Tag: Mueller Report

At the center of Mueller’s inquiry, a campaign that appeared to welcome Russia’s help

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has concluded his investigation without charging any Americans with conspiring with Russia to interfere in the 2016 campaign and help elect Donald Trump.

But hundreds of pages of legal filings and independent reporting since Mueller was appointed nearly two years ago have painted a striking portrayal of a presidential campaign that appeared untroubled by a foreign adversary’s attack on the U.S. political system — and eager to accept the help.

When Trump’s eldest son was offered dirt about Hillary Clinton that he was told was part of a Russian government effort to help his father, he responded, “I love it.”

View the complete March 23 article by Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger on The Washington Post website here.

Trump aides gear up for Mueller report counteroffensive

The White House, Trump campaign and other allies have been laying plans for a variety of conclusions in the special counsel’s just-completed investigation.

President Donald Trump’s aides don’t yet know what special counsel Robert Mueller’s report says. But they have tried to prepare for almost any outcome.

Staff at the White House, Trump’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee have quietly plotted in recent weeks to launch an aggressive campaign to defend the president after Mueller’s long-awaited findings become public, three of them told POLITICO.

Working in earnest since last fall, at the first signs that Mueller might be finishing up, they have prepared statements and talking points for loyal surrogates, including congressional Republicans and state GOP officials. Different versions aim to cover multiple different conclusions of the Justice Department investigation into whether Trump associates conspired with the Kremlin to influence the 2016 election, ranging from the most damning conclusions likely to trigger impeachment calls to a potential exoneration of the president.

View the complete March 22 article by Anita Kumar on the Politico website here.

Conservatives wage assault on Mueller report

President Trump’s conservative allies are going on offense against special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, hoping to blunt any damning revelations that may emerge from the nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

A senior Justice Department official has told media outlets that Mueller will not recommend new indictments against Trump’s inner circle, which Trump’s defenders have seized on to argue that the investigation was the “witch hunt” that the president always claimed it to be.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a staunch Trump ally, took to Twitter immediately to argue that the lack of additional indictments would reveal the investigation was a waste of time and taxpayers’ money.

View the complete March 23 article by Alexander Bolton on The Hill website here.

“A Crime in Public View”: How William Barr Pardoned Donald Trump

Attorney General William Barr’s summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s conclusions, in the fancy language of lawyers, impeaches itself. That means that its own words and reasoning call some of Barr’s conclusions into doubt, particularly Barr’s eagerness to say that Donald Trump can’t be proven to have obstructed justice.

It is hard for any of us to know how much credence to give Barr’s précis of the Mueller investigation without knowing more about the evidence. Barr’s letter, however, acknowledges that much and pledges to work to disclose as much as he can without violating Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e), which bars making public grand jury proceedings. But the attorney general’s eagerness to clear Trump of possible obstruction of justice, after having the report in hand for less than 48 hours, is unbecoming of his office and Mueller’s two-year investigation. Furthermore, some of the reasoning in his letter is clearly deeply flawed. Continue reading ““A Crime in Public View”: How William Barr Pardoned Donald Trump”

‘If you took it all in in one day, it would kill you’: What Mueller’s investigation has already revealed

He pulled back the curtain on a sophisticated Kremlin hacking operation — identifying by name the 12 Russian military officers who he said sought to sway a U.S. election.

He exposed a Russian online influence campaign — bringing criminal charges against the 13 members of a Russian troll farm now accused of trying to manipulate U.S. voters and sow division through fake social media personae.

And he revealed how those closest to President Trump defrauded banks, cheated on their taxes and, time and time again, lied to deflect inquiries into their ties with Russia.

View the complete March 22 article by Matt Zapotosky and Rosalind S. Helderman on The Washignton Post website here.

McConnell, Graham leave room for Barr to withhold parts of Mueller report

Other congressional leaders, Trump call on attorney general to release full report to public

While Democratic lawmakers and many of their Republican colleagues called on Attorney General William P. Barr to publicly release the full Mueller report, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham left room for Barr to keep parts of it under wraps at the Justice Department.

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III delivered the final report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion between Russia and the Donald Trump campaign to Barr on Friday.

“The Attorney General has said he intends to provide as much information as possible. As I have said previously, I sincerely hope he will do so as soon as he can, and with as much openness and transparency as possible,” McConnell said in a statement.

View the complete March 22 article by Griffin Connolly on The Roll Call website here.

Trump just nixed a major argument against releasing the Mueller report

President Trump said he doesn’t mind if the public sees the special counsel’s report, while calling the probe “ridiculous” and touting his 2016 election win. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

But his acquiescence to the report being public doesn’t mean it will be.

President Trump said Wednesday for the first time that he would be okay with making the Mueller report public. And in doing so, he nixed a major argument against its release. Continue reading “Trump just nixed a major argument against releasing the Mueller report”

Rep. Phillips’ Statement on Special Counsel Mueller’s Report

MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA – Rep. Dean Phillips today released the following statement on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

“Last week, my Democratic and Republican colleagues voted 420-0 to demand the public release of the Mueller Report – an action supported by President Trump himself. Trust in our government is built on transparency and faith in the rule of law. Attorney General Barr must release the full report to the public as soon as possible.”

Trump says public can see Mueller report

President Trump on Wednesday said special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report on the Russia investigation should be made public, expressing confidence it will prove he did not collude with Moscow’s effort to interfere in the 2016 election.

“Let it come out. Let people see it,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before traveling to Ohio for a speech and a campaign fundraiser.

But Trump also said the decision whether to release Mueller’s report rests with Attorney General William Barr, who has been coy about how much of the special counsel’s findings he will make public.

View the complete March 20 article by Jordan Fabian on The Hill website here.

Rep. Nadler: White House can’t claim executive privilege on Mueller report

Judiciary Committee chairman says administration waived that privilege ‘long ago’

The top House Democrat in the impending fight between the executive branch and Congress over the release of special counsel Robert S. Mueller’s report to the public indicated Tuesday that he will strongly oppose White House lawyers’ efforts to redact some information.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler claimed Tuesday that the Trump administration waived any claims of executive privilege over Mueller’s eventual findings “long ago” when it agreed to cooperate with the probe. Continue reading “Rep. Nadler: White House can’t claim executive privilege on Mueller report”