Mueller Report: Not Exactly Exoneration

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation is now complete, and the report of the inquiry has been delivered. According to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, Mueller’s report stated that the investigation found no evidence of collusion between Donald Trump and Russia regarding interference with the 2016 presidential election.

Many have concluded, “No collusion, no crime, Trump is innocent, let’s move on.”

As Trump and his administration celebrated, Trump tweeted, “”No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!”

But, said Barr, quoting Mueller’s report, “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”

Still, Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein have determined that there was not sufficient evidence supporting prosecution of Trump for obstruction of justice in the ongoing investigation.

This does not mean that all investigation against Trump will cease, Americans can begin working together in harmony, and the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency will proceed happily ever after.

Though Robert Mueller did not recommend any further indictments, we should keep in mind that most legal experts agree that a sitting president cannot be indicted, anyway. And though Mueller’s report concludes that no evidence was found regarding Trump’s collusion with Russia, evidence does show that Russia interfered with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. We should also remember that Robert Mueller’s investigation of Donald Trump was specifically directed at uncovering and determining criminal activity around election collusion with Russia.

Other investigations of Trump, independent of Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, have been ongoing, and will continue. Congress, as well as other federal and state entities, are still investigating Trump and examining other activities around his 2016 presidential campaign, as well as looking into questionable business activities by Trump and the Trump Organization. It’s still possible that criminal charges against Trump could result from these investigations.

George Conway, in response to Robert Mueller’s report, tweeted, “Whatever happens this day or the next, or in this investigation or the next or the one after that, we should always remember this: We should expect far more from a president than merely that he not be provably a criminal beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The public may never see Robert Mueller’s full report. For Trump’s supporters, “No evidence of collusion” is a complete “win” for Trump. But for many others, we should, as Conway said, expect much more than a report stating that nothing was proven.

Trump claims ‘complete exoneration’ by Mueller report | DW News
[2019-03-25]

Trump: Mueller acted honorably in his investigation and report | Fox News [2018-03-25]

Democrats Probe into Trump Focuses on Abuse of Power

House Democrats have launched a sweeping probe into Donald Trump, related to alleged corruption, obstruction of justice, and abuse of power. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chair, has requested documents from 81 sources, including the Trump family, the Trump Organization, Trump business associates, and current and former White House staff members. The Democrats’ probe could be an important step toward impeachment proceedings against Trump.

Nadler is head of the panel that would be responsible for any impeachment efforts against the president. Nadler cautioned, however, that now is not the time to consider impeachment. Instead, he said, Congress should focus on Trump’s abuses of power.

Among Trump’s actions that will be investigated for abuse of power are his attacks on federal judges and on the media, as well as his hints at offering pardons for people who might be witnesses against him. Some of the allegations against Trump, including campaign finance violations, are supported by the testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer.

Nadler told ABC’s This Week that the Democrats’ probe into Trump is an effort to “lay out for the American people” the extent of Trump’s malfeasance. “We have sent these document requests in order to begin building the public record,” Nadler said.

He also pointed out that, though Robert Mueller has been investigating Trump, Mueller’s investigation is focused on the Trump’s purported collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign and does not address Trump’s other alleged offenses and gross abuses of power. “We have to focus much more broadly on abuses of power,” Nadler said.

Trump responded to news of the Democrats’ probe in his classic mode: “So now they go and morph into, let’s inspect every deal he’s ever done,” “These people are sick. They’re sick.” He went on to call House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) “Little Shifty Schiff.”

Trump went on: “You put the wrong people in a couple of positions…And they leave people for a long time that shouldn’t be there and all of a sudden they are trying to take you out with bullshit, okay?”

Even if the Democrats’ probe into Donald Trump uncovers and establishes a pattern of criminal behavior and power abuse, will it make a difference, or will it simply make Trump more of a victimized hero to his base?

Democrats announce a broad probe into President Trump | CNN [2019-03-04]

House Democrats expand corruption probe into President Trump |
Fox News [2019-03-04]