR: We are at the courthouse defending the courthouse. We're not out looking for trouble.
CORDES: Navy veteran Christopher David would tell a different story. He was protesting unarmed and was attacked.
(…)
CORDES: Barr also defended his order to forcefully disperse a mostly-peaceful crowd near the White House last month.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
CORDES: Portland's mayor and its police commissioner are now requesting what they call a cease-fire, the removal of all federal forces from Portland. The Attorney General said today he only sent his own people in, Norah, because the local police weren't doing their job.
O’DONNELL: Nancy Cordes on Capitol Hill. Thank you, Nancy.
NBC Nightly News
July 28, 2020
7:11:56 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: At a heated congressional hearing today, Attorney General William Barr defended the actions of federal agents in Portland and said he isn't doing anything to help President Trump's friends or punish his enemies. Here's Pete Williams.
[Cuts to video]
PETE WILLIAMS: Barr says federal agents are in Portland to defend the U.S. courthouse from extremists who hijacked peaceful protests. But during his first appearance before the House Judiciary Committee since becoming attorney general, Democrats said it's intended to give the President footage for campaign ads.
CONGRESSMAN JERRY NADLER (D-NY): You are projecting fear and violence nationwide in pursuit of obvious political objectives. Shame on you, Mr. Barr.
WILLAIMS: Barr says attackers at the Portland courthouse have set fires.
AG WILLIAM BARR: Thrown things, used explosives, and injured police, including just this past weekend perhaps permanently blinding three federal officers with lasers.
WILLAIMS: Democrats question the use of force to clear Lafayette Park in June just before President Trump walked to a nearby church and held up a bible. Barr says it was to protect the White House and nearby buildings.
BARR: The movement was not geared to the behavior of that particular crowd. It was geared to the fact that we were moving the perimeter out to put up a fence on H Street.
WILLAIMS: Barr was asked why he sought a more lenient sentence for Roger stone and moved to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn.
CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): In Donald Trump's America, there's two systems of justice. One for President Trump and his cronies, and another for the rest of us.
WILLAIMS: But Barr said he made those decisions without any White House pressure.
BARR: I would just ask people – I’m supposedly punishing the president's enemies and helping his friends. What enemies have I indicted?
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
WILLAIMS: As for the federal force in Portland, Barr said it can be reduced when the violence stops. Lester?
HOLT: Pete Williams tonight, thank you.
