Guy Robert Jackson News Today

So they can hand them over to the white house, basically to tip the white house off about their -- the presidents liability in this investigation. saying that they suspect members of congress are doing that. has any member of congress ever tried to do that or been busted for doing something like that? is there any historical precedent for that that you know of? >> not busted in a big way. rosenstein mentioned one case was not exactly the same, but in that speech today where congressman carl vins...

The doj and then presumably hand it to donald trumps defense team, that is something we dont see in american history. its totally off base. >> and rosenstein in his quiet, tidy way i think this week with these public remarks is trying to sound a sort of alarm about that. >> and i think we may be seeing a hero of the order of robert jackson in rod rosenstein. anyone who worries about the vitality of this democracy, just think about what happened that led to the possibility of rod rosenstein being...

I mean, this is right from the top. i just wanted to make sure we credit you for that. >> it is one of my favorite quotes. >> yes, sir. >> and i encourage you to read the whole thing. but this is actually the concluding paragraph. it says, "the qualities of a good prosecutor are as elusive and as impossible to define as those which mark a gentleman." and you should read or woman. "and those who need to be told would not understand it anyway. a sensitiveness to fair play and sportsmanship is perh...

Ongoing law enforcement-sensitive materials are kept within the prosecutors purview. only. during ongoing investigations. you dont even need to go to law school to have that imbued in you as a rule of law american value, right? as soon as monday of next week republicans in the house of representatives may be mounting an effort to impeach rod rosenstein because he will not hand over to them internal documents from the mueller investigation. which they presumably want to use to tip off the white h...

Individual congressmen and sometimes with committees. in 1941 congressman carl vinson wrote a letter to attorney general robert jackson. he requested fbi and department of justice reports made in connection with an investigation of labor disputes involving navy contracts. there was no doubt that vinsons committee had a proper role to play in overseeing such issues, which is why he wanted the documents. but attorney general jackson flatly refused the request. he did not compromise at all. jackson...

Over his own shoulder when hes sitting at the head of the table at that conference table. so other people are meeting with him looking down the table to where rod rosenstein sits, they will see robert jackson looming over rod rosensteins right shoulder, watching over what rod rosenstein does. he put that portrait up there himself. thats his guy. pride of place for rosenstein. this guy robert jackson was solicitor general under fdr which means he argued supreme court cases for the federal governm...

Off. you never hear of a supreme court justice taking leave. but robert jackson did. he took leave as a justice of the supreme court in 1945 so he could go to germany and be americas lead prosecutor in the nuremberg trials. so a fascinating character in american legal history and somebody who ultimately ends up becoming rod rosensteins legal hero, up to and including the handsome portrait of robert jackson that looms over rosensteins right shoulder in the conference room right outside his office...

[ applause ] >> he knows exactly why everybody is laughing. because while he is running the justice department weve got a president and a republican party in congress that is hellbent on firing him or impeaching him or removing him because they want to fire their way through the justice department in order to make the russia investigation go away. and separation of powers is the only thing that stands in their way. and they know that. and they are very, very prepared to burn that down. and he is...

Watch. this is what happened next. >> hes stealing my thunder. but im happy to give it to you. so id like to hand you a piece of paper with the words of a famous american. id like you to just take a look at it. and then if youd be so kind to read it slowly and aloud to the audience. here you go. >> well, this is robert jackson. robert jackson was the attorney general of the united states in the roosevelt administration. his portrait also hangs in the deputy attorney generals conference room. and...

Practice of keeping information confidential has often been the source of disagreement with individual congressmen and sometimes with committees. in 1941 congressman carl vinson wrote a letter to attorney general robert jackson. he requested fbi and department of justice reports made in connection with an investigation of labor disputes involving navy contracts. there was no doubt that vinsons committee had a proper role to play in overseeing such issues, which is why he wanted the documents. bu...