The idea that the Obama administration had engaged in “unmasking”—improperly revealing the name of Americans in intelligence intercepts—was the original source of claims that they had “spied” on the Trump campaign. It was the focus of Fox stories, the foundation of Trump tweets, the reason that Devin Nunes leaped from an Uber to pay secret visits to the White House, and the basis of the right-wing media coining “Obamagate.” Trump tweeted about unmasking over a dozen times, declaring that it was proof of spying and “an end run around the Constitution.”
So it was no surprise that one of Attorney General Bill Barr’s actions in following up on every Trump conspiracy theory was to assign U.S. Attorney John Bash to investigate unmasking practices, as well as claims that Obama staffers had leaked classified information to reporters in advance of the 2016 election. It was, however, a surprise when Bash resigned from both that role and the whole of the Justice Department at the beginning of October. And now The Washington Post has reported why Bash went out the door in such a hurry: Because he found no “substantive wrongdoing.”
By the way, has anyone seen Barr?
Bash has wrapped up his investigation without filing a single criminal charge. There also appears to be no public report … which doesn’t mean there’s not a report. It seems likely that Bash didn’t go out the door without producing something. It’s just that whatever Bash found is being kept under wraps by a “Department of Justice” more interested in protecting Trump than in revealing the truth. The Post indicates that the contents of Bash’s findings “would likely disappoint” those who have tried to make a conspiracy out of unmasking.
In addition to the Bash investigation, Barr had also initiated an investigation by U.S. Attorney John Durham in an effort to confirm other aspects of Trump’s conspiracy theories against Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and everyone who’s not Donald Trump. But just three weeks before Bash resigned, Durham’s lead aide also went out the door, with indications that the Durham investigation was also coming up dry. Just a week ago came news that Durham’s report is unlikely to be ready in time for the election—a result that one GOP staffer called “a nightmare scenario.”
Of course, there is a solution for both the Bash and Durham problems, a solution that Barr has already demonstrated in the past: Summaries. Rather than hand over the actual report of either investigation, Barr could simply “summarize” the results in a way that boosts Trump and slings mud at his enemies. That’s exactly the approach that Barr took by releasing a three-page document purporting to summarize the results of the Mueller investigation, even though it drastically distorted the actual findings of the special investigator’s team.
Barr could do that, except … where is Barr, exactly? On Oct. 2, Barr claimed that he had tested negative for COVID-19 and would not be isolating himself despite being present at the Amy Coney Barrett superspreader introduction without wearing a mask or using social distancing. Then, three days later, Barr announced that that he would “self-quarantine for now” but was expected to return to work within a week.
But has he? There seem to be no public sightings of Barr since the announcement that he was self-quarantining. However, there have been mentions of Barr by Trump. Back in August, Trump was still crowing about the possibility of a Barr-Durham report being produced as an October surprise. Since then, Trump has made several attacks on Barr and the failure to produce a report in advance of the election. Trump has complained about Barr in rallies, complained about Barr in appearances on Fox and Rush Limbaugh, and complained about Barr on Twitter.
It all goes to show that, when you’ve signed on to be a toady, you better provide some … toad.
Maybe Barr really is sick. Maybe he’s on the run from Trump. But don’t discount the idea that he may still be scribbling furiously on a summary that explains what Bash and Durham “really” found.
