"many of which took place in the public eye"That means it boiled down the issue of "opinion". I long held the view that Mueller may try to declare the known issues some sort of story of obstruction as seen on CNN and MSNBC. But that Trump and his attorneys would just offer a different opinion.
 |
| I swear to make Democrats look stupid, really stupid and nothing but stupid. So help me god! |
It would also just be a matter of opinion if the issue reached the House or Senate in any sort of impeachment hearing. Even had Mueller suggested these actions were obstruction, there would be little reason to believe that GOP Senators (most being lawyers themselves) would have not just made up their own minds.
Certainly Democrats can choose create their own opinions to proceed with impeachment and they may even find enough support in the House to indict/impeach as much as everyone knows it's an exercise in futility that ends badly for them in the Senate.
But at this point, with Mueller punting, the only official determination comes from Barr and Rosenstein, who determined that these actions did not rise to the level of obstruction. If the Democrats want to ask Barr or Rosenstein to testify in public, then they may want to be careful what they wish for.
Reading the report, their logic seems more than solid. There has to specific actions to impede, there has to be specific intent to impede, and to some degree those actions had to have created some impediment. Obviously the investigation was given full reign. Awful hard to sell obstruction when nothing was obstructed. Hard to sell intent, when the target was innocent of the charges.
Moreover, the facts will show that Barr and Rosenstein played this all by the book, consulted those who should have been consulted, and stuck to basic precedent and historical examples of Obstruction. Had Mueller found that the President had performed the actions of traditional obstruction (perjury, tampering, destruction of evidence) then it would have been a different story.
But for now, the story is a fairy tale for the President and a horror story for the Democrats. I am not sure why they want to have this story told for the whole country to see.
90 comments:
Mueller Leaves a Big Unanswered Question
March 24, 2019 at 5:14 pm EDT
David Frum: “Good news, America. Russia helped install your president. But although he owes his job in large part to that help, the president did not conspire or collude with his helpers. He was the beneficiary of a foreign intelligence operation, but not an active participant in that operation. He received the stolen goods, but he did not conspire with the thieves in advance.
“This is what Donald Trump’s administration and its enablers in Congress and the media are already calling exoneration. But it offers no reassurance to Americans who cherish the independence and integrity of their political process.
“The question unanswered by the attorney general’s summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report is: Why? Russian President Vladimir Putin took an extreme risk by interfering in the 2016 election as he did. Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency, the most likely outcome, Russia would have been exposed to fierce retaliation by a powerful adversary. The prize of a Trump presidency must have glittered alluringly indeed to Putin and his associates. WHY?”
____________________
We Need to Know Mueller’s Unknown Reasoning
March 24, 2019 at 6:49 pm EDT 0t
Rick Hasen: “Attorney General William Barr’s decision to release a summary of the twin Robert Mueller conclusions in the special prosecutor’s still-secret report—no collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign and Mueller’s punt on whether Trump obstructed justice—leaves open many questions that cannot be answered until the Department of Justice releases the report itself.
“At the top of my list of unanswered questions is why Mueller declined to prosecute former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort or Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. for violating laws prohibiting the solicitation of foreign contributions to American campaigns, based on those campaign surrogates’ June 2016 meeting with Russian to stop foreign involvement in the upcoming 2020 elections.”
Why Does Trump Love Putin So Much?
March 24, 2019 at 6:56 pm EDT
Politico: “Barr’s summary makes clear that there was no coordinated high-level conspiracy between Russia and Trump to tilt the 2016 presidential election in his favor…
“But there are also many aspects of Trump’s behavior toward Russia, both as a candidate and as president, that remain baffling. His obsession with that Kremlin bogeyman, NATO. His failure to disclose his pursuit of a hotel project in Moscow even as he ran for the White House, and his subsequent lying about it. His real estate business’ many years of heavy reliance on Russian money.
“Strangest of all is Trump’s relationship with Putin, whom he never criticizes directly. Flash back to that fawning July 2018 news conference in Helsinki, at which Trump stood next to his Russian counterpart and said, ‘I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.’ It remains one of the more bizarre performances by an American president abroad.”
Are you serious?
Putin didn't have to take that big of risk. With useful idiots like you he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
Trump Is Still Guilty of Treachery
March 24, 2019 at 6:59 pm EDT
David Corn: “Barr’s note is clear that Mueller did not uncover evidence Trump and his gang were in direct cahoots with Russia’s covert operation to interfere with the US election and boost Trump’s odds. But the hyper-focus on this sort of collusion—as if Trump instructed Russian hackers on how to penetrate the computer network of the Democratic National Committee—has always diverted attention from a basic and important element of the scandal that was proven long before Mueller drafted his final report: Trump and his lieutenants interacted with Russia while Putin was attacking the 2016 election and provided encouraging signals to the Kremlin as it sought to subvert American democracy. They aided and abetted Moscow’s attempt to cover up its assault on the United States (which aimed to help Trump win the White House). And they lied about all this.
