Justice Department makes SECRET CONFESSION about prosecution
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖A Trump-appointed DOJ prosecutor admitted in a closed hearing that grand jury subpoenas against the Federal Reserve were issued without evidence of a crime.
- ❖Chief Judge James Boasberg had already thrown out these subpoenas, concluding they were used to harass Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
- ❖This event is framed as another example of the Trump administration's pattern of using the DOJ to target political opponents.
- ❖The repeated attempts at 'vindictive prosecution' are weakening Donald Trump's threats and emboldening resistance.
- ❖Judges are increasingly questioning and abandoning the 'presumption of regularity' – the assumption that the DOJ acts in good faith.
Insights
1DOJ Prosecutor Admits Baseless Subpoenas Against Federal Reserve
During a closed-door hearing on March 3rd, a high-ranking Department of Justice prosecutor, GA Masuko Lee (Chief of the Criminal Division for the DC US Attorney's Office), admitted to Chief Judge James Boasberg that the DOJ had no evidence of fraud or criminal misconduct when issuing grand jury subpoenas related to alleged cost overruns at the Federal Reserve. Lee's justification was that the project was '1.2 billion over budget' and 'it doesn't seem right,' which the guest, Glenn Kirschner, states is not a basis for a criminal probe.
GA Masuko Lee stated to Judge Boasberg: 'Judge, we do not know at this time what evidence there is of fraud or criminal misconduct.' When pressed about Jerome Powell's congressional testimony, Lee admitted, 'We don't really have any evidence of that. We don't know.'
2Subpoenas Were a Political Retaliation Against Jerome Powell
The subpoenas were issued by Janine Piro's office (top prosecutor in DC, a Trump appointee) the day after Donald Trump publicly complained that his prosecutors were not being aggressive enough. The target was Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom Trump had been criticizing for over a year for not lowering interest rates. Judge Boasberg concluded that the subpoenas were weaponized to punish, harass, or coerce Powell into bending to Trump's will.
Judge Boasberg 'ruled, was basically weaponizing grand jury subpoenas to get after who? Fed chairman Jerome Powell, who Donald Trump had beenounding for more than a year... because Jerome Powell wouldn't bend to Trump's will and lower interest rates.'
3Erosion of the 'Presumption of Regularity' in the Judiciary
The repeated instances of alleged vindictive prosecutions and abuses of power by the Trump-era DOJ leadership are causing federal judges to explicitly question and even abandon the 'presumption of regularity.' This presumption traditionally assumes the DOJ acts in good faith. Several judges have already authored opinions stating they will no longer apply this presumption to certain DOJ prosecutors, particularly those in leadership positions perceived as politically compromised.
Glenn Kirschner states, 'Several judges have already authored opinions saying they will not... use the presumption of regularity to assume anything that any of the DOJ prosecutors who appear before them are telling the truth.' He cites a New Jersey federal judge's statement that it took generations to build DOJ credibility and 'just one year to kill it all.'
Bottom Line
The systematic failure of politically motivated prosecutions under the Trump administration is inadvertently strengthening the resolve of individuals and institutions to resist future threats.
Each failed attempt to weaponize the DOJ against perceived enemies makes Trump's threats 'ring hollow,' thereby emboldening more people (universities, news outlets, comedians) to stand up against his pressure rather than comply.
This creates a precedent where future political leaders attempting similar abuses of power will face a more resilient and less intimidated opposition, potentially limiting the effectiveness of such tactics.
Key Concepts
Presumption of Regularity
This legal principle assumes that government officials and institutions, like the Department of Justice, act in good faith and within their legal authority. The podcast argues that the actions of the Trump-era DOJ leadership have severely eroded this presumption among judges, forcing them to scrutinize prosecutorial actions more critically.
Weaponization of Justice
This concept describes the misuse of legal and prosecutorial powers by political actors to target opponents, silence critics, or achieve political objectives rather than uphold justice. The episode provides a specific example where grand jury subpoenas were issued without evidence of a crime, allegedly to pressure a federal official who defied a president's will.
Lessons
- Recognize that not all Department of Justice employees are operating under political influence; career prosecutors often continue to perform their duties with integrity, particularly in non-political cases.
- Be aware that judicial scrutiny of government actions, especially from the Department of Justice, is increasing due to past abuses, leading to a potential shift in how courts approach prosecutorial claims.
- Understand that repeated failures of politically motivated legal actions can weaken the perceived power of those making such threats, fostering greater resistance and accountability.
Notable Moments
Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor, details the 'secret confession' of a Trump-appointed DOJ prosecutor, GA Masuko Lee, regarding baseless subpoenas against the Federal Reserve.
This moment reveals a direct admission of prosecutorial abuse of power, confirming suspicions that the DOJ was weaponized for political purposes under the Trump administration.
The discussion highlights that Chief Judge James Boasberg had already thrown out the subpoenas, concluding they were used to harass Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
This demonstrates judicial oversight successfully curbing executive overreach and protecting the independence of federal institutions from political pressure.
Quotes
"Judge, we do not know at this time what evidence there is of fraud or criminal misconduct."
"It doesn't seem right is not a basis to open a criminal probe."
"It has taken generations to build up the credibility and the presumption of regularity that the New Jersey US Attorney's Office enjoyed. And it took you all just one year to kill it all."
"Donald Trump grows weaker every single time one of these cases gets thrown out, falls apart because now his threats begin to ring hollow."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
HOT TOPICS | BUSTED! DOJ Withheld & Removed Some Epstein Files Related to Donald Trump!
"Don Lemon and legal analyst Simone Redwine expose how the Department of Justice allegedly withheld and removed over 50 pages of Epstein files related to Donald Trump, raising serious questions about obstruction of justice and selective disclosure."
BREAKING: DOJ Threatens Fed Chair With Criminal Charges
"The Department of Justice's criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jay Powell for alleged false testimony is framed by hosts as a politically motivated attack by Donald Trump, aiming to undermine the Federal Reserve's independence and control interest rate policy."
A major shift is happening right now
"Donald Trump is losing his grip on the Republican party and movement, evidenced by internal dissent and a broader political landscape grappling with a collapse of accountability and truth."
MAGA Stooge Freezes After My Question on CNN
"Adam Mockler dissects the Trump administration's claims of 'total victory' in foreign conflicts and its alleged attempts to politicize the Department of Justice, arguing these actions undermine democratic institutions and moral leadership."