Statement of Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Senior most member of the Judiciary Committee

[Zoonart]

Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
On The Release Of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Redacted Report

April 18, 2019

Despite the Attorney General’s spin and carefully orchestrated press rollout — obviously intended for an audience of one — nothing can hide that this report amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration.

Members of the Trump campaign were not simply useful pawns in Russia’s attack on our elections. They were eager, unapologetic beneficiaries of Russia’s interference. They welcomed it. They encouraged the release of stolen materials and planned a press strategy around it. They not once reported it to law enforcement authorities. Then they misrepresented the facts and hid their actions from the American people. Repeatedly.

The President’s interference with the Justice Department’s subsequent investigation went beyond everything that we had known. He regularly used the office of the presidency to attempt to manipulate and delegitimize one of the most critical national security investigations of our time. His lawyers promised witnesses would be “taken care of” if they did not cooperate with the investigation. He fired the FBI director leading the initial investigation and then attempted to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

His efforts demean his office and demean the rule of law.

Robert Mueller did his job. Now it’s time for Congress to do our job, as Mr. Mueller envisioned in his report. In order to do so we must view the full, unredacted report. And Mr. Mueller should testify before Congress as soon as possible.

I hope all Americans, no matter their political views, agree that we must do more to protect our elections from foreign interference. The governments of foreign adversaries, including the Kremlin, are neither Republican nor Democrat. They seek only to divide and weaken us as Americans. These tangible threats to our democracy, and what we need to do about them, are the issue, not the President’s vanity about being seen as “winning” an election.

We must all stand together against foreign adversaries that threaten our democracy. And President Trump, who has never fully acknowledged these threats, needs to stand with us.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/18/1851305/-Senator-Patrick-Leahy-Mueller-did-his-job-Now-it-s-time-for-Congress-to-do-our-job?utm_campaign=recent

[coti]

1. Well said nt

[Zoonart]

9. YEA!!!

[DontBooVote]

17. Yes, "YEA!!!" he said something so well! I am proud of him! Question is...

WHAT IS HE DOING?

[olegramps]

30. Aided and abetta by (Saint) Mueller.

I just don't understand how someone so versed in the law and such an honorable person can list ten charges in a report that clearly show how Trump was determined to obstruct the investigation but concludes that he does not know if Trump was guilty of obstruction.
This legal expert, with the same evidence, would have concluded there wasn't enough evidence find Benedict Arnold guilt. Washington sure as hell didn't have that problem. Here is the case of a bastard that is willingly conspiring with our sworn enemy to win an election and this paramount of legal expertise can not determine that our nation is being compromised. A great big "BULL SHIT." What would have been his finding if it was Hilary Clinton? He is a damn Republican just like the every damn Republican from Nixon to this despicable piece of trash that has disgraced the nation. He is just disgusting.

[Hotler]

34. +1 nt

[RVN VET71]

52. I disagree, respectfully.

It appears to me that what Mueller has done is to lay out, in black and white, the crimes that Trump is involved in and handed it over to the Congress to do its job. Mueller held back because the OLC of the DOJ still supports the stupid -- but bureaucratically demanding -- rule that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Had he gone forward with charges, there would have ensued a long legal wrangle ending up in the Gorsuch-Alito-Thomas-Kavanaugh-Roberts Supreme Court.

Instead, Mueller avoids the legal labyrinth and provides, in his report, the evidence and the push for Congress to use the authority given it by the constitution -- and do its goddam duty! -- to impeach the bastard. Mueller, by charging the president, would have been up against a solid wall of legal and procedural precedent. Maybe he should have done it, anyway. He certainly could have, but chose not to expend energy that could best be spent by congress.

(And, btw, Benedict Arnold was a) a hell of a better man than Trump and b) not the President and c) even if he had been President, their was no OLC ruling during the revolution that would have saved him from the hangman's noose, and also d) in case anyone thinks otherwise, I believe Benedict Arnold was a contemptible POS who attempted to sell out his nascent country and countrymen because his ego had been badly bruised -- but still a better man than Trump.)

[olegramps]

53. I hear you and thanks for the comments.

Here is what I don't agree with. To my understanding it is policy, not a law. If Mueller truly believed that Trump was guilty of obstruction then why not charge him? When he passed it to congress for resolution, he had to know that there was slim if no chance that the House would proceed with charges which are basically an indictment that even if it did would go to the Senate where it had absolutely no hope of being upheld. This was the time to challenge some so-called policy that you also seemingly don't regard as just. Basically it supports the concept that indeed some people are above the law by passing the responsibility to congress. I would like to know where it is written in the constitution that a president can not be indicted. Just another example of a self serving so-called policy,

[RVN VET71]

55. Agree with you, but still think impeachment

is a better choice. Yes, the GOP rules the senate and serves, not the people, but itself. But even Nixon's impeachment gathered Republican support in the late stages -- resulting in that s.o.b.s resignation. And the info in the report certainly points to a man whose administration and tenure have been tainted with criminality, much of which the treasonous POS's in the Senate have ignored until now. So, if the Dems can make public -- ram it to hell down the public's throat, in fact -- just how tainted and borderline traitorous Trump and his little piglets in crime have been, they might be able to persuade the constituents of a dozen or so GOP senators to kick their Senate representatives in the butt hard enough to get them to vote with the Dems.

