A few things to keep in mind:
Trump's twitter feed is fairly quiet in spite of the White House knowing about this in advance. Traditionally if Trump thinks that things are going to go bad for him, he will get out in front of it with a barrage of twitter remarks (or twitter insults, or twitter attacks).
Secondly, this is being "hosted" by the Department of Justice (led of course by William Barr). So one shouldn't expect that what Mueller has to say will be too terribly negative about his boss or the manner in which the DOJ handled things. I doubt whether the DOJ would promote something that will be critical of the DOJ, and it's even less likely that they don't know what Mueller will say.
Thirdly, this appears to be something of a deflection for Mueller "not" agreeing to a public hearing in front of Congress. He is giving a statement, but refusing to take questions. Whether or not this will squash the eagerness of those who want to hear him testify is tough to say, but it may sway many in the mushy middle who might be a bit curious, but still want to move on.
Lastly, if this is a form of a deflection to move himself further away for calls of a public hearing, then I wouldn't expect anything in terms of any new bombshells. Anything that moves us further away from what is on the report will feed the desire for people to have him testify in an open forum. So I suspect that the statement will likely be in sync with the report, with some clarifications. He may also challenge certain rhetoric regarding the report, that isn't really coming from the report.
But, again, I think if people are expecting Mueller to offer a different conclusion than he offered in the report, or to provide us with some breaking new bombshell information, I think they will be deeply disappointed.
76 comments:
It will be Mueller's first public comments about the investigation. It will be "substantial," a source familiar confirmed that the statement said.
Special Counsel Mueller will be making a statement on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election.
Another shoe to drop?
If he doesn't say anything negative about Trump expect reporters to be throwing their shoes.
And Barr certainly has things over him.
So this was an eight minute statement that provided literally nothing of substance, other than his basic line that he will not be providing any additional opinions or statements about the President or anyone else who they did not charge with a crime.
This was anything but "substantial"
Once again, a source close to the investigation has a face full of egg!
He could not change the President because of Department of Justice policy.
The Russians did intervene and to damage one candidate.
He handed it off to the congress.
EXONERATED MY ASS!!!!!!! Insufficient data for broader conspiracy charges IOW's something went on with the russians in spite of your opinion lil scotty!!!!!
“The matters we investigated were of paramount importance,”
Not a Witch Hunt.
He stated "literally" what I have argued multiple times...
That he would stand by the report 100% and not provide anything outside of what the report stated. He is following every DOJ guideline by refusing to suggest anything specific about anyone who was not charged. Literally nothing he stated was not taken directly from the report, and he didn't even offer any "clarifications".
Anyone expecting that Bob Mueller would question William Barr or suggest he believes differently... is pretty deeply disappointed at this point in time.
charging Trump with a crime was ‘not an option'
The house of representatives is going to address this issue with impeachment hearings.
“The matters we investigated were of paramount importance,”
The President's response is going to be interesting.
I might point out that Mueller also undercut the calls for subpoenaing him.
He stated quite clearly that he will offer nothing that is not already in the report. He states that the report is clearly worded, that they were very careful in the working, and that he certainly is strongly suggesting that he left nothing out.
Moreover, he will stand by long standing DOJ regulation in not making any sort of comments regarding anyone he did not charge with a crime, specifically not making any more comments about the President.
So sad for liberals.
He stated "literally" what I have argued multiple times
Maybe if your arms were longer you could pat your self on the back there Lil Scotty....you really are a genius if you think that was an omnipotent prediction......>BWAAAAAAPAAAAAA!!!!! He stood up and said no I will not participate in a political game....Dayum, some one who has integrity unlike you slime ball republicans who fellate trump every time he whips it out!!!!!
Well Roger...
Everyone knows that the President would love nothing more than a good impeachment fight. If there was any question as to whom to blame regarding nothing getting done right now, the Democrats would close that argument by launching impeachment hearings.
As McConnell stated just yesterday, anything impeachment related would last about a day in the Senate before they "squashed it".
So an exercise in futility (that has about 33% support) while the majority of the Country wants Congress to get things done???
