In case you missed it, the Washington Post reported earlier that AG Bill Barr has booked a lavish holiday party at Donald Trump’s Washington, D.C., hotel:
BREAKING via @OConnellPostBiz @Fahrenthold: Barr books Trump’s hotel for $30,000 holiday party https://t.co/cZJSUUmHy8
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) August 27, 2019
More:
Attorney General William P. Barr is planning a holiday treat for his boss.
Last month, Barr booked President Trump’s D.C. hotel for a 200-person holiday party in December that is likely to deliver Trump’s business more than $30,000 in revenue.
Barr signed a contract, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, for a “Family Holiday Party” in the hotel’s Presidential Ballroom Dec. 8. The party will feature a buffet and a four-hour open bar for about 200 people.
Needless to say, it didn’t take long for people to get pretty upset:
William Barr booked Trump’s D.C. hotel for a 200-person holiday party that is likely to deliver Trump’s business more than $30,000 in revenue.
Corruption in plain sight.https://t.co/oBLcYrQyhe
— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) August 27, 2019
What shameless corruption done in the open looks like??https://t.co/heXpeKxVrp
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) August 27, 2019
Attorney general books Trump hotel for $30,000 holiday party, adding to questions about independence
Corruption at its worst out in the open. https://t.co/WmUPnKKFbH— Richard McFadyen?? (@RTMcFadyen) August 27, 2019
The brazen corruption. https://t.co/SofVWFo2fF
— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) August 27, 2019
These headlines are one day apart. The corruption is becoming even more brazen. pic.twitter.com/NbONN7DX8c
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 27, 2019
Bill Barr . . . still sucking up In an unethical way. https://t.co/KqqhGJmjYo
— Barbara Boxer (@BarbaraBoxer) August 27, 2019
Bill Barr demonstrating once again that he’s a GOP operative.
This is straight banana republic stuff. https://t.co/8Z3jp5E5BI
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) August 27, 2019
When I was a federal prosecutor, every year I had to sit through an ethics lecture about how to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
It sure looks like Bill Barr could use that lecture. https://t.co/fAvqZS6eWN
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) August 27, 2019
You have to be Fu**ing kidding me!! This is corruption by Trump and his AG Bill Barr in front of our eyes!!! Attorney general Barr books Trump’s D.C. hotel for $30,000 holiday party #swampmonster https://t.co/HXPWAwboLz
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) August 27, 2019
Impeach him. Impeach every lawless Trump official. They don’t care and never will until held accountable. This is a smash & grab presidency. We are not helpless: tell every Member of Congress. https://t.co/KpoBBZ4nSs
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) August 27, 2019
Wow. It sure sounds like a cut-and-dry case of Trump administration corruption. But is it? As Brit Hume points out, a lot of the people who are up in arms over this seem to have overlooked a pretty significant detail:
If the Justice Dept. were paying for the party, that would be a problem. But Barr is paying out of his pocket. https://t.co/vtHvrw9pYv
— Brit Hume (@brithume) August 27, 2019
Barr is paying for the event himself and chose the venue only after other hotels, including the Willard and the Mayflower, were booked, according to a Justice Department official. The official said the purpose of Barr’s party wasn’t to curry favor with the president.
That changes things a bit, doesn’t it?
Wait, wait. Barr is paying for this party himself? How is it possible that nobody thought that part of the story was tweetworthy until now?
Fer cripessake, I saw journalists going on about DOJ paying the White House for a party for like six hours today. https://t.co/Ujxn7nVIaf
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) August 27, 2019
Lack of curiosity on their part?
— Shady Ranger (@ShadyRanger) August 27, 2019
The optics of this still aren’t the greatest, but would it kill people to get the full story before flying off the handle?
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