Mega-Thread: Mueller investigation

[Edge-]

I think a big, and relatively unreported, angle on what's going on is that Mueller realized early on that any indictments he filed could be pardoned by the President. So anything that cut too close was going to be rendered irrelevant, and without any second chance. And I think Mueller's too canny to let that happen.

I won't be shocked in any way to discover that Mueller had enough evidence for a likely conviction, and chose to not indict Trump or his family, because of the risk of pardons being issued; instead, he'd have handed that evidence off to the SDNY or some other State court, where the indictments cannot be pardoned by the President.

Indeed, the word that Barr/Rosenstein were very surprised that he declined to make a determination on obstruction of justice makes me think he was extremely careful with his report. Like, insanely so, out of an overabundance of caution.

[Bodakane]

Just because you defend Trump doesn’t mean you support him.

Bullshit.

repeated defense of Trump against any of the actual claims made against him does, in fact, illustrate a support fo him...literally by definition.

[nacixems]

Welcome to Trump was right, yall where wrong. boo hoo just remember.

This line that the Mueller report “doesn’t exonerate” the President. Folks, prosecutors don’t exonerate people. They either find evidence or they don’t. They looked for 22 months and found none. It isn’t there. No collusion, no obstruction so just stop and move on. geshhh and remember the saying u can indite a sandwich, well. no sandwich here.. lol

[spanishninja]

Bullshit.

repeated defense of Trump against any of the actual claims made against him does, in fact, illustrate a support fo him...literally by definition.

how so? being opposed to a false accusation directed towards anybody doesn't mean you support that person. it simply means you are against the false accusation.

If somebody accused Charles Manson of having killed the dinosaurs, I can confidently dismiss that claim as bogus without being a Charles Manson supporter.

[Collegeguy]

Bullshit.

repeated defense of Trump against any of the actual claims made against him does, in fact, illustrate a support fo him...literally by definition.

Maybe some just people don't like conspiracy theorists with agendas.

[Breccia]

If somebody accused Charles Manson of having killed the dinosaurs, I can confidently dismiss that claim as bogus without being a Charles Manson supporter.

Charles Manson wasn't found with a time machine, a bloody cleaver, and a bunch of dinosaur bones.

Trump hired enough Russian agents, did enough favors for Russia, took enough Russian money and tried to do enough business deals with Russia, all at the same time, to warrant (literally) an investigation. Which he then tried to block multiple times.

[Deletedaccount1]

Maybe we don't need this thread now that the investigation is over and all is well in the republic.

[Elegiac]

Maybe we don't need this thread now that the investigation is over and all is well in the republic.

Then leave it, if you deem it that way.

[Shadowferal]

Lawyer who wrote special counsel rules says Trump should not take victory lap

"First, obviously, he still faces the New York investigations into campaign finance violations by the Trump team and the various investigations into the Trump organization. And Mr. Barr, in his letter, acknowledges that the Mueller report 'does not exonerate' Mr. Trump on the issue of obstruction, even if it does not recommend an indictment," Katyal writes.

"But the critical part of the letter is that it now creates a whole new mess. After laying out the scope of the investigation and noting that Mr. Mueller’s report does not offer any legal recommendations, Mr. Barr declares that it therefore 'leaves it to the attorney general to decide whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.' He then concludes the president did not obstruct justice when he fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey," he added.

"Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American."

[Deletedaccount1]

Then leave it, if you deem it that way.

I would never leave you guys.

[draynay]

Maybe we don't need this thread now that the investigation is over and all is well in the republic.

Was waiting for some short-sighted post about that, honestly it does your agenda better to just have the one thread since all spinoffs get locked.

[Brubear]

Oh Onion, you nailed it again.

William Barr declares Mueller Investigation Fully Exonerates members Of Reagan Administration From Iran-contra Involvement

WASHINGTON—Following the completion of the special counsel’s 22-month probe, Attorney General William P. Barr declared Monday that Robert Mueller’s investigation fully exonerates all members of Ronald Reagan’s presidential administration from involvement in the Iran–Contra affair. “I’ve reviewed Mr. Mueller’s findings and have determined conclusively that neither the late president nor any White House or Cabinet official serving between 1981 and 1989 ever ordered, oversaw, or even knew about the covert sales of American arms to Iran,” Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate judiciary committees, clearing key figures such as retired National Security Adviser John Poindexter and former staffer Oliver North in a move that finally lifts what many have seen as a dark cloud over the scandal-plagued presidency. “I assessed this report carefully and can at long last say with full certainty that Caspar Weinberger, Robert McFarlane, Elliott Abrams, and all others in the president’s inner circle operated lawfully from the time of the initial dealings in 1981 until the illegal arrangement was exposed five years later. From the 1985 diversion of funds to Contra rebels in Nicaragua, to Reagan’s untruthful 1986 denial of an arms-for-hostage trade, to the flagrant destruction of countless documents relevant to the investigation, everyone acted properly and with the best interests of the United States in mind. It is my hope that the country can now move forward and put this unfortunate episode behind it.” At press time, sources reported that Democratic leaders in Congress were still discussing a possible push for President Reagan’s impeachment.