You think that's the way to go, huh?
Next up IG report.
Now THAT is likely a shoe drop.
PS were the "reporters" required to leave their shoes at the door ?
"We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to Volume Two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under longstanding department policy, the president can not be charged with a federal crime while in office -- that is unconstitutional -- even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view."
"Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. So that was Justice Department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated. And from them, we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the office's final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president."
He doesn't want to testify, but if he does, he will not be a public political tool.
Well Denny,
There were about 1001 different opinions on what Mueller would say once he got the chance. Among them:
- He would criticize Barr. He didn't.
- He would disagree with Barr's conclusion. He didn't.
- He would provide a personal opinion. He didn't
- He would say the President committed a crime. He didn't.
- He would tell us something we didn't already know. he didn't.
Not sure I saw anyone on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC or read anyone in the NYT or WaPo who was of the opinion that Mueller would simply go up, tell everyone that his Report was his testimony, that he stood by the report 100%, and that he had full faith that his Attorney General did the right thing.
So if it was so simple, Denny...
How come so many people were wrong?
He won't testify because he knows Republicans have a long list of tough questions.
@seanmdav
A few things are clear from the press conference: Mueller (who came across as feeble and doddering, more resembling an aging senator than a tough prosecutor) always wanted to impeach Trump, is mad he lost control of the narrative, and doesn't think he's accountable to Congress.
Maybe the Russians or Chinese have something over Mueller. MUST BE INVESTIGATED.
"If we had confidence that (Trump) did not commit a crime, we would’ve said so...Under longstanding DOJ policy, a @POTUS cannot be charged w/a federal crime while he's in office. Charging (Trump) with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider."
He didn't clear the President of objection of justice.
The Democrats have a conundrum.
He doesn't want to testify, but if he does, he will not be a public political tool.
Well Roger...
There goes your best and last hope of someone in actual authority stating that he thought the President committed a crime.
it's a carefully weak statement (just like the report) regarding the decision not to come to a conclusion. Especially since he uses precedent to make the argument.
Because Ken Starr also believed that Bill Clinton could not be charged with a crime, but Ken Starr was willing to go on record and declare that Bill Clinton "did" commit perjury, witness tampering, and OOJ, and that Starr would have indicted him if he could.
So based on past precedent of Special prosecutors, it would not have been "unprecedented" to make a statement of judgement, especially since that "was" part of his job description.
that being said, since his report is his testimony:
The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred.
Meaning that Mueller simply found the issues too complicated.
Whereas Barr, Rosenstein and others at the DOJ had no such issue.
Anonymous Sean Davis said...
@seanmdav
A few things are clear from the press conference: Mueller (who came across as feeble and doddering
The most moronic thing posted here except for Lil Scotty bragging on himself....>TOO FUCKING FUNNY!!!!! Wonder if sean davis had bone spurs like trump to get out of serving his country.??????
The President doesn't think he's accountable to Congress.
He was probably indictable if he wasn't the President.
The BIG NOTHING report
There goes your best and last hope of someone in actual authority stating
BWAAAAA The stupidity of Lil Scotty continues unabated......I bet you think trump is free and clear also.....!!!! The tax man cometh and trump will surely pay!!!!
The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred.
Volume one.
Volume two.
It doesn't exonerate the President.
The BIG NOTHING report
Another goat fucking idiot nothing to post!!!!!!!
He acted as if He is above the Law.
At least he took himself and his team off the public teat.
This is entirely to avoid testifying. He's very afraid of Republican questions.
If the Press was doing its job they would have shouted questions at him.
Like they do of this President.
Question , does Speaker in Name Only Polosi Impeach?
Enough talking, get to doing.
AG Barr has the full backing of Mueller.
The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred.
Roger... that is from Volume II
Mueller put up every wall he could to Protect himself and his 19 lawyers aka long knives carriers.
Roger... that is from Volume II
And trump declared he was exonerated, asshole....
He did say that he could indict the president. But the regulations prohibit it.
Mueller said: "When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrong doers accountable."
Muller helped to continue the circus, which was his intention.
Well again...
