So by now most of you have read that unnamed “federal agents” have leaked to a Washington Post reporter that the feds have evidence that they could use to charge Hunter Biden with tax law and gun registration violations.
Sounds bad right?
Not if you are Twitter legal maven emptywheel, who has seen this movie before.
I will post her initial tweet so you can follow at Twitter if you wish, than a thread reader condensation for easier reading.
BREAKING: Devlin Barrett gets a leak intended to alter the election weeks before an election again.
[Rinse, repeat] https://t.co/UZFEtlSNdv
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) October 6, 2022
And the whole thing:
BREAKING: Devlin Barrett (WAPO Reporter) gets a leak intended to alter the election weeks before an election again.
[Rinse, repeat]
He’ll write a book and then after DOJ IG proves his book wrong he’ll claim it does the opposite.
We’ve been here before.
FWIW, if Trump’s US Attorney says charge Hunter, then charge Hunter!
I’m going to repeat again for those who forgot:
FBI Agents leaked details of the Clinton Foundation to Devlin Barrett about this many days before the 2016 election. He turned it into a false story about FBI not doing their jobs.
That story was false. He told it.
Crazy as it sounds, THAT’s what led to Andrew McCabe’s firing. Not a story that hurt Trump. One leaked by right wing FBIers trying to help Trump.
Stop me if this gets old.
Devlin has a bunch of other scoops about how the FBI–the FBI!!!!!–is going soft on Democratic crime.
Devlin keeps reporting them.
It’s his beat: “The FBI is going soft on Democratic crime.”
Sort of like stocking shit on Amazon’s shelves, what you do for a wage.
Devlin says that a DOJ IG Report that said far too many people were leaking about Hillary doesn’t mean far too many people were leaking about Hillary (I think bc they missed HIS source leaking about Hillary).
Anyway, congratulations to Devlin for getting the same fucking semiannual scoop. Keeps you in the business, right?!?!
But people READING his scoop should know the very particular role he plays in the FBI leak ecosystem.
There are other … special leaks Barrett keeps getting (aside from the one that Aileen Cannon has made a centerpiece of her effort to help Trump). Maybe I should make a list, I guess.
Suffice it to say he plays a VERY special role in the leak ecosystem, one to be proud of.
Again, not to short change Devlin; BREAKING: people who are not prosecutors have leaked to Devlin weeks before an election that they think Hunter Biden could be charged, even if they’re unaware of all the evidence against Hunter.
Once again, to be clear: Got the goods on Hunter? Charge him!! Do it!!
Also, got shit you want to leak about Democrats in the month before an election as a stunt? Give that shit to Devlin, bc that’s not part of my job as a reporter.“
Of course Faux News will flog this steaming cow-pie of a story, but the main difference between now and 2016 is the victim of this leak is not the candidate.
And this time we, thanks to emptywheel, know exactly what a turd it is.
So in essence, don’t listen to devlin?🤷🏾♀️
Not on unsourced leaks, no.
Wait…that’s it? THAT’S the best these pro trolls can do? Between abortion bans, the Hershel Walker fiasco, Hurricane Ian’s fallout and the upcoming J6 hearing, this barely is a ripple in the pond. Oh and do you think anyone celebrating today’s marijuana win courtesy of Uncle Joe is gonna care?
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
So where are the folks who should be grilling this WaPo journalistic hack under a bright light for hours at a stretch? Seriously, if there is a leak in D.O.J. doesn’t that mean our national security could be impaired? Under those terms journalists lose a lot of protection. They lose it ALL when they’re just spinning shit for the sake of spinning shit.
I’ve got a lot of respect for journalists who do their jobs properly, truthfully, and with an eye to getting the story straight (and correcting themselves when they get it wrong). I have zippo for the hacks who just spew shit much like former guy and his coked up son do. This guy seems like the latter. Perhaps the courtesies given to real journalists should be taken away from this devlin person?
So Hunter Biden has tax issues and took a job he shouldn’t have. Orange A-hole cheated on his taxes for decades (but HB will probably be prosecuted first) and he sure as hell wasn’t qualified to be in the WH. Hunter is a grown man, he’s not the president, and has no role in government affairs. The only people who care about Hunter Biden are the R’s who can’t find any dirt on his father.
Surprised redbait isn’t here to crow about a false narrative deflecting from the insurrection & the selling of state secrets. Don’t worry red I’m not voting for fascists, racist liars or for hunter. Ha.
He gone.
About time. Thanks.