“And, yes, there were instances of collusion—not on the specifics of the attack, but secret scheming between Trumpworld and Russia.
“None of the evidence underlying this is in dispute. No matter what Mueller report contains, a harsh verdict remains: Trump and his gang betrayed the United States in the greatest scandal in American history.”
So Democrats are demanding the full report knowing that legally Barr cannot give them the full report.
The very definition of cynical.
Trump Is Still Guilty of Treachery
March 24, 2019 at 6:59 pm EDT
Roger, I found you a tent mate.
David Corn must have some super secret double-probation evidence that escape Mueller's 15 Trump hating lawyers and 40 FBI investigators.
So when will he reveal this evidence?
Transitive verb : : to clear from accusation or blame.
Does not Exonerate from committing a crime.
NYT
Mueller Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy but Stops Short of Exonerating President on Obstruction
WASHINGTON — The investigation led by Robert S. Mueller III found that neither President Trump nor any of his aides conspired or coordinated with the Russian government’s 2016 election interference, according to a summary of the special counsel’s key findings made public on Sunday by Attorney General William P. Barr.
Mr. Barr also said that Mr. Mueller’s team drew no conclusions about whether Mr. Trump illegally obstructed justice. Mr. Barr and the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, determined that the special counsel’s investigators lacked sufficient evidence to establish that Mr. Trump committed that offense, but added that Mr. Mueller’s team stopped short of exonerating Mr. Trump.
“While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,” Mr. Barr quoted Mr. Mueller as writing. [Uh Oh.]
The findings delivered a significant political victory for the president, one he almost immediately began to trumpet.
“It was a complete and total exoneration,” Mr. Trump told reporters in Florida before boarding Air Force One. “It’s a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, it’s a shame that your president has had to go through this.”
He added, “This was an illegal takedown that failed.” [Nothing illegal about it.]
Mr. Barr delivered the summary of the special counsel’s finding to Congress on Sunday afternoon, just days after the conclusion of a sprawling investigation into Russia’s attempts to sabotage the 2016 election and whether President Trump or any of his associates conspired with Moscow’s interference.
But congressional Democrats have demanded more, and the release of the key findings could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Mr. Mueller’s full report will be made public.
Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsel’s investigative files.
Shortly after the release of the Mueller findings, Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter that he plans to call Mr. Barr to testify about what he said were “very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department,” seemingly referring to the attorney general’s conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice. [Ah, that.]
The article continues...
Be forwarned James. Anyone who pushes the Trump/Russia collusion conspericy from this day forward will be mocked and mocked mercilessly.
You will be ridiculed and ridiculed into total humiliation.
So go for it.
James said...
NYT
Mueller Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy but Stops Short of Exonerating President on Obstruction
Once again for the willfully stupid. If the prosecutor can't say you committed a crime you are exonerated.
That is all.
Verified account
@JoeConchaTV
Rep. Schiff (D-Calif.) said in multiple TV interviews he had direct evidence of collusion. Any interviews moving forward should demand that evidence be presented along with an explanation how he has such evidence when the Special Counsel & all of its resources couldn’t find any.
On the subject of obstruction of justice, Mueller punted. “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime,” he says, “it also does not exonerate him.” Needless to say, this did not stop Trump from tweeting his take on “does not exonerate”:
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!
181K
1:42 PM - Mar 24, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
95.9K people are talking about this
As usual, this is a lie aimed at his followers, who will not read the Barr summary and will instead rely on outlets like Fox News and Breitbart for their news. I think we can safely assume that the conservative media will ignore Mueller’s words and will instead promote Barr’s conclusion that there was no obstruction. However, since Barr was hired specifically to come to this conclusion no matter what, it’s hard to take it very seriously.
Anyway, I am now more eager than ever to see the Mueller report. I never thought that Trump was directly connected with Russian hacking, so Mueller’s conclusion on that front doesn’t surprise me. Nonetheless, if even Barr’s summary was forced to tiptoe so conspicuously around Mueller’s conclusions, I think we can assume that the Mueller report itself is at least moderately damning. Let’s see it.
¹It’s true that the Mueller report probably needs to be redacted here and there, but surely the report’s summary could be redacted pretty quickly?
The Russians helped Trump, and he knew about it.
@paulsperry_
After Special Counsel Mueller issued 2,800 subpoenas & 500 search warrants, the facts & truth are now clear: Trump & his campaign did not conspire or coordinate with Russia. So why did Comey, McCabe & Strzok launch the investigation in first place? Only 1 answer: TO SET TRUMP UP
So malicious for Mueller to hang out there possibility of obstruction with phrase "does not exonerate him" when he concluded no underlying crime of conspiracy.What the hell could POTUS possibly be obstructing? Mueller added this language as an impeachment bone for Dems to gnaw on
On the subject of obstruction of justice, Mueller punted. “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime,” he says, “it also does not exonerate him.” Needless to say, this did not stop Trump from tweeting his take on “does not exonerate”:
You either committed a crime or you didn't. The prosecutor can say you committed a crime or you didn't. The cannot say you didn't commit a crime but your not exonerated.
