Why Trump Is Suddenly So Worried About the Mueller Report
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Trump wants America to know that he is totally innocent. At the same time, he seems increasingly nervous about the public seeing a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings, which Attorney General William Barr says he will release Thursday. Though Trump has in the past expressed indifference to the potential release of the report, he’s now railing against the efforts of Democratic lawmakers to obtain the full, unredacted report, while renewing criticisms of the investigation he simultaneously says has already proved his innocence.
“Mueller, and the A.G. based on Mueller findings (and great intelligence), have already ruled No Collusion, No Obstruction,” he tweeted Monday morning.
This is not true.
When Attorney General William Barr released his “principle conclusions” of the report last month, he quoted it as noting that the investigation “did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.” Mueller did not, however, contend that Trump did not obstruct justice, writing that his team was not able to “exonerate” the president.
It was Barr, along with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who concluded the report did not contain enough evidence “to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.”
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Though Trump has in the past expressed indifference to the potential release of the report, he’s now railing against the efforts of Democratic lawmakers to obtain the full, unredacted report, while renewing criticisms of the investigation he simultaneously says has already proved his innocence.
Why?
If he's innocent he should only be too happy to have the full report made public-- because that would exonerate him once and for all...and that would remove any doubt about his innocence.
Something about his reaction definitely doesn't pass the 'smell test'!
Earlier this month, members of Mueller’s team leaked to the Washington Post that they found “alarming and significant” evidence of obstruction that “was much more acute than Barr suggested.”
The Times later reported that Mueller’s team believes what they found is “more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated.”
Could it possibly be that Barr is not as straight-forward, honest, and unbiased as he pretends to be? If that's the case, I am totally shocked-- shocked I tell you!
Nah, the guy is so thorough that he has already gone through 5 magic markers with his redactions.
the Trump's biggest worry is how he can 'spin/distort' the truth and keep his base under his thumb.
Not to worry though, Bannon recently said the Trump was delivered through 'divine intervention'.
I wonder-- does Bob know about that? How about TiG? live freeordie?
No, God Does NOT Despise Anyone
(Well, just my opinion of course...but I can't help but wonder if that claim also includes despising Trump and his Merrie Band of Outlaws...after all, they certainly deserve it!)
Trump/Barr are pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Pretty sure Barr will pick option 2 then provide some bullshit argument about how the redactions are necessary for Congress.
Could anyone imagine what would happen if at Barr's 9:30 am press conference tomorrow-----------he resigns his office?
Well, hell, if we are going to fantasize, how about dreaming that Democrats will accept the Mueller Report and finally stop whining?
So many of Trump's appointees have left that no one would notice!
Keep in mind, Americans and Congress aren't getting the Muller report..... they are getting the Barr report.
If the Muller report actually exonerated the president from every impeachable aspect of the investigation, you could be sure that it would have been out in full two weeks ago. Furthermore, the AG would have gone to court to obtain approval to release what would be considered grand jury testimony as was done for the Nixon and Clinton hearings. The real fantasy as you would put it is anyone thinking that Trump supporters care anything about the law, constitutional norms, or the truth for that matter.
Best buckle up Tex as this ride is just getting started.....
Keep in mind, Americans and Congress aren't getting the Muller report..... they are getting the Barr report.
The truthers are out early.
The reality of the mueller report must have really scared them to the point they seek refuge in even stranger conspiracies.
Plus so many positions haven't even been filled. What an incompetent turd in chief.
Boy Howdy pardner!!!!!
What new standard?
Per FlyNavy - 'the fantasy is anyone thinking that Trump supporters care anything about the law, constitutional norms, or the truth for that matter.'
I agree.
My thoughts are that Barr submitted his resume in the form of a 4 page report of the 400 some pages of the Mueller report. You're hired!!!!!!
Yeah, he wants the AG to break the law and release classified information in the desperate hope it make looks bad.
how sad. They’ve been pushing the big lie since November 2016 and they are running out of ways to sustain it.
Nope, he got the job once he submitted the report that Rump the turd wanted.
Before they can accept it, they have to see it. All of it.
Until congress and the taxpayers get the in-redacted Muller report that we paid for, it will remain the Barr report.
Funny you didn't respond to any of the other portion of my post. I'm guessing that's because you can't.
TRUMP must really be scared of the report given his team is putting together a spin team to rebut what hasn't been released.
He can release the entire thing to Congress, legally. He has no legitimate reason for any redaction, other than grand jury info, and even that has been allowed previously.