He stated nothing that wasn't already in the report.
Nada. Not the thing. Nothing new. No bombshell.
No statement that he disagreed with Barr, or that he wanted to amend what he wrote, or that he wanted to clear the air, or that he wanted to say or do anything "other" than what was already in the report.
On a scale of 1-10 as to what some people might have expected Mueller to say or what they might have thought he would have said to damage the President or the Attorney General...
This was about a 1.5 at best.
Mueller has full confidence in Barr. Full confidence!
and yes, the whole deal could have gone better if Mueller was a better speaker. He came across as lacking confidence, lacking ease in front of the camera, and lacking a strong determination that he was in control.
Just the fact that Barr made the call that Mueller wouldn't make is enough to see why Barr has always been Mueller's boss.
He not only said he's got Nothing more, but, has shielded his staff too.
So, ball is in the gutless Cowards court Speaker in Name Only Polosi , enuff talking get to doing.
As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who are part of the Russian military, launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cybertechniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks.
The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate.
Trump said that Putin denied any involvement in the election.
Roger the Donks lost because Clinton SUCKED
EOS
lay off the cray-cray
He not only said he's got Nothing more, but, has shielded his staff too.
Exactly what a good boss is supposed to dol...Unlike trump who throws them under the bus except for family.....idiot....Obviously you never worked a day in your menial shitty life.....!!!
So that was Justice Department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated. And from them, we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the office’s final position, and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the attorney general, as required by department regulations.
The attorney general then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and to the American people.
This is not an exhortation of the President. We the people and our house of representatives will move on with the investigation. The Wikileaks were coordinated to interfere the outcome of the election.
If the courts could not continue, the Congress is obligated to pursue the information to where it leads.
Pelosi is going to face a tough challenge. The new congressional members are demanding impeachment hearings.
Well Mueller did exactly what I thought he would. Slime Trump with innuendo without actually presenting any evidence of wrong doing. Just like he did with the report.
This of course should be a one day story.
Roger Amick said "He didn't clear the President of objection of justice. "
Get help. Even lo iq "anonymous" probably makes "sense" to you.
And as Kim Jong Un would say a grain of rice has a higher iq than lo iq. Though that may be a compliment since you know how much Koreans lover their rice.
ROFLMFAO !!!
And trump declared he was exonerated, asshole....
And he was, by the Department of Justice, when the AG, DAG, and AAG for legal counsel declared that there was no obstruction case against him.
It really doesn't matter what one of their direct report employees says.
"We did not, however, make a determination to whether the president did commit a crime."
Did NOT make a determination.
This destroyed the investigation is over claim by the President.
btw isn't it amazing the Mueller didn't charge a single other individual with obstruction of justice, where he plainly was able to do so if obstruction existed. So either his theory is Trump acted alone or there is no there there.
And the American people are not stupid, except the ultra-partisans with TDS.
Trump continues to WIN !!!
Roger was wrong on so much.
A short highlight reel.
Kerry in a Landslide
Wrong on 2016 Election
Trump worked with the Russians
Inflation is going to skyrocket
The Released Information was factual.
They took and released actual documents.
@tomselliott
Huh. So Iran setup fake social media accounts to help Dems win in 2018 and for some reason @RepAdamSchiff isn’t calling for investigations.
-----------------
Fake social media accounts spread pro-Iran messages during U.S. midterms: FireEye
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-socialmedia/fake-social-media-accounts-spread-pro-iran-messages-during-u-s-midterms-fireeye-idUKKCN1SY26Q
His statement did not clear the obstruction case against him.
Another statement was released. "This is the policy that the we cannot make a decision, one way or another. "
Did NOT make a determination.
Yes, because Trump did NOT commit a crime.
@charlescwcooke
"If we had had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime we would have said so." Mueller
Is this how it works? Isn't it the other way around? You look for evidence that a crime was committed, and if you don't find it you say "we didn't find any." You don't look for evidence that it wasn't and then say, "we couldn't find evidence of innocence."
Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump
In his public remarks about the special counsel’s Russia investigation, Robert S. Mueller III suggested that he was reluctant to testify before Congress. On whether President Trump obstructed justice, Mr. Mueller said that “if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”
WASHINGTON — Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, on Wednesday declined to clear President Trump of obstruction of justice in his first public characterization of his two-year-long investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.
“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” Mr. Mueller said, reading from prepared notes behind a lectern at the Justice Department. “We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.”
He also said that while Justice Department policy prohibits charging a sitting president with a crime, the Constitution provides for another process to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing — a clear reference to the ability of Congress to begin impeachment proceedings.
Although his remarks closely matched statements contained in his more than 400-page report, Mr. Mueller’s portrayal of Mr. Trump’s actions was not as benign as Attorney General William P. Barr’s characterizations. While Mr. Barr has seemed to question why the special counsel investigated the president’s behavior, Mr. Mueller stressed the gravity of that inquiry.
“When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of their government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable,” he said.
He suggested that he was reluctant to testify before Congress, as the House Judiciary Committee has asked. “The report is my testimony,” he said.
He said he was grateful to Mr. Barr for releasing the vast majority of the document, and did not expect to comment on it further. He said he was closing the special counsel’s office and returning to private life.
Mr. Trump and his advisers sought to play down Mr. Mueller’s comments. The president said that they made little difference and conflated Mr. Mueller’s assertions that his investigators found insufficient evidence to charge a conspiracy with Russia but declined to make a decision on obstruction because of the prevailing Justice Department view. “The case is closed!” he wrote on Twitter.
Democrats pointed to Mr. Mueller’s remarks as a fresh call for them to investigate the president. Representative Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Congress would continue to scrutinize the president’s “crimes, lies and other wrongdoing.” He added, “No one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law.”
The findings from the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, are now available to the public. The redacted report details his two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Mr. Nadler has sided with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who have avoided calling for Mr. Trump’s impeachment, creating division in the Democratic Party. In her own statement after Mr. Mueller’s remarks, Ms. Pelosi sidestepped impeachment.
“The ball is in our court, Congress,” said Representative Justin Amash, Republican of Michigan and the lone lawmaker in his party who supports impeachment proceedings.
Mr. Mueller has been at the center of a fight between the Trump administration and House Democrats, who want to hear from him about his nearly two-year investigation.
After Mr. Mueller’s 448-page report was released with redactions in April, House Democrats sought the entire text and underlying evidence, which Mr. Barr has refused to provide, prompting the House Judiciary Committee to recommend that he be held in contempt of Congress. Portions of the report were redacted to protect secret grand jury information, privacy and open investigations.
Mr. Trump has said he would block all subpoenas from Democrats, stymieing their oversight efforts on a variety of issues, including whether he obstructed justice.
On Wednesday, Mr. Mueller said he would not provide any information to lawmakers beyond what was in the report, adding that he was under no instructions about whether he could or should testify before Congress. Mr. Nadler has said he would subpoena Mr. Mueller’s testimony, if necessary.
Muller disputes Barr's claim he had not made determination there was a crime.
@JohnWHuber
Mueller’s only reference to Michael Cohen & Prague is a single sentence. Page gets a couple of paragraphs. Both subjected to Collusion smears nonstop for 2 yrs
The formulation Mueller uses is essentially “we couldn’t prove this crime in court” NOT “they didn’t commit a crime”
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Just the record, “if we had confidence the president didn’t commit a crime we would have said so” is a ridiculous statement
1) That’s not a prosecutors job
2) Did Mueller say that about anyone else smeared with Collusion innuendo in the report? Carter Page? Sam Clovis?
------
Great legacy Bob!
The Russians you indicted officially have more rights than Trump. At least they’re assumed innocent until guilty in a court
Trump is guilty until he somehow proves himself innocent of every accusation in your dossier you refuse to answer questions about
Mueller is just a political hack like the entire "team" he hired.
@MZHemingway
Shot: DOJ IG reveals today that an FBI Deputy Assistant Director rampantly leaked to media, including material under court seal. Chaser: no action taken. https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2019/f190529.pdf …
Wray is just a hack too, but the swamp is draining...