Proof positive of willful stupidity.
while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.")
NOT SO FAST, GUYS
Battle over Mueller's probe moves to Capitol Hill
By Heather Caygle and John Bresnahan 42 mins ago
"After months upon months of manufactured [BY TRUMP] outrage on this issue, it is time we move on for the good of the nation," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
The partisan battle over the results of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation broke out within seconds of the Justice Department’s letter on “topline” findings reaching Capitol Hill Sunday afternoon.
Two things were quickly clear: first, the end of Mueller’s exhaustive two-year probe means the political war over whether to impeach President Donald Trump - a battle that has already begun to consume Congress since Democrats took control of the House in November - is only just beginning; and secondly, Mueller gave both sides enough to keep pounding their own message for weeks and months to come.
Trump may have escaped any criminal charges from Mueller's probe, yet impeachment is clearly still on the table as far as many Democrats and progressive outside groups are concerned.
Verified account
@GovChristie
On the charge of obstruction of justice, Bob Mueller’s report “does not conclude that the President committed a crime”. That’s an important finding because that is what prosecutors do—they prosecute, they do not exonerate. Why? Because we all enjoy the presumption of innocence.
For Republicans, the message from the Mueller report was clear and insistent - “The country needs to move on.”
Meanwhile, Democrats immediately countered with “Release the whole Mueller report.”
The struggle is now over which side wins that messaging war with the American public. [who feel they have a right to see it]
Trump may have escaped any criminal charges from Mueller's probe, yet impeachment is clearly still on the table as far as many Democrats and progressive outside groups are concerned.
Go for it. I'll get the popcorn.
@paulsperry_
BREAKING: Special Counsel Mueller clears all 4 Trump advisers on whom Comey FBI opened espionage investigations -- Carter Page, George Papadopoulos, Gen. Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort -- of coordinating or conspiring with Russia in hacking or trolling activities during election
After months of twisting in the wind over what Mueller would find, Republicans gleefully pounced on the special counsel’s statement that “the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
From the White House on down to rank-and-file Republicans, that was the green light to push the “move on” message.
“I understand that Democrats today are struggling with their own deep divisions and that it might be easier to attack President Trump than work together for a common cause,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a close Trump ally. “But after months upon months of manufactured outrage on this issue, it is time we move on for the good of the nation and focus on the job we were sent to Washington to do: work to address the real challenges facing our country.”
"I am glad that the special counsel’s investigation has finally drawn to a close and we can put this outrageous chapter behind us," declared House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) "Rather than focus on the issues that affect the lives of everyday Americans, like jobs, health care, and border security, Democrats and their allies in the media have chosen to spend the last 674 days perpetuating conspiracy theories and lies in a shameless effort to discredit a President whose election they still are trying to overturn."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took a less in-your-face tone than his House GOP counterparts, but the Kentucky Republican made clear that he considers the investigation into Trump's actions during the 2016 campaign closed.
McConnell said in a statement that "the Special Counsel’s conclusions confirm the President’s account that there was no effort by his campaign to conspire or coordinate with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election."
Verified account
@seanmdav
Meanwhile, the corrupt Russians who approached Hillary's campaign mud slingers were greeted with open arms, to the point of including their lies in campaign-funded communications.
Verified account
@DevinNunes
The Russia investigation was based on false pretenses, false intel, and false media reports. House Intel found a yr ago there was no evidence of collusion, and Democrats who falsely claim to have such evidence have needlessly provoked a terrible, more than two-year-long crisis.
Verified account
@LizWFB
19 lawyers
40 FBI agents
2,800 subpoenas
500 search warrants
230 orders for communication records
500 witnesses interviewed
Cost to taxpayers at least $25 million
Results: No collusion
Yet Democrats just as quickly noted that Mueller didn’t exonerate Trump on obstruction-of-justice charges either, a huge opening for them to go after the president. According to Mueller, “while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Democrats quickly demanded.
However, Attorney General William Barr — appointed by Trump — and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein “concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel’s investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned against drawing any conclusion from the findings, zeroing in on the fact that Mueller didn’t exonerate Trump over the obstruction of justice. The Democratic leaders, like other Democrats on Sunday, also criticized Barr’s “public record of bias” against the special counsel’s probe, saying he’s “not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.”
“And most obviously, for the president to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.”
@paulsperry_
President Trump called the investigation of him and his advisers "illegal." That is not hyperbole. What the Obama FBI and DOJ pulled was worse than Watergate. AG Barr must now hold the dirty agents to account by impaneling a grand jury investigation of the investigators. #Spygate
Verified account
@seanmdav
Not mincing words, President Donald Trump himself says the last two years were an attempted coup against him: "This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody's going to be looking at the other side."
