Watch Live: House Judiciary Committee Hearing Re: Department of Justice Oversight

US Congress on Capitol Hill, Washington DC. Photo by Bjoertvedt

On Wednesday the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled Oversight of the Department of Justice: Political Interference and Threats to Prosecutorial Independence.

CBS News reports that former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and former Deputy Attorney General Donald Ayer will testify, joining former *Roger Stone prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky and DOJ Antitrust Division prosecutor John Elias.

As the News Blender reported Zelinsky in February of 2020, withdrew from the Stone following the Department of Justice giving Stone special treatment because of his relationship to President Obstructer of Justice.

Feb. 2020.

In his opening statement before today’s hearing, released on Tuesday, Zelinsky says regarding the special treatment of Stone and his sentencing:

Zelinsky Opening Statement. 06/23/2020.

Zelinsky also notes that while he is committed to honoring the House Committee’s subpoena his testimony will be limited as not to affect ongoing matters within the DOJ. He adds, that the DOJ cleared his opening statement.

While Zelinsky will testify that the Department of Justice offered special treatment of Stone due to “being afraid of the President,” under AG William Barr, according to Elias’ opening statement also released on Tuesday, he will focus on Barr’s launching of ten full-scale reviews conducted at the director of Barr of merger activity taking place “in the marijuana and cannabis, industry.”

Elias Opening Statement. 06/23/2020.

He notes in the above image that President Trump Tweets, will be discussed, Zelinsky also notes the Impeached President’s tweets in his opening statement.

DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec responded to Zelinsky’s opening statement.

*Stone is a friend and was a onetime informal advisor to the Trump Campaign. In recent days the DOJ has reissued portions of the Mueller Report in which it’s noted that Stone shared information with Team Trump including then-candidate Trump prior to WikiLeaks releasing emails stolen by Russia from the DNC server. For time purposes and length of words need that will not feature in this article.*

In other Stone news, because there is more, if you can believe it…

Politico reported on Wednesday morning that Stone, who is due to report to prison on June 30th to begin serving his 40 month prison sentence following his conviction for interference with a congressional investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election, has asked the court to delay his report to prison date in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The motion was submitted Tuesday afternoon.

In response to the request Judge Amy Berman Jackson has ordered the DOJ to write an explanation on why it thinks Stone’s surrender date should be delayed.

Live Feeds.

Washington Post.

TIME.

PBS NewsHour.

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About Tiff 2521 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.

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