And you've been more than happy to ignore constitutional norms and congressional oversight requirements while still going on about Benghazi and emails.
Get the court approvals to release the grand jury testimony, and lets get on with this.
Not seeing a trend yet Sean?
I didn't find it particularly compelling. For some bizarre reason, you blame Barr for not going to the Courts to get permission to publish grand jury testimony and cite the Starr report when the SPECIAL PROSECUTOR made that argument. Blame Mueller for not doing what Starr did, not Barr.
The idea that Mueller is letting Barr hide information that would lead to Trump's impeachment should embarrass you. It's so far from rational as to not be in the same universe.
nd you've been more than happy to ignore constitutional norms and congressional oversight requirements while still going on about Benghazi and emails.
By all means, please defend that untruth.
What a world you live in, where every legally required redaction is proof of a conspiracy. ALex Jones never had it so easy. Speaking off Benghazi, under the new anti-vaxxer, I mean anti redaction line of "thinking" you can prove any conspiracy you want simply by pointing out the boogeyman of "redaction!" Since pretty much every important governmental report has some redaction, every conspiracy imaginable can be proven.
ot seeing a trend yet Sean
I'm seeing a trend alright.
Muller has no say right now in how Barr treats, and presents his report. He will though once he is brought before congress to testify.
I've always thought of you as a bright guy Sean, and I know I can't out debate you. To bad you use your skills to cover for such a disgusting party and president. Your logic is as twisted as ever, thus your embarrassment is clear for everyone to see.
How about we both keep our powder dry till after the congressional hearings are done...... Throwing rocks at each other when neither of us has all the facts is a waste of time.
Regards
How about page 5 of the report. It says there was no collusion. So tell us how is this Barr's report? Not interested in your feelings either BTW.
they have it, so now what?
After seeing this report, there is no question that Trump deserves to be impeached.
With the GOP bootlickers having the majority in the senate it becomes a political equation.
Impeachment is always political.
you mean by that that flynavy1 is lying
At this point, his testimony might be the only way we the people can get to the truth in all of this.
Hear it straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.
The trouble with that claim is that if you continue to read a few more paragraphs, the report starts to detail various campaign officials working with, and exchanging info with the Russians.
"Colluding" was going on in spades between the Trump campaign and the Russians, the problem is trying to determine "conspiracy" charges, to meet the legal definition (beyond a shadow of doubt).
Does it show the campaign "colluding"? Yes, absolutely.
Does it show enough evidence to meet the burden of proof in a courtroom? Apparently not in Mueller's opinion.
TRUMP CAMPAIGN FIGURES DELETED COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE MUELLER COULD SEE THEM, POTENTIALLY ALTERING REPORT
President Donald Trump’s campaign officials and associates deleted information and concealed details from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, leading investigators to conclude that it could “not rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light” on the findings.
Attorney General William Barr publicly released a redacted version of the long-anticipated, 448-page Mueller report on Thursday. The special counsel concluded his investigation last month, submitting his final report to Barr. Department of Justice officials then reviewed the report to black out large portions of some sections—including entire pages—citing legal requirements to protect privacy and not harm any ongoing investigations.
On page 10 of the report, Mueller’s team detailed efforts by Trump’s campaign and associates to conceal information from investigators.
“The investigation did not always yield admissible information or testimony, or a complete picture of the activities undertaken by subjects of the investigation,” the report explained.
It then laid out how some persons of interest claimed their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned by investigators. Some information was “covered by legal privilege” and could not be used by Mueller’s team. Individuals also provided false and misleading information to investigators, according to the report, hindering the investigation. Certain witnesses and material were also located outside the U.S., limiting the special counsel’s efforts.
“Further, the Office [of the special counsel] learned that some of the individuals we interviewed or whose conduct we investigated–including some associated with the Trump Campaign–deleted relevant communications or communicated during the relevant period using applications that feature encryption or that do not provide for long-term retention of data or communications records. In such cases, the Office was not able to corroborate witness statements through comparison to contemporaneous communications or fully question witnesses about statements that appeared inconsistent with their known facts,” the document explained.
“Given these identified gaps, the Office cannot rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on (or cast in a new light) the events described in the report,” the investigators wrote.
Mueller also noted, on Page 9, that his investigation “established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to the office, and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference." The report named three specific individuals—former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, and Trump's personal and corporate attorney Michael Cohen, each of whom has already entered guilty pleas about lying to investigators or to Congress.