Verified account
@KurtSchlichter
The remarkable thing is not that Mueller did not exonerate @realDonaldTrump of charges. Prosecutors don’t often exonerate people. They simply decide whether there is sufficient evidence to prove a charge beyond a reasonable doubt. What is remarkable is the collusion exoneration.
It's fun watching James put lipstick on a pig only to find out that it was shit all along.
Verified account
@davereaboi
Millions were spent destroying the lives and reputations of Carter Page and George Papadopoulos—two guys who were unknown to the public and didn’t have a network of friends in the press who’d fight back on their behalf. Think about how unimaginably cynical and evil that was.
Verified account
@EWErickson
Question: Blumenthal, Nadler, Schiff, and other Democrats have been on CNN and MSNBC for two years assuring everyone that, based on their knowledge, Mueller would find collusion with Russia. Will CNN and MSNBC demand an accounting for these Dems lying to their audiences?
Judicial Watch Statement on Mueller Report
(Washington, DC) — Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement in response to the Muller special counsel report summary made public by Attorney General Barr today:
The long, national nightmare is over and President Trump has been vindicated. The corruptly-created and constitutionally abusive Mueller investigation failed to find any evidence to support the big lie that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government.
We’re pleased that AG Barr rejected Mueller’s attempt to smear President Trump with obstruction of justice innuendo by concluding that no such charges could be credibly sustained. Frankly, Mueller never had a valid basis upon which to investigate President Trump for obstruction of justice.
Let’s be clear, neither Mueller, the Obama FBI, DOJ, CIA, State Department, nor the Deep State ever had a good-faith basis to pursue President Trump on Russia collusion. Russia collusion wasn’t just a hoax, it is a criminal abuse, which is why Judicial Watch has fought and will continue to fight for Russiagate documents in federal court.=
The targeting of President Trump served to protect Hillary Clinton and her enablers/co-conspirators in Obama administration from prosecution. Attorney General Barr can begin restoring the credibility of the Justice Department by finally initiating a thorough investigation of the Clinton emails and related pay-to-play scandals and the abuses behind the targeting of President Trump.
Judicial Watch has long called for the shutdown of the Mueller special counsel operation and has pursued dozens of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits into the illicit targeting and other abuses of President Trump. Judicial Watch FOIA litigation exposed, for example:
The dossier-based Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant applications targeting President Trump
FBI payments to Christopher Steele
FBI firing of Steele
Extensive DOJ (Ohr) collusion w/Steele, Simpson, Fusion GPS
No court hearings by defrauded FISA courts before warrants were issued
Anti-Trump bias by Mueller deputy Andrew Weissmann
Project Veritas Undercover Investigation: CNN Producer Admits Network Hyping ‘Mostly Bullsh*t’ Trump-Russia Scandal for ‘Ratings’
26 Jun 2017
James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas has struck again: This time, a senior CNN producer was caught on camera by one of O’Keefe’s investigators admitting that the network’s relentless bashing of President Donald Trump with the Russia scandal lacks proof.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2017/06/26/project-veritas-undercover-investigation-cnn-producer-admits-network-hyping-mostly-bullsht-trump-russia-scandal-for-ratings/
Barr's quick announcement on not charging Trump infuriated some House Democrats, and they were already plotting their next steps Sunday afternoon. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Barr would be called to testify before the panel “in light of the very concerning discrepancies” in his summary.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), another senior Judiciary Democrat, said the panel would also likely call Mueller to testify.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a vocal Trump critic, called immediately for the public release of the full Mueller report so that Congress could reach its own conclusions about Mueller's findings, without interference from Barr.
"Congress should be able to review the evidence independent of the interpretation of Trump-appointed allies like the Attorney General," Murphy said in a statement. "This is too important to our democracy to keep anything hidden from public view, especially when the future of our democracy is at stake."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) echoed calls for the report to be made public.
“I urge the Attorney General to perform his duty to country and Constitution, ensure that this report is made available to Congress and the public, and resist any attempt by the White House to interfere, " Hoyer said. "Russia and anyone involved in its efforts to undermine our elections or our democratic system of government must be held accountable and made to answer for their actions.”
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) also called for the full report to be released.
“We should not construe a four page letter from the Attorney General with the complete findings of Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation,” Clyburn said in a statement. “In the meantime, Congress will continue to fulfill its oath to uphold the constitution by providing oversight of this administration.”
Earlier this weekend Pelosi dismissed Barr’s summary as “insufficient” and demanded the attorney general release the full scope of Mueller’s investigation – not just the special counsel’s final report but all documents and underlying evidence gathered as part of the probe.
Pelosi told her members on Saturday that she would reject a confidential briefing for leaders of the House and Senate if offered by DOJ, warning officials could hide behind it as a way to shield Mueller’s conclusions from the broader public.
