Mueller did not find guilt rising to the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” that is required to obtain a conviction, but also DID NOT EXONERATE.
The fact that Mueller (as quoted by Barr) “DID NOT DRAW A CONCLUSION” could be either because he determined that a conclusion would be irrelevant under Justice Department rules prohibiting indictment of a sitting president OR because there was evidence of wrongdoing but not to the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Or both.
The statement of “no collusion” is the interpretation of William Barr, who had already demonstrated his bias against the Mueller investigation before being selected as Attorney General (which is why he was selected).
There could be a great deal of evidence of collusion / conspiracy yet still far short of the high standard required for criminal conviction.
RELEASE THE ENTIRE REPORT and all supporting documentation and let the evidence speak for itself.
I worry when folks forget that we’re a government of the people, by the people, and for the people and that holding public office means surrendering much of your privacy in the name of transparency. I don’t see how the Barr and the resident could lose respect by releasing the full report. Suspicion and innuendo can be more harmful than the actual evidence. A constitutional democratic republic should not have secrets and classified information to the extent we now have.
Isn’t it interesting that the Righties are STILL convinced that Hillary is “Hiding Something”, but they are MORE THEN WILLING to accept Barr’s B.S. as “THE TOTAL TRUTH”. Yeah. Right.
Some of the people who CREATED the guidelines that govern what can be released have already written publicly that Barr’s statement about what he can not release to Congress is WRONG and not what the guidelines say.
I am curious about the fallout from some other questions. Certainly, there have been past cases which went after people who facilitated crime not by participating in those crimes but by creating barriers to law enforcement, AND there have been past cases in which crime lords, drug cartel leaders, etc. were called to pay for what their employees did to aid them. Setting a new precedent on either of these two issues could greatly hamper law enforcement against some very serious criminals by badly complicating such cases in court.
Obstruction of Justice is such a very bad charge against a president that it has been the one reported to be most worrying Trump’s legal team. Trump DID make public statements that appear to fit the definition, but there is a question raised whether he can be charged with Obstruction of Justice without it being connected to charges of a crime by that individual himself rather than just by the person influenced.
Meanwhile, there DEFINITELY were successful prosecutions of Attempted Collusion (not the exact term (?), but easily understood) by multiple members of the campaign, which itself is a crime, so that raises a different question: at what point do illegal actions of employees have to also infer responsibility of the boss?
So, there are questions if Trump can be held at all responsible for the actions of multiple high level campaign employees with whom he had direct meetings, AND there is the question (IF bosses get off the hook) of whether obstruction can be charged if a criminal charge is not being held against them.
Depending on how Trump’s legal team thinks the questions will resolve in court Barr might release the full Mueller report, with retracted areas, or not, with Barr taking the fall.
Again, I ask what will people do if/when the Mueller report is released and it shows exactly nothing? Then the fall back of the left will be “but there are 14 other investigations.” It’ll be the left’s version of all the time spent investigating the Clintons.
It’s going to be hypocrisy that gets me about this. Again, I did not vote for President Trump, and I think he’s a buffoon however at some point this is getting pretty stupidly ridiculous. And I suspect that it will bite the Democrats in the butt pretty soon. Another Presidential election is only 19 months away. And they seem to be fixated on this like fox to a hen. And nothing of substance is getting done that might actually help people or do what they legislative body is supposed to do.
Nothing of substance will be accomplished as long as Republicans control the Senate. The House is right to spend its time exposing Trump and his administration so that voters can make an informed choice in 2020.
After the circumstances under which Little Billy Barr was ensconced in the Justice Department, how can ANYTHING he says be taken at face value. The “Memo” that got him the job said the president couldn’t be accused of obstruction and now his perusal of an over three hundred page report in two days produces THE SAME CONCLUSION? REALLY? And we’re just supposed to accept THAT? Here, pull the other one.
You can clearly and easily distinguish right wing cartoonists from the others: The RWers show a caricature of Mueller not having anything bad to say while all the others correctly put the onus on Barr.
If anyone really believes that we will see the whole report while Trump & Barr is still in office…..Guess what, I have a nice bridge in San Francisco for sale at a discount price
I think Barr gets his jollies by carrying a think binder with the legend: “Mueller Report”, stamped on it. But, in fact the binder is filled with blank pages.
Another letter [Mar 29], another pull-foot-out-of-mouth attempt: In the letter on Friday, Barr wrote that his earlier note was not a “summary” and that it wouldn’t have been appropriate for him to summarize Mueller’s findings.https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/barr-redacted-mueller-report-will-be-released-mid-april-if-n988961
DD Wiz Premium Member about 5 years ago
The Emperor’s new (exonerating) report.
The four-page summary is only Barr’s summation.
Mueller did not find guilt rising to the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” that is required to obtain a conviction, but also DID NOT EXONERATE.
The fact that Mueller (as quoted by Barr) “DID NOT DRAW A CONCLUSION” could be either because he determined that a conclusion would be irrelevant under Justice Department rules prohibiting indictment of a sitting president OR because there was evidence of wrongdoing but not to the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Or both.
The statement of “no collusion” is the interpretation of William Barr, who had already demonstrated his bias against the Mueller investigation before being selected as Attorney General (which is why he was selected).
There could be a great deal of evidence of collusion / conspiracy yet still far short of the high standard required for criminal conviction.
RELEASE THE ENTIRE REPORT and all supporting documentation and let the evidence speak for itself.
Radish the wordsmith about 5 years ago
Barr and Trump are trying to hide from reality,
the obscene bluster of a Trump rally is really frightening.
superposition about 5 years ago
I worry when folks forget that we’re a government of the people, by the people, and for the people and that holding public office means surrendering much of your privacy in the name of transparency. I don’t see how the Barr and the resident could lose respect by releasing the full report. Suspicion and innuendo can be more harmful than the actual evidence. A constitutional democratic republic should not have secrets and classified information to the extent we now have.