Later in the report—Volume II, Page 78 (page 290 of the PDF containing all pages of the document)—Mueller detailed Trump’s reported response to the special counsel’s appointment.
“Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I’m f*cked,” he said, according to notes credited to Jody Hunt, then–Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ chief of staff. The response from the president would suggest he was deeply concerned about the launch of Mueller’s investigation, as well as the information it could reveal about him and his campaign.
Although Mueller’s report did not “establish” that Trump or his associates conspired with Russia in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, legal analysts have pointed out that this does not mean there was no evidence of collusion. Experts have explained that this simply means investigators were unable to conclude with certainty that there was any conspiracy.
Sarah Sanders invented story about FBI agents' reaction to Comey firing, Mueller report says
The day after President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, then-deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders stood at the podium in the White House briefing room and told reporters that the president had had “countless conversations” with members of the FBI who said morale at the bureau was low and they had lost confidence in Comey.
“He’s questioned Director Comey’s reason for needing to stay at the FBI,” Sanders said during the May 10, 2017, briefing. “He had countless conversations with members from within the FBI.”
But in her testimony to federal investigators probing whether Trump obstructed justice, Sanders admitted that she made it up.
According to special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia and the president's interference in the investigation released Thursday, there was “no evidence” suggesting Trump had heard from FBI agents who had lost confidence in Comey before his firing, and “Sanders acknowledged to investigators that her comments were not founded on anything.”
Sanders, who became press secretary after Sean Spicer’s departure, was one of dozens of current and former White House officials to be interviewed by Mueller and his team. Trump submitted written answers to written questions but refused to sit down for an interview with the special counsel.
Mueller’s report concluded there was not enough evidence to charge Trump with collusion, but was undecided on obstruction. Attorney General William Barr decided not to pursue obstruction charges.
Trump's firing of Comey — who had been overseeing the FBI probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election — led to Mueller's appointment.
According to Mueller’s report, President Trump “reacted negatively to the special counsel's appointment” and “ told advisors that it was the end of his presidency .”
When former Attorney General Jeff Sessions informed Trump that a special counsel had been appointed in the Russia probe, the president “slumped back in his chair” and said: “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm f***ed.”
Former White House aide Hope Hicks told the special counsel's office that Trump was “extremely upset” and that she had only seen Trump like that one other time: when the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was released.
Sanders needs to resign from her position. She has always been a liar, but now she is a self admitted liar.
Bye bye.
Another example of conservative Republican "alternative facts" aka BIG FAT LIES.
And the religious conservatives continue to defend the most dishonest administration in history. I'm sure her faux pastor father is just so proud.
She's a big fat liar just like her big fat lying sheep in wolf's clothing father Reverend Fuckabee.
She and daddy and the Rumps are guilty of many of the 7 deadly sins.
Democrats can cry all they want.
Mueller said there was no collusion, period.
Guess they just have to wait because Trump is still President.
Winning....
The Whitehouse press secretary admitted to making up lies at a press conference.
Not shocked really, she has been accused of lying several times. Which now I am sure she did.
So now the real fake news is coming from the WH press secretary herself.
Unreal that she can willingly lie to the American public and I'm sure the hard right will just ignore/defend it.
The report really is damning and comes just short of accusing the President of criminal obstruction only because they don't believe they can indict a sitting President. The only thing that saved Trump was the his position as President and it has become abundantly clear that the President is in fact above the law, at least while he's in office. All of Trumps supporters couldn't be happier at this fact. And the report also lays out the fact that because everyone around Trump was lying and the President refused to be interviewed that it was impossible to determine whether criminal conspiracy was committed. It was very likely, and the case laid out in the report makes that clear, but shows it would be impossible to prove in a court of law with so many liars surrounding the King of lies.
The other thing the report shows is that Trump definitely attempted to obstruct justice, he just had a few people around him who prevented him from following through on it, some even telling him they had done what he asked but didn't because they knew it would have been illegal.
False.
nd the report also lays out the fact that because everyone around Trump was lying and the President refused to be interviewed that it was impossible to determine whether criminal conspiracy was committed.
False.
The other thing the report shows is that Trump definitely attempted to obstruct justice,
False.
Quite a hat trick!
I am late to all this. Am catching up on some.
It seems that Mueller didn't get trump on obstruction because some people didn't follow his orders.
Seems to be an ongoing thing, people giving cover for trump.