Democrats have said their demands for transparency are no different than Republicans’ successful effort to obtain thousands of investigative documents – including internal emails and private text messages – related to the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email use.
Barr’s summary and whatever parts of Mueller’s full report that are eventually released to the public will only further House Democrats’ sprawling investigations into Trump world.
At least six committees are investigating Trump’s administration, financial dealings and businesses, including the wide-ranging Judiciary probe into whether the president obstructed justice.
“Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ,” Nadler tweeted.
“DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.”
Here are the facts:
Special counsel Robert Mueller found no proof that President Donald Trump criminally colluded with Russia.
He reached no conclusion about whether Trump obstructed justice.
The Mueller report did not exonerate President Trump.
The bombshell findings were contained in a letter that Attorney General Barr sent to lawmakers Sunday summarizing Mueller's report and that was made public.
According to Ari Melber, Attorney General Barr’s letter tries to go much farther than what Special Counsel Mueller stated in his report on potential obstruction, and as Chuck Todd pointed out, this summary of the Mueller report will serve as the first impression for most people of what the Special Counsel found. The reason that’s important? In both the Clinton and Nixon cases, these kind of findings are referred to Congress for judgment. But instead, Barr is stating his own view – and President Trump ran with that view, calling the investigation an “illegal takedown that failed.”
Joe Scarborough notes that while findings in the report make it a “very good day for the President of the United States politically,' the question remains that if there was no collusion, then why did President Trump, his administration and his associates lie during the campaign? “I guess the answer to that may just be pure, basic greed,” Scarborough said. “He wanted to build a tower in Moscow.”
Rep. Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that because of these “very concerning discrepancies,” they will be calling Barr to testify “in the near future,” and says that “we cannot simply rely on what may be a hasty, partisan interpretation of the facts.”
We need to see the entire report.
I'm kind of surprised that Barr was partisan in his response to the investigation.
Dear Chairman Graham, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Feinstein, and Ranking Member Collins:
I write to notify you pursuant to 28 C.F.R § 600.9(a)(3) that Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has concluded his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and related matters. In addition to this notification, the Special Counsel regulations require that I provide you with "a description and explanation of instances (if any) in which the Attorney General" or acting Attorney General "concluded that a proposed action by a Special Counsel was so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued." 28 C.F.R § 600.9(a)(3). There were no such instances during the Special Counsel's investigation.
The Special Counsel has submitted to me today a "confidential report explaining the prosecution and declination decisions" he has reached, as required by 28 C.F.R § 600.8(c). I am reviewing the report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you of the Special Counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this weekend.
Separately, I intend to consult with Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and Special Counsel Mueller to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law, including the Special Counsel regulations, and the Department's long-standing practices and policies. I remain committed to as much transparency as possible, and I will keep you informed as to the status of my review.
Finally, the Special Counsel regulations provide that "the Attorney General may determine that public release of" this notification "would be in the public interest." 28 C.F.R § 600.9(c). I have so determined, and I will disclose this letter to the public after delivering it to you.
Sincerely,
William P. Barr
Attorney General
Thanks Roger...
Didn't know that Barr wrote a letter today?
What did it say?
Did they find collusion or conspiracy?
AP FACT CHECK: Mueller probe doesn't totally exonerate Trump
1 hr ago
Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington. The Justice Department said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday celebrated a "total exoneration" that special counsel Robert Mueller explicitly did not provide in his report on the Russia investigation.
Attorney General William Barr quotes Mueller saying his report "does not exonerate" Trump.
TRUMP: "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION." — tweet Sunday after Barr gave Congress his summary of Mueller's findings.
TRUMP: "There was no obstruction, and none what so ever, and it was a complete and total exoneration." — remarks to reporters Sunday after Barry's summary came out.
SARAH SANDERS, White House press secretary: "The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG (Deputy Attorney general Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration." — tweet Sunday.
THE FACTS: It was not a total vindication. Mueller's exact words in the report, as quoted by the attorney general, say otherwise: "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
The summary by Barr notes Mueller did not "draw a conclusion — one way or the other — as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," but rather set out evidence for both sides, leaving the question unanswered. Barr wrote in the summary that ultimately he decided as attorney general that the evidence developed by Mueller was "not sufficient" to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Trump committed obstruction of justice
Barr's summary also notes that Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. To prove a crime, Mueller must generally meet a standard of proving an offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
The summary did not clear the president of improper behavior regarding Russia but did not establish that "he was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference," Mueller said in a passage from the report quoted by Barr.
The four-page summary signed by Barr gave the bottom line only as he and Rosenstein saw it. Mueller's detailed findings remain confidential at least for now.
The summary by Barr notes Mueller did not "draw a conclusion — one way or the other — as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," but rather set out evidence for both sides, leaving the question unanswered.
Barr wrote in the summary that ultimately HE decided as attorney general that the evidence developed by Mueller was "not sufficient" to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Trump committed obstruction of justice.
