Over the past few days, I've heard several of Mueller's former DOJ colleagues react with some shock over his decision "to go to paper" to raise his objections to AG Bill Barr's mischaracterization of the Mueller Report. However, until last night I hadn't realized Pan Am 103 was his only other case to elicit such a strong, written rebuke.
Garrett M. GraffVerified account @vermontgmg
I’ve read just about every word Bob Mueller has ever said publicly or published. He’s written precisely one letter like the angry one he sent to Barr: It excoriated Scotland for letting the Pan Am 103 bomber out of prison.
On CNN's Anderson Cooper last night, Graff repeated this extraordinary assertion. He also demolished Barr's attempt to blame the letter's "snitty tone" on some junior staffer.
"This was one of the absurd moments in the entire testimony today. This idea that this letter was going to be thrown out by a junior staffer auto-pen. This was something obviously Robert Mueller spent careful time considering. I'm sure that draft went through multiple drafts and the words were very carefully chosen, as was every word in the Mueller Report was. "
Who is this Garett Graff and what makes him an expert on Mueller?
First of all, Graff authored "The Threat Matrix: The FBI At War." His book includes a long, intimate look at Robert Mueller's tenure at the FBI. Graff has written several articles on Mueller, including this very revealing profile for Wired.com.
Pan Am 103: Robert Mueller's 30-Year Search for Justice.
“Over the years I have been a prosecutor, and recently as the Director of the FBI, I have made it a practice not to comment on the actions of other prosecutors, since only the prosecutor handling the case has all the facts and the law before him in reaching the appropriate decision,” Mueller began. “Your decision to release Megrahi causes me to abandon that practice in this case. I do so because I am familiar with the facts, and the law, having been the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the investigation and indictment of Megrahi in 1991. And I do so because I am outraged at your decision, blithely defended on the grounds of ‘compassion.’”
https://www.wired.com/story/robert-muellers-search-for-justice-for-pan-am-103/
Here in his own words, Mueller confirms Graff and DOJ colleague's assertions it is indeed exceedingly rare for him to comment on the actions of other prosecutors. But, more importantly, Mueller reveals what would drive him to actually document his angry objections - outrage over a decision into one of his lengthy investigations.
Barr, like other DOJ colleagues and friends, knows the angry March 27 letter is only the 2nd time in a very long career Mueller has felt driven to document his outraged objections.
Garrett M. GraffVerified account @vermontgmg
To call Mueller’s letter “snitty” dramatically undersells how extraordinary it is—and Barr knows that, in part, because who helped lead the Pan Am 104 prosecution? Bill Barr and Bob Mueller, back 30 years ago.
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3:57 PM - 1 May 2019
Now Barr's ridiculous attempts to blame a staffer member make more sense to me. He simply can't afford for Democrats and/or press to hone in on this comparison:
The 1st time Robert Mueller felt driven to write such a letter, he objected to Scottish officials releasing the Pan Am 103 bomber he had worked long and hard to bring to justice.
The 2nd time Mueller felt so compelled, he objected to the Attorney General of the United States misleading the American public about his long investigation into a sitting President.
Barr knows Mueller will testify at one point. He knows Mueller will be asked if he wrote the letter and if so, why he took such an extraordinary step. He'll be asked what was said during their follow-up phone conversation, too, so why lie about it? Because once again Barr is desperate to downplay and get ahead of a devastating report from Robert Mueller.
Democrats can't afford to wait for Barr's 2nd misleading narrative to stand for another 3 weeks. Mueller needs to testify immediately!
Further, I hope House Democrats ask Mueller if he's ever written another such letter and why? Lead him to discuss Pan Am 103 and his heroic efforts to bring the bomber to justice. This reminder will help paint Trump, Barr and GOP into the corner of attacking an bona-fide America hero.
It was also serve to compare the two miscarriage of justice.