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Just when it seemed that Attorney General William Barr would get away with intentionally tanking his own Justice Department's conviction of President Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, a federal judge on Wednesday slammed on the brakes and now is demanding real answers.

There's a common saying that the courts are the final bulwark against tyranny. "Tyranny" may be a bit much here, but Judge Emmet Sullivan certainly seems to be taking a stand against an unconscionable abuse of power by Trump and Barr.

Barr's move to clear Flynn is outrageous and transparently political. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. He admitted under oath that he knew it was a crime to lie to the FBI, that he was not entrapped, that he was "in fact guilty of the crime charged," and that he had committed additional crimes relating to his work for Turkish interests in the United States.

According to a letter signed by over 2,000 former federal prosecutors and other Justice Department alumni (including me), it is "extraordinarily rare, if not unprecedented" for the Justice Department to move to vacate a conviction after such an admission of guilt by a defendant. With this move, Barr once again undermined his own credibility and independence.

Nonetheless, given that both parties before him -- Flynn and the Justice Department -- agreed that the case should be thrown out, Judge Sullivan easily could have issued a one-line ruling and been done with it: "Both parties concur, case dismissed." But Judge Sullivan, an experienced and savvy jurist with a reputation as a "fiercely independent thinker," according to The Hill, sensed something was amiss and refused to take the easy way out.

Instead, the judge -- clearly skeptical of both Flynn and the Justice Department -- has taken the unusual step of calling on interested outside parties ("amicus curiae," in legal lingo) to submit briefs. And Judge Sullivan has appointed a former federal judge, John Gleeson, to review the case and provide recommendations.

It seems clear where this is headed. If Judge Sullivan had bought Barr's position, he would have tossed the case by now. I expect Sullivan's deeper inquiry will reach the same conclusion as I have: that Barr's effort to dismiss the Flynn case is a political gambit unjustified by the facts or the law.

If that happens, it will be a devastating rebuke to Barr. And such a result would cut the legs out from the dubious claim that members of the Obama administration somehow improperly "unmasked" Flynn (when in fact "unmasking" is a routine part of intelligence work, and there is no evidence of improper political motivation).

The question now is whether Trump will preempt the damage by pardoning Flynn. A pardon would, of course, end the Flynn case and prevent Judge Sullivan from formally rejecting Barr's motion and proceeding to sentence Flynn. But make no mistake: if Trump does pardon Flynn now, it's as good as an admission that he and Barr got caught trying to cheat the system. Final bulwark, indeed.

Let's remember what the 'unmasking' scandal is about.

No president-elect has come into office as completely corrupt as trump either.

nothing said.

Seems the helium is leaking from your Obamagate balloons there pinky.

The Morning Briefing: Richard Grenell Is the Superhero America Needs Right Now

For the longest time, most of the evidence that would have clarified either situation was kept tucked away in various places by Deep State bureaucrats. I’ve hesitated to use the phrase “Deep State” until now but the last few weeks of watching the Main Stream Media monster almost have me reconsidering Alex Jones.

We on the Right have been waiting for clarification on just what might have happened with the Obama administration as it left Hope and Change Land. The odds that the malignant narcissist would go quietly weren’t good. Much of the truth remained hidden until acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell stormed in and threw sunshine on everything.

Grenell exposed everyone in the Obama administration who was involved in the “unmasking” of Flynn. It was a brilliant move, giving a boost to the president while the mainstream media hacks continued to be disingenuous about his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Grenell ain’t playing. It’s a thing of beauty the way he’s handling the Left.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Trump was known to be mobbed up from his early days with meetings with Gambino Family members.

'Tip of the Iceberg': Who Else from Team Trump Was Unmasked by the Obama Administration?

"It's not just Michael Flynn. There was an unmasking request made the morning of the inauguration," former Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy told America's Newsroom Thursday morning. "President Trump's family members names were unmasked."