Federal Judges To Hold Emergency Meeting Over Barr, Trump Concerns

As concerns mount over President Donald Trump’s influence over the Justice Department, an organization of federal judges is calling for an emergency meeting to address these fears Tuesday.

Typically the Federal Judges Association, a national group with over 1,000 member judges, would hold its next conference in the Spring. However, Philadelphia U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, who heads up the organization, told USA Today that they “could not wait” as “there are plenty of issues that we are concerned about.”

This short-notice meeting comes on the heels of a joint statement from former Justice Department officials issued this Sunday calling on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to step down. In the letter, Barr is accused of interfering with the sentencing of Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign adviser, at the president’s direction.

So far, over 2,000 individuals have added their names to the letter, which described Barr’s actions as “outrageous.”

Last week the Justice Department announced that it would be revising its recommended sentence for Stone to be reduced from the original recommendation of seven to nine years of prison. This came shortly after Trump tweeted his disapproval of the proposed sentence, prompting many to ask whether or not the president personally directed the Justice Department to change course.

Stone was one of 37 individuals indicted as part of Robert Mueller’s investigation. He was eventually convicted on several counts, including lying to Congress and witness tampering.

Concerns about Trump and Barr exerting influence over Stone’s trial only grew after the president tweeted his criticism of U.S. District Judge Amy Jackson, who is set to oversee Stone’s sentencing. Trump accused her of being needlessly harsh in her handling of Paul Manafort, a convicted former Trump campaign chairman, and for being too lenient with Hillary Clinton – though Jackson’s connection to Clinton is less than clear.

Speaking on behalf of the Federal Judges Association, Rufe made a rare public endorsement of Jackson overseeing Stone’s sentencing. “We are supportive of any federal judge who does what is required,” she said.

In addition to shifting positions on Stone, Barr recently ordered a review of Michael Flynn’s case. Flynn, a former Trump national security adviser, had previously pleaded guilty to lying to investigators, though in January he sought to reverse his plea.

Democrats in Congress have also expressed concern about Barr's role in Stone's sentencing. They have requested the attorney general explain to the House Judiciary Committee his reasoning for reducing the recommended sentence; he is set to give a statement in March.