@seanmdav
Mueller proved today that he is a corrupt hack with no interest in the rule of law. He violated multiple DOJ guidelines and regs, as well as ABA rules governing prosecutors, by holding a press conference just to smear someone he refused to charge.
sure acts a lot like his best buddy Comey …
Did NOT make a determination.
But the Department of Justice HAS made a determination.
The Department of Justice (not Special Counsel - which works for the Department of Justice) would have always made the final call on any indictments.
@seanmdav
Robert Mueller should be sanctioned by DOJ and the ABA for deliberately violating multiple rules against prosecutors sliming people they refused to charge. His performance today was every bit as shameful as Comey's Hillary press conference in July of 2016.
what did I say, peas in a pod...
Hey Roger...
William Barr never stated that Mueller made a call on Obstruction. In fact, Barr made it crystal clear that he was confused that Mueller did not make a call, and thought it was Mueller's job to do so.
William Barr made the call HIMSELF, along with the help of Ron Rosenstein and the Assistant A.G. of legal counsel.
Why are you trying to confuse facts here?
What Roger???
"This is the policy that the we cannot make a decision, one way or another. "
Mueller's statement about it being DOJ policy to not make a decision sort of flies in the face that his boss believed that it was up to the DOJ to make a decision, and that Barr was confused as to why Mueller didn't.
You know if I was far down the tin hat conspiracy road as Roger was, I'd say Mueller and Trump are conspiring to snooker the Democrat house into impeaching Trump so they can be buried in the 2020 election.
If I was as bad as Roger that is.
Roger has in fact made that point. That NOT HIS President is mocking Speaker in Name Only Polosi to get her to hold impeachment hearings.
This is the bombshell.
The introduction to the Volume II of our report explains that decision. It explains that under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office.
That is unconstitutional.
=====
He would have indicated the President, but the Deputy of Justice prohibited him from indicting the President.
Nadler is starting now that they will have investigations.
The President and the Attorney General are lying.
He would have charged him but he was blocked.
You proved my point.
The Department of Justice (not Special Counsel - which works for the Department of Justice) would have always made the final call on any indictments.
He said that he would have indicted the President, but the Deputy of Justice prohibited him from indicting the President. And that it's unconstitutional!
Roger you are a joke. No wonder Mail Order took half your wealth and future earnings and found a real Man.
Bet her new man is not broke and broken.
Fox News!
Fox legal analyst Andrew Napolitano: Mueller has evidence that Trump committed a crime
By Will Bishop - May 29, 2019
Andrew Napolitano, the senior legal analyst at Fox News, said minutes after Special Counsel Robert Mueller spoke Wednesday morning that it’s clear Mueller did indeed find evidence of crimes committed by President Donald Trump and the only reason he didn’t indict the president was because it was against Department of Justice policy.
https://theunitedstatesblues.com/fox-legal-analyst-andrew-napolitano-mueller-has-evidence-that-trump-committed-a-crime/
Roger you are a joke. No wonder Mail Order took half your wealth and future earnings and found a real Man.
Bet her new man is not broke and broken.
Speaker Pro-tem Luddite Cortez calls for Impeachment now.
She is right. Do it Now .
"NO HOAX, NO WITCH-HUNT, NO COUP, NO EXONERATION! IMPEACH"
Remember the outrage when Congressman called Obimbo a "liar".
Crickets now:
"“Low life Trump – lying, crooked, tax evader, porn star fornicator – should take his ridiculous self home, resign, and free us of what we will have to do to impeach him and throw him out of office!” Maxheadroom Waters
Denise is all in for Impeachment so is Roger.
Jim Carry does some funny ads mocking comedy.
"We understand your desire to testify in private Mr. Mueller, but people don’t believe the news anymore because of someone you should have recommended for indictment,” Jim Carrey captioned his message, depicting Mueller as a prune-faced old man. Carrey decried Mueller’s desire to testify only in a closed session, one not open to public scrutiny.
“In person, you could MAKE THEM BELIEVE,” Jim Carrey continued. “No pressure, though… It’s just the future of the free world at stake.”
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