HE DON'T DECIDE THAT. WE THE PEOPLE DECIDE THAT.
We the people need to see the evidence for both sides.
Ted Cruz reminds us that Mueller's team was filled with partisan democrats. And still, they found no collusion.
The AG should investigate some in congress and the media now.
Barr:
Obstruction of Justice.
The report's second part addresses a number of actions by the President – most of which have been the subject of public reporting – that the Special Counsel investigated as potentially raising obstruction-of-justice concerns. After making a “thorough factual investigation” into these matters, the Special Counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under Department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other – as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as “difficult issues” of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. The Special Counsel states that “while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
MY, MY.
Barr:
As I have previously stated, however, I am mindful of the public interest in this matter. For that reason, my goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsel's report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies.
We the People would like to know more about the "evidence on both sides of the question... as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction."
Wouldn't the President like for that to be looked into so he can finally really be exonerated?
Well James...
I think the President feels (as he should) that he was exonerated.
The fact is that Mueller left the decision up to the Dept of Justice. The Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General concluded that he was exonerated.
They are the top two Justice figures in our country.
There is nobody who has any authority to overrule their opinion as it pertains to bringing or recommending charges.
Congress can impeach. Good luck with that!
This is soooooooo mmmmmuuuuucccchhh fun watching the Socialist Democrats suck on IT!!!!
Poccahatous got this so wrong. Her Judgement was 100 % wrong.
The President told us he did nothing wrong. He has been proven right.
Is tomorrow hug a socialist Democrat day?
There appears that they didn't cooperate with the Russians. At least to the extent of violations of the law.
The biggest threat to the President is objection to justice. The letter was carefully crafted. You should note that portions of the report were never complete quotes. And he was not exonerated in the objection of justice.
But note that he has discredited the deep state conspiracy theory. that a proposed action by a Special Counsel was so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued."
This might be the biggest problem for Trump. “[W]hile this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
The conspiracy may be( objection of justice charges).
I'm trying not to look at this from a partisan perspective.
A lawyer I heard today say that the only way to make sure that the people are allowed to read the entire report. Barr is a very good lawyer. He carefully edited the report in the quotes in the letter.
I'm just saying that this isn't over yet. He disappointed me. He was Trump's man, not the loyalty to the Constitution.
Pelosi was very crafty about impeachment. Unless there is a bombshell in the report, Trump will be able to claim that any other investigations are an attack against the best President ever. It will keep you happy.
But if he tries to use executive privilege to keep the report from the American people, again you will agree despite your fears of executive privilege under President Obama, you will support him.
Don't drink too much in celebration!
"The fact that special counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay."
-- House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
"Executive privilege cannot be used to shield or hide wrongdoing."
--House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler.
the "pastor" is in full panic mode.
NO COLLUSION
No prosecution for "obstruction" of justice with regards to that.
HUGE WIN FOR TRUMP AND AMERICA
Next up Obama and Hillary, fair and equal prosecution this time with real evidence
Although Trump lauded the attorney general's summary as vindication, Barr wrote that Mueller stated in the report that, "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
Never ever change or learn Alky.
President Trump talked with AG Barr after the report was made public.
I am glad he did AG Barr did good.
Mueller hoax.
Was anyone actually convicted of Collution?
This Collusion delusion is the Socialist Democrats Titanic.
The Three Socialist Stooges of CHT are still using bucket to attempt to keep her afloat.
And he was not exonerated in the objection of justice.
I think I will celebrate. Comforted by the fact that in the whole history of the United States nobody was ever convicted of objection to justice. 😊
while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
Roger you were willlfuly stupid to bring up this point the first time and repeating it over and over doesn't make you any smarter.
The nets told us all weekend that 34 individuals were indicted. They neglected to also say that 25 of them are Russians, no american was indicted for collusion, some indictments were for stuff over a decade ago, and other indictments were simply for lying.
If dems continue to pursue this destructive course, it could cause an actual civil war. Tens of millions of voters are fed up with it.
UPDATE: AG Barr’s summary says Mueller report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, but also "does not exonerate him,” despite White House’s assertions. https://on.msnbc.com/2JPUqRd
Van Jones hates Trump
Explains The Three Socialist Stooges of CHT .
"I’ve been trying to tell folks for a long time: there’s no Santa Claus, there’s no Harry Potter with a magic wand. And I can’t tell you how many people over the years have come up to me — serious people, with their hearts broken — saying, “But when Bob Mueller comes, man, he’s gonna get Trump, and Trump’s gonna be out of there — Van, how many more days do you think Trump has left? And I said, “Maybe eight years, if we don’t start working on real issues and not just talking about Robert Mueller all the time.”
Van Jones on Mueller findings: “There’s an honest level of sadness and disappointment and disorientation among progressives and Democrats and I think it goes deeper than just what’s in the report."