Masterskrain Premium Member about 5 years ago
Isn’t it interesting that the Righties are STILL convinced that Hillary is “Hiding Something”, but they are MORE THEN WILLING to accept Barr’s B.S. as “THE TOTAL TRUTH”. Yeah. Right.
William Bednar Premium Member about 5 years ago
Move along! Nothing to see here!!
Masterskrain Premium Member about 5 years ago
Anyone else noticed that Barr looks JUST LIKE Bannon AFTER a session in Alcohol rehab and a good shave??
preacherman about 5 years ago
It’s either an all clear signal, or a play on signal by a soccer ref.
brwydave Premium Member about 5 years ago
Great transparent synopsis Barr, we can see right thru it.
Bookworm about 5 years ago
“Transparency” = “Invisibility” (Trump U. Dictionary of Confusing Words).
SukieCrandall Premium Member about 5 years ago
Some of the people who CREATED the guidelines that govern what can be released have already written publicly that Barr’s statement about what he can not release to Congress is WRONG and not what the guidelines say.
I am curious about the fallout from some other questions. Certainly, there have been past cases which went after people who facilitated crime not by participating in those crimes but by creating barriers to law enforcement, AND there have been past cases in which crime lords, drug cartel leaders, etc. were called to pay for what their employees did to aid them. Setting a new precedent on either of these two issues could greatly hamper law enforcement against some very serious criminals by badly complicating such cases in court.
Obstruction of Justice is such a very bad charge against a president that it has been the one reported to be most worrying Trump’s legal team. Trump DID make public statements that appear to fit the definition, but there is a question raised whether he can be charged with Obstruction of Justice without it being connected to charges of a crime by that individual himself rather than just by the person influenced.
Meanwhile, there DEFINITELY were successful prosecutions of Attempted Collusion (not the exact term (?), but easily understood) by multiple members of the campaign, which itself is a crime, so that raises a different question: at what point do illegal actions of employees have to also infer responsibility of the boss?
So, there are questions if Trump can be held at all responsible for the actions of multiple high level campaign employees with whom he had direct meetings, AND there is the question (IF bosses get off the hook) of whether obstruction can be charged if a criminal charge is not being held against them.
Depending on how Trump’s legal team thinks the questions will resolve in court Barr might release the full Mueller report, with retracted areas, or not, with Barr taking the fall.
Radish the wordsmith about 5 years ago
That’s why the Dems have to start the investigations into the Trump crime family all over again.
"It's the End of the World!!!" Premium Member about 5 years ago
Again, I ask what will people do if/when the Mueller report is released and it shows exactly nothing? Then the fall back of the left will be “but there are 14 other investigations.” It’ll be the left’s version of all the time spent investigating the Clintons.
It’s going to be hypocrisy that gets me about this. Again, I did not vote for President Trump, and I think he’s a buffoon however at some point this is getting pretty stupidly ridiculous. And I suspect that it will bite the Democrats in the butt pretty soon. Another Presidential election is only 19 months away. And they seem to be fixated on this like fox to a hen. And nothing of substance is getting done that might actually help people or do what they legislative body is supposed to do.
JDave about 5 years ago
Nothing of substance will be accomplished as long as Republicans control the Senate. The House is right to spend its time exposing Trump and his administration so that voters can make an informed choice in 2020.
Godfreydaniel about 5 years ago
Barr needs to be hauled in to testify under oath in front of the Judicial Committee: “When did you stop obstructing justice?”
willie_mctell about 5 years ago
“That stew was so thin some of these politicians could’ve seen right through it.”—Woody Guthrie, “Talking Dustbowl”
wellis1947 Premium Member about 5 years ago
After the circumstances under which Little Billy Barr was ensconced in the Justice Department, how can ANYTHING he says be taken at face value. The “Memo” that got him the job said the president couldn’t be accused of obstruction and now his perusal of an over three hundred page report in two days produces THE SAME CONCLUSION? REALLY? And we’re just supposed to accept THAT? Here, pull the other one.
Concretionist about 5 years ago
You can clearly and easily distinguish right wing cartoonists from the others: The RWers show a caricature of Mueller not having anything bad to say while all the others correctly put the onus on Barr.
SukieCrandall Premium Member about 5 years ago
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/23/i-wrote-special-counsel-rules-attorney-general-can-should-release-mueller-report/?utm_term=.130e9cd636df&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
>Opinion
>I wrote the special counsel rules. The attorney general can — and should — release the Mueller report.
>Neal Kumar Katyal
>March 22 at 8:14 PM
Radish the wordsmith about 5 years ago
The Clinton impeachment papers were released in full within a week of completion.
Lying hypocrite Trumpublicans are altering the Mueller report and holding it back.
gammaguy about 5 years ago
Transparent? I don’t believe it.
If Barr’s parents were trans, he would never admit it.
lakerat Premium Member about 5 years ago
If anyone really believes that we will see the whole report while Trump & Barr is still in office…..Guess what, I have a nice bridge in San Francisco for sale at a discount price
William Bednar Premium Member about 5 years ago
I think Barr gets his jollies by carrying a think binder with the legend: “Mueller Report”, stamped on it. But, in fact the binder is filled with blank pages.
Librarylady about 5 years ago
Another letter [Mar 29], another pull-foot-out-of-mouth attempt: In the letter on Friday, Barr wrote that his earlier note was not a “summary” and that it wouldn’t have been appropriate for him to summarize Mueller’s findings.https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/barr-redacted-mueller-report-will-be-released-mid-april-if-n988961
Charlie Tuba about 5 years ago
Maximum transparency = no substance.