Further, the impeachment process itself does not require the same level of evidence as would a trial in the courts. Even if the effort ultimately failed, the process will air everything in public. And even if the stench from that airing, at the very worst would make it increasingly difficult for Trump to run a successful 2020 campaign.

On the other hand, trying to arrest/indict him on charges of corruption, including obstruction of justice, would certainly result in the Supreme Court being the final arbiter -- and the process could end up taking longer than 2020. Worse, the matter before the court would involve the OLC's prohibition on its own employees regarding the indictment of any president. What I mean is it would deal with legal niceties instead of the overwhelming evidence of the sickening corruption and borderline-treason Trump et-al are guilty of. The evil these s.o.b.s have done and continue to do would not be part of the story, and the media would lose a point of focus and, as a result, put the story under the fold or in the back pages

And, as I mentioned earlier, the case would ultimately be decided by a court that includes Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Thomas, Alito, and Roberts. 4 out of that 5 would certainly find for the defense. Maybe Roberts would have another case of conscience and vote against Trump -- but, then again, maybe not.

(And you are correct, of course, the OLC "policy" is extra-constitutional and, therefore, not binding ultimately. But the John Roberts 5 would find a way, maybe a legal quibble, to keep Trump's fat butt out of the fire.)

[olegramps]

56. Thanks for your response.

Well it looks like the bottom line is that regardless of the choose path they all lead to no justice. Your find point is that even though the evidence is there that it would depend on convincing a public that is the epitome of apathy that they should demand justice I think that we can conclude that has about as much chance of happening as my being around for the second coming.

I have contended that the only faith that I have in the justice system is the hope that he can be found to has been guilty of money laundering or tax fraud. Given the political climate of the county hope for any resolution by congress is waste of time.

[RVN VET71]

57. Maybe not a total waste of time.

But, on the other hand, maybe you're right.

It's tough to see my country of birth getting sucked down the drain by greed, bigotry, and racism. I think America will have its final chance to rescue itself from the sewer in 2020. Impeachment won't get Trump out of the White House, but it's at least possible that it will galvanize the citizenry to vote in extraordinary numbers in 2020 and retrieve the WH and the Senate for the Dems. Not probable, mind you, but possible -- it happened in 2018.

(Of course, the Dems are, themselves, a party deserving suspicion, considering the way they cheated Bernie Sanders in 2016. But the Dems, on their worse day, are still much less bad than the treasonous, country-be-damned, party-first Republicans.)

[PeeJ52]

2. Now that is a comment! Well done Senator...

[DontBooVote]

19. Yay! He said something well! Yay!

[llmart]

3. Great statement!

[delisen]

4. Now we need strong statements from primary candidates

[Zoonart]

10. Yes...

More of this!

[Butterflylady]

18. Absolutely, imperative!

This a big issue that should be covered to warn all Americans the perils of Russian interference.

[DontBooVote]

20. Yes! Everyone needs to say stuff...and say in strongly and say it well!

Talk about it until our democracy is a rotting corpse!

Keep saying things well, everybody!!

[snpsmom]

51. +1

[spanone]

5. K&R...

[lagomorph777]

6. Well said, Pat! Except this: "...neither Republican nor Democrat."

Please. That's "...neither Republican nor Democratic."

or "...neither Russiapublican nor Democratic."

[babylonsister]

7. I honestly don't want dt to stand with us. He'd just be lying. nt

[CharleyDog]

12. exactly. "Needs to stand with us" What are you talking about???? Hello, this president

subverted our election for his benefit, corrupt and criminal. This is what we've been waiting for, Senator. Now, get your senatorial colleagues to see that he needs to resign or be impeached. Let's drag the WHOLE thing out, IN PUBLIC, for a year or two. Every smarmy detail. Plus the financials, and Dumpo's taxes, the missing inaugural's monies, the Chinese spies, the Russian spies, the Saudi nuclear deal, and the Oval Office miscreants, white supremacy, the concentration camps, the missing children, the treatment of Vets. Let's make sure he is indeed, fucked.

[Brother Buzz]

8. He had me at, "obviously intended for an audience of one "

[C_U_L8R]

11. Trump, we will accept your resignation

[patphil]

13. So, the next steps are

The House must get the full, unredacted report and begin the process of impeachment.
The evidence of impeachable offenses must be laid out and judged.
If the evidence dictates such, articles of impeachment must be formalized, presented, and voted on.
If the articles pass, they will be sent to the Senate where they must be reviewed, debated, and a formal decision whether or not to remove the President must be made.
A whole lot of Republican Senators will look like shit regardless of which way the vote goes.
It is a lose/lose situation for the Republicans.
This is not blow job territory.
This is the real deal.
How many patriotic Republican senators who truly love their country are there?
It will take 67 Senators to remove Trump from office.
That's a minimum of 20 Republicans + 46 Democrats + Bernie to get there.
Even if removal fails, it will damage Trump and the Republican party a lot.
The defecation is about to impinge on the impeller.