[Rukh]

Lawyer who wrote special counsel rules says Trump should not take victory lap

"First, obviously, he still faces the New York investigations into campaign finance violations by the Trump team and the various investigations into the Trump organization. And Mr. Barr, in his letter, acknowledges that the Mueller report 'does not exonerate' Mr. Trump on the issue of obstruction, even if it does not recommend an indictment," Katyal writes.

"But the critical part of the letter is that it now creates a whole new mess. After laying out the scope of the investigation and noting that Mr. Mueller’s report does not offer any legal recommendations, Mr. Barr declares that it therefore 'leaves it to the attorney general to decide whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.' He then concludes the president did not obstruct justice when he fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey," he added.

"Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American."

Also considering that Barr laid out his conclusion far in advance of the report being released in a letter to the white house. He's not exactly an unbiased party.

[Acidbaron]

Lawyer who wrote special counsel rules says Trump should not take victory lap

"First, obviously, he still faces the New York investigations into campaign finance violations by the Trump team and the various investigations into the Trump organization. And Mr. Barr, in his letter, acknowledges that the Mueller report 'does not exonerate' Mr. Trump on the issue of obstruction, even if it does not recommend an indictment," Katyal writes.

"But the critical part of the letter is that it now creates a whole new mess. After laying out the scope of the investigation and noting that Mr. Mueller’s report does not offer any legal recommendations, Mr. Barr declares that it therefore 'leaves it to the attorney general to decide whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.' He then concludes the president did not obstruct justice when he fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey," he added.

"Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American."

Begone ye filthy witch with your facts and logic!

Its what most of us know, some desperate folk are clinging on to this exonerating him. Not sure why they want a criminal as president but i guess it has something to do with the way he treats immigrants, women and everyone who actually got a degree not granted with a box of cereals.

[Valeron]

McConnell and the republicans also blocked a resolution to release the full report. So much for transparency

[spanishninja]

Charles Manson wasn't found with a time machine, a bloody cleaver, and a bunch of dinosaur bones.

Trump hired enough Russian agents, did enough favors for Russia, took enough Russian money and tried to do enough business deals with Russia, all at the same time, to warrant (literally) an investigation. Which he then tried to block multiple times.

but the investigation has now concluded.

[Citizen T]

Lawyer who wrote special counsel rules says Trump should not take victory lap

"First, obviously, he still faces the New York investigations into campaign finance violations by the Trump team and the various investigations into the Trump organization. And Mr. Barr, in his letter, acknowledges that the Mueller report 'does not exonerate' Mr. Trump on the issue of obstruction, even if it does not recommend an indictment," Katyal writes.

"But the critical part of the letter is that it now creates a whole new mess. After laying out the scope of the investigation and noting that Mr. Mueller’s report does not offer any legal recommendations, Mr. Barr declares that it therefore 'leaves it to the attorney general to decide whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.' He then concludes the president did not obstruct justice when he fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey," he added.

"Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American."

Except the DOJ knew for 3 weeks that he would not be reaching a conclusion on this. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/mu...ay-2019-03-25/

[roboscorcher]

If that's how you feel, don't vote for him. As for me i'll continue voting libertarian for federal elections.

1) I mentioned facts about Trump being racist, not feelings.
2) I can't vote for him because I am Canadian. Trump is inciting trade wars via tariffs with us and other countries. How does a Libertarian support someone who loves tariffs?

AOC's tweet is a hate filled ball of vile meant to catch up everyone not with her cause. I see it for what it is and gave it what it justly deserved.

Any hate you're perceiving from her is just her returning the bile that Fox has been throwing at her. They have been mocking her and her (quite popular) platform ever since she won her election. Fox thrives off of generating hate - to the point of crying over Obama's dijon mustard and War on Christmas. It's about time Dems start calling Fox out by name.

[Mighty Tim]

conspiracy theories aren't allowed here you know. not that you seem to care.

You know I doubt that more and more by the day here.

[Merkava]

I think a big, and relatively unreported, angle on what's going on is that Mueller realized early on that any indictments he filed could be pardoned by the President. So anything that cut too close was going to be rendered irrelevant, and without any second chance. And I think Mueller's too canny to let that happen.

I won't be shocked in any way to discover that Mueller had enough evidence for a likely conviction, and chose to not indict Trump or his family, because of the risk of pardons being issued; instead, he'd have handed that evidence off to the SDNY or some other State court, where the indictments cannot be pardoned by the President.

Trump handed things off to the SDNY that didn't have to do with his investigation, like Cohen's charges, but Trump can still pardon anything charged in the SDNY.