The 2-year Mueller investigation is finally over and although Donald Trump is celebrating what he calls a “total exoneration” from the report summary, he would be wise to recognize that the fat lady has not yet sung and any potential trouble for him is far from over.
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Late Friday evening, Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr regarding the 2-year investigation into possible collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. On Sunday afternoon, Attorney General Barr issued a summary of the full Mueller investigation report.
“While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,” the summarized report said.
According to the 4-page summary issued by Barr, Mueller did not find evidence of collusion, however, he’s unsure about the possibility of obstruction. Or, in other words, the Mueller investigation is inconclusive and Barr has yet to brief Congress on the full report.
“It was a complete and total exoneration. It’s a shame that our country had to go through this. It’s a shame that your President has had to go through this.” – Donald Trump
To date, Robert Mueller has found several Trump associates guilty of a variety of crimes connected to ‘The Donald’s’ 2016 presidential election. However, he was unsuccessful in finding enough substantial evidence to tie Trump himself to any of those and other crimes.
Does that mean Trump is completely exonerated and innocent as he claims? NO! Does that mean all investigations into Donald Trump, the Trump family, the Trump businesses, and various Trump associates are over? ABSOLUTELY NO!!
Robert Mueller failed to secure a sit-down interview with Donald Trump, relying solely on a hand-written questionnaire in lieu of a face-to-face cross-examination (an interrogation Trump’s legal team feared would sink their client and they fought tooth-and-nail to avoid at all cost). However, the Mueller investigation was conducted on behalf of the US Justice Department. That particular inquiry is not the end-all and is far from the finale.
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“Attorney General Barr’s letter raises as many questions as it answers. 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. Given Mr. Barr’s public record of bias against the Special Counsel’s inquiry, he is 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. Congress requires the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work, including oversight and legislating to address any issues the Mueller report may raise. The American people have a right to know.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR TRUMP?
With Nancy Pelosi and Democrats powerfully in control of the US House of Representatives, Congress has already vowed to conduct their own investigation and fill in the gaps that the Mueller investigation left open. Further, the Southern District of New York has already been conducting their own investigation into Donald Trump, his businesses, and his potential business ties to Russia. According to most political pundits, if Trump should be in fear of any inquiry, the SDNY investigation is it. Not only are they looking into Trump himself, but also his family, his campaign, his taxes, and more. Stay tuned…
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YOU CAN’T INDICT A SITTING PRESIDENT
According to a decades-long US Justice Department policy, it is not possible to indict a sitting president since it “would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions.” However, that does not stop Congress and the SDNY from preparing a series of indictments that could take effect and take down Donald Trump the day he leaves office.
This is particularly interesting in the SDNY, since (if convicted) Trump could not rely on any presidential pardon (from a future GOP president) to save him. A presidential pardon can only be issued in a federal crime. Any potential SDNY indictment/conviction would be a state matter and therefore ineligible for a pardon.
For the past 24 hours, the champagne bottles have likely been flowing and Donald Trump has almost certainly been dancing a celebratory jig inside The White House while under the assumption that his troubles are all over. Well, guess again, Donald. The fact that many of his most senior people have been indicted and/or convicted doesn’t bode well for his presumed innocence.
The Mueller investigation report may have been inconclusive — but that doesn’t mean Congress or NY investigators will reach the same conclusion.
Buckle up. This roller-coaster of a ride is only just beginning.
“While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,” the summarized report said. […]- DJ According to the 4-page summary issued by Barr, Mueller did not find evidence of collusion, however, he’s unsure about the possibility of obstruction. Or, in other words, the Mueller investigation is inconclusive and Barr has yet to brief Congress on the full report. […] – DJ Well that about sums it up doesn’t it? What an absolute muddled mess we’re left with..with this result! Mueller’s report does state clearly that “No evidence” of collusion was found. That’s a might big deal and Trump is justified in claiming “Victory” on that. However, aside from that fact, the report (or at least what little we know about it thus far) leaves many questions STILL UNANSWERED!?! And after 2 yrs and major taxpayers dollars spent paying for that investigation,… Read more »