Like it.
Roger is a stupid Parrott.
He has a shiny new bucket to keep the Socialists Titanic floating.
His 2nd divorce has wreck him. Emotional and further financially.
It certainly does exonerate the president of collusion, which was and has been the primary purpose of the special counsel.
Even al sharpton is saying to move on.
"The fact that special counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay."
Al Sharpton doesn't represent the Democratic party.
The full report and underlying
documentation must be made public.
This is not the end, it is the beginning.
#impeachment?
Highly unlikely. And barring any new evidence from the report, the Democrats have to focus on getting the President out of the office in 2020.
But if he tries to use executive privilege to keep the report from the American people, again you will agree despite your fears of executive privilege under President Obama, you will support him.
releasing the report is the wise choice here alky. it takes away the donks ability to use it as an excuse, which they certainly will if it's kept private. not only would i release it, i'd rub schitt's nose in it every fucking day. he's a fucking traitor.
and not once did i take issue with 0linsky's use of exec privilege. it was his unconstitutional use of exec orders that i opposed.
someone as learned as you claim to be on these things should know the difference. you obviously don't. fortunately the USSC did, and unanimously overturned his ass a dozen times.
This is not the end, it is the beginning.
the only thing this is the beginning of is trump's 2020 campaign.
keep making america great!
heh.
Myballs said...
It certainly does exonerate the president of collusion, which was and has been the primary purpose of the special counsel.
So Mueller, while exonerating the president and everyone else in America they investigated of collusion, did throw a desperate bone to the left regarding obstruction, which he said was mostly in the open.
If you compare what Trump did in this regard as compared to what Bill, Hillary and their attack dogs did to the Whitewater investigators there really is no comparison. In fact if you look what people like Schiff did on this investigation you can easily point out they obstructed much more.
As was said the democrats are on the Titanic and refuse to get off.
So Mueller, while exonerating the president and everyone else in America they investigated of collusion, did throw a desperate bone to the left regarding obstruction, which he said was mostly in the open.
the only potential for obstruction that i've seen is coming FROM democrats.
adam schitt and golden corral nadler claim to have a veritable mountain of evidence against the president. if so, i have two questions -
1) where the fuck is it?
and
2) why the fuck did they not turn it over to mueller?
there's your obstruction of justice, right there.
schitt and nadler are traitors. add two ropes to the gallows.
make it three. nadler's a fat fuck. he'll need two.
Sharpton represents a portion of the dem party, which is why dem presidential candidates all make the trip to see him to ask for his endorsement.
Even he says its time to stop the farce.
Also in America we don't exonerate people who have never been charged with a crime. And I would say even more so, if that is possible, if they were just found to have been completely clean with an investigation on which no evidence ever existed, just a hunch and bad feelings.
I guess its fair to say that Obama was not exonerated here also if we use current democrat standards.
Al Sharpton doesn't represent the Democratic party.
Apperently neither does Nancy and Chuck.
just a hunch and bad feelings.
not even a hunch. just bad feelings.
$17M and 22 months was spent "investigating" what was, at its core, a story fabricated to explain away the loss of a presidential election by the worst candidate in the history of our republic.
russia, russia, russia, was crafted by robby mook, jennifer palmieri, and a handful of other clinton hacks on the day after the election as an excuse for an epic fail.
period. full stop.
that's all this ever was.
Verified account
@ToryAnarchist
Did conservatives unfairly criticize Mueller? No—his report vindicates their concerns. Mueller cleared Trump in fact—no prosecution—but still tried to harm him politically by claiming to make no call about obstruction. Yet to recommend prosecution or not *is* the call.
Lol,@ Socialist.
Now they hang Al Sharpton .
"Al Sharpton doesn't represent the Democratic party. "
perhaps the best part of this whole mueller report ordeal is the fact that the dems reactions drip with irony.
it wasn't that long ago they were ripping alex jones and infowars for being absolutely batshit cray cray.
now they've BECOME alex jones and infowars.
heh.
FAKE NEWS SHOWS THEY WERE FAKE NEWS
Brit Hume
Verified account
@brithume
At least the NY Times and Washington Post, both of which have much to answer for in promoting the bogus collusion tale, did not downplay the Mueller findings this morning.
https://twitter.com/brithume/status/1110155591954194432
and how dangerous they are to our Republic
Promise Made
Promise Failed.
impeachment YOUR team promised.
Pro-tem Speaker Luddite Cortez demands it.
Verified account
@Heminator
While we're all dealing with the fallout from the Mueller report, let me get something off my chest: Of all the despicable things that happened in the last two years, I'm perhaps most galled by the constant refrain that the American media was this VITAL INSTITUTION currently manning the DMZ between American civilization and chaos, and as such had to be spared from any serious criticism at this time ("this time" being the dark age that descended immediately upon us when Hillary Clinton lost a free and fair election).
