Afternoon Briefs: Over 2,100 ex-prosecutors call for AG Barr's resignation; 'patient zero' lawyer tells his story
U.S. Attorney General William Barr. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
AG Barr should resign, say former DOJ officials
U.S. Attorney General William Barr should resign, according to an open letter signed by more than 2,100 former Justice Department officials. The letter criticizes the decision to drop false statements charges against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Also criticizing Barr is Jonathan Kravis, a federal prosecutor in the Roger Stone case who resigned after the U.S. Department of Justice overrode Kravis and his colleagues to seek a lesser sentence. In both cases, the department “undercut the work of career employees to protect an ally of the president, an abdication of the commitment to equal justice under the law,” Kravis wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. (The National Law Journal, Courthouse News Service, the open letter, the Washington Post)
Lawyer who was ‘patient zero’ in New York shares his story
New York lawyer Lawrence Garbuz said it never occurred to him that he could have COVID-19 when he became ill with a cough and fever in February. Garbuz, known as “patient zero” in New Rochelle, New York, ended up in a medically induced coma and intubated. Garbuz told NBC’s Today show that he is thankful to be alive and grateful to his wife for medical decisions that he thinks saved his life. (Today, NBC News)
Zoom enhances privacy protections in NY agreement
Zoom has reached an agreement with the New York attorney general’s office to provide new security measures to protect those using its platform. The changes aim to protect users from “Zoombombing,” in which uninvited users join a conference. Zoom has also taken steps to stop sharing user data with Facebook and has enhanced encryption. (Press release by New York Attorney General Letitia James)