Patrick Phillips

[Lulu KC]

48. I am thinking the same thing--

and then I get to the 20 senators. I feel a tiny bit of hope that there are 20 with backbone.

[Chin music]

50. +1 The last sentence was hysterical.

Good job. Welcome to DU if you really are 'new'. If not, glad you're back.

[HopeAgain]

14. Another "strongly worded letter."

For what? The Committees need to subpoena every single attorney from the special counsel's office. No more bringing strongly worded letters to a knife fight.

[DontBooVote]

15. If our leaders continue to write strongly-worded letters at the pace they're going, there's going to

be a paper shortage. At least they're creating lots of overtime at the paper-making plants!

Lots of strongly-worded tweets are drawing down on bandwidth as well.

So far, NO ACTION WHATSOEVER!

[Zoonart]

16. Agreed!

We need action now.

[Honeycombe8]

35. I believe they have, or are preparing, a subpoena to get the unredacted report.

Congress is also holding hearings. They've had a hearing with Barr so far, and Mueller has agreed to appear for a hearing.

So the Congress is pursuing their own investigation.

But without holding the Senate, there's not much beyond impeachment in name only that the Democrats can do. I think impeachment in name only is worthwhile, since it puts it on the record for history.

I'm concerned they won't seek impeachment because they think it'll hurt our chances in the election. And it may. I don't know.

[Lulu KC]

49. Done this morning by Nadler n/t

[FreepFryer]

58. Nadler also made a fascinating series of comments regarding the conditions under which impeachment..

...should occur. It’s in the last few minutes at the end.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/mueller-report-rep-nadler-says-he-sees-considerable-evidence-of-obstruction/

[warmfeet]

41. Yep.

No action whatsoever.

It's going to come down to our action.

While cheering on the strongly-worded letters and tweets of our elected representatives is all well and good, it will not change the status quo one iota.

We will, all of us, have to make a stand.

[catbyte]

21. It's an awesome statement, but the vile, disgusting, treasonous reality is that the gop is this:

and the current republican party will NEVER, EVER do the right thing. They can't afford to.

[Ferrets are Cool]

22. Do something besides just talking or tweeting.

That time has passed.

[Zoonart]

23. I hear you.

[FiveGoodMen]

39. Good choice!!!

[Zoonart]

40. Love Talking Heads

[JudyM]

46. Yep, they're once in a lifetime.

[Zoonart]

47. LOL...

I see what you did there.

[Honeycombe8]

38. They are. You didn't watch the Barr hearing?

You didn't read that Mueller has agreed to appear for a hearing? You didn't read that Congress is conducting its own various investigations? Congress has also subpoenaed or prepared a subpoena or court case to get the unredacted report, so they have access to the evidence, in particular. (I don't see how they'll get Grand Jury evidence, though. That's secret.)

They're doing all that can be legally done.

[doompatrol39]

24. Yes! Another sternly written missive!

That will definitely start working one of these days. I guess I should be thankful we've moved on from tweets to letters/press releases.


Why give up on the approach of appealing to their sense of decency now. It will DEFINITELY start paying dividends one of these days.

[lapucelle]

27. Have a donut.

[marble falls]

28. I think he opted for pizza.

[George II]

31. Buy that guy a subway token, he's about to take a trip.

[lapucelle]

32. I should have given him a donut for the ride home.

[TryLogic]

26. I disagree with "audience of one". It was for FOX "News" and other propaganda entities.

They will spread misinformation as broadly as possible.

[triron]

29. Leahy is not going far enough. Trump committed treason damn it.

this is bullshit.

[MyOwnPeace]

33. Did not like the ending.......

"And President Trump, who has never fully acknowledged these threats, needs to stand with us."


No, he has proven that he deliberately chose to ignore or aid and abet those threats. He does not need to stand with us - he is not worthy of standing with us - he needs to be in jail for failing his oath of office.

[triron]

42. The fucker committed treason goddammit.

[calimary]

36. Amen.

[Uncle Joe]

37. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread Zoonart.

[MadDAsHell]

43. Russia should have been on the radar a decade before 2016.

The fact that we treated it like a joke during the 2012 election didn't do us any favors.

As a country we are reaping the complacency we sowed.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

44. Trump needs to stand with us.

He won’t, don’t you know that? Force is the only thing he’ll understand.

It’s not about what HE needs to do; what’s important is what the legislators need to do.

[Progressive Jones]

45. Thank You, Senator Leahy. Now do something about it.

I'm aware that the GOP majority in the Senate will be useless on this.
They have to protect their vote in the WH. Despicable, but politically necessary
for the GOP to survive. They are in their last throes as it is.
However, Dem Senators have to be doing what they can to flip some R's.
We know there are anti-Trump R's. They just have to be prodded to be courageous.

[Martin Eden]

54. "They seek only to divide and weaken us as Americans."

Donald trump is the most effective agent in that effort.