I heard this loudly from those on the right, as well as the left. Media criticism had been a significant portion of my work as a journalist, and this sudden and entirely unwarranted reverence for the media actually affected my career negatively because I didn't stop trying to point out that large swaths of the media were clearly acting unethical and irresponsible.
Meanwhile, mainstream journalists were taking talking points straight from the likes of liars such as Brennan and Clapper (and trying to
intimidate critics behind the scenes -- I got a lovely personal story about that), claiming the Logan Act was a real thing that merited law enforcement investigation, lapping up self-serving leaks from a thoroughly corrupted FBI, and generally engaged in malpractice and groupthink across the board.
This may prove to be the most credibility damaging episode of the modern era. But no! You can't dare criticize the media, even if you couch it in an acknowledgement of Trump's own issues with the truth and plead for
a course correction instead of tearing the media down. (Having ranted about all this personally, NOW IMAGINE WHAT MY WIFE ENDURED for being correct when everyone around her was wrong and extremely self-righteous about it.)
Everyone who said that the media are above criticism only made it so much worse. If you were worried that those nasty Trumpers would tear down the media two years ago, prepare to reap the whirlwind.
"The president’s pick to replace Jeff Sessions at the helm of the Justice Department has known and admired the president’s bête noire, Robert Mueller, for 30 years — and somehow President Donald Trump seems fine with that.
The relationship, which Barr described in public Tuesday during his Senate confirmation hearing, is both a source of reassurance to Democrats worried about Barr’s attitude toward Mueller’s probe and a reminder of the small size of Washington’s legal and law enforcement worlds."
This is so good.
Exactly, the Vast Majority of the US Media has and continues to lie to us.
@JohnWHuber
Anyone remember that time when the media thought it was a good idea to let the former FBI Director (who was fired for lying) go on an uncritically covered national book tour and lie about Trump being a potential Russian agent?
It was last month
notes from a failed coup:
This is more than an exoneration. It’s a searing indictment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as a reminder of the need to know the story behind the bureau’s corrosive investigation.
Mr. Mueller’s report likely doesn’t put it that way, but it’s the logical conclusion of his no-collusion finding. The FBI unleashed its powers on a candidate for the office of the U.S. presidency, an astonishing first. It did so on the incredible grounds that the campaign had conspired to aid a foreign government. And it used the most aggressive tools in its arsenal—surveillance of U.S. citizens, secret subpoenas of phone records and documents, even human informants.
The wreckage is everywhere. The nation has been engulfed in conspiracy theories for years. A presidency was hemmed in by the threat of a special counsel. Citizens have gone to jail not for conspiracy, but for after-the-fact interactions with Mr. Mueller’s team. Dozens more have spent enormous amounts of money and time defending their reputations.
None of this should ever have happened absent highly compelling evidence—from the start—of wrongdoing. Yet from what we know, the FBI operated on the basis of an overheard conversation of third-tier campaign aide George Papadopoulos, as well as a wild “dossier” financed by the rival presidential campaign. Mr. Mueller’s no-collusion finding amounts to a judgment that there never was any evidence. The Papadopoulos claim was thin, the dossier a fabrication.
Which is all the more reason Americans now deserve a full accounting of the missteps of former FBI Director James Comey and his team—in part so that this never happens again. That includes the following: What “evidence” did the FBI have in totality? What efforts did the bureau take to verify it? Did it corroborate anything before launching its probe? What role did political players play? How aware was the FBI that it was being gulled into a dirty-trick operation, and if so, how did it justify proceeding? How intrusive were the FBI methods? And who was harmed?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-is-done-now-probe-the-real-scandal-11553468801
As Walter Russell Mead wrote in 2017:
If Trump were the Manchurian candidate that people keep wanting to believe that he is, here are some of the things he’d be doing:
Limiting fracking as much as he possibly could
Blocking oil and gas pipelines
Opening negotiations for major nuclear arms reductions
Cutting U.S. military spending
Trying to tamp down tensions with Russia’s ally Iran
That Trump is planning to do precisely the opposite of these things may or may not be good policy for the United States, but anybody who thinks this is a Russia appeasement policy has been drinking way too much joy juice.
Obama actually did all of these things, and none of the liberal media now up in arms about Trump ever called Obama a Russian puppet; instead, they preferred to see a brave, farsighted and courageous statesman. Trump does none of these things and has embarked on a course that will inexorably weaken Russia’s position in the world, and the media, suddenly flushing eight years of Russia dovishness down the memory hole, now sounds the warning that Trump’s Russia policy is treasonously soft.
https://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/02/24/trump-isnt-sounding-like-a-russian-mole/
I saw someone ask if the journalists who won awards for their coverage should give these back. In fact they should be discredited. Unless they do the right thing and unmask the anonymous high ranking government officials who were obviously lying and pushing a false narrative.
After all people given leniency or immunity lose that if they lie.
and Democracy dies in darkness.
Post a Comment