NYT Discovers DC Prosecutors Can Sidestep Grand Juries, Apparently for Fun
A recent ruling, highlighted by the NYT, concludes that D.C. prosecutors can, in essence, skip grand juries when bringing charges. This isn't some harmless procedural tweak; it's a direct sidestepping of a crucial check on prosecutorial power. In 2020, then-Attorney General William Barr notoriously suggested the D.C. U.S. Attorney was 'acting like a civil rights lawyer' for refusing to bring cases
he favored. One might wonder if this new judicial interpretation makes such 'obstacles' a thing of the past for future political prosecutions. Will we now just 'fast-track' indictments against those deemed inconvenient? The system, always eager to find shortcuts when targeting certain individuals or movements, now has judicial blessing to weaken a fundamental protection. How many times have we
seen novel legal interpretations emerge when the state wants to silence dissent or prosecute political adversaries? It seems the only thing faster than the spread of 'misinformation' is the erosion of due process when it's politically expedient.