The former chief of the Fraud Section in the Department of Justice blew off the worries Judge Aileen Cannon expressed on Friday about a DOJ policy about initiating a trial that would be looked upon as "political" based on who is under investigation.
At issue, is the so-called "60-day" limitation that he said is less than a rule and more of a policy that can be easily overridden.
Speaking with MSNBC host Jen Psaki, attorney Andrew Weissmann — who was the lead investigator working for former special counsel Robert Mueller — dismissed Cannon's concerns about a policy that should not be any concern to her.
"I think it's first so important for people to understand this: the 60-day rule in this case is not a thing," host Psaki prompted her guest. "Can you explain what the DOJ rule actually is, and your level of concern that Judge Cannon, with who should know better, asked about it and raised it?"
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'There are two issues with Judge Cannon raising it," he began, "First of all it's an internal rule it's not a law, it's not something that gives any rights to any defendant. And Judge Cannon had been at the Justice Department; she knows that so the idea that she raised it is issue number one."
"That's red flag number one," he continued. "As to why is she even raising something that is just internal department guidance that the guidance could be changed by [Attorney General] Merrick Garland any day of the week. Second, the rule does not apply! For anyone that has been at the Justice Department this is such a red herring!"
"This is why it completely wrong!" he excitedly continued. "That rule is intended so that the Justice Department does not take action in a covert case that is suddenly overt shortly before an election. Why? Because you don't want to influence the election when that person the candidate doesn't have an opportunity to get to trial."
You can watch below or at the link.
MSNBC 03 03 2024 12 20 30youtu.be
