In the end, I believe history will judge the Mueller report very harshly.

[shockey80]

The Mueller report did not clear Trump of conspiracy or obstruction. As a matter of fact it proved Trump committed High Crimes. Why didn't it lead to a response like the one we are seeing now? This is the reason why.

Mueller wrote the report with such legalese it allowed Barr , Trump and Republicans to say the Mueller report cleared Trump. It was easily done, like taking candy from a baby.. Remember how Mueller was surprised by how Barr described his report. I was not surprised, were you? Mueller acted surprised.

As for conspiracy, It was Mueller's job to investigate an obvious conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. Everyone and their mother in the Trump campaign were conspiring with Russians. Mueller indicted many Russians. When it came to indicting anyone connected to the Trump campaign for conspiracy, Mueller failed to indict anyone. That was a major league failure. People can spin it anyway they want, Mueller failed and he made up excuses for his failure. People lied, destroyed evidence, give me a break.

In his report mueller used two words, a legal term, that made it easy for Barr to say Trump is innocent, Insufficient evidence. That term Mueller used was not legally wrong, it was common sense wrong, it was stupid. Mueller is so by the book he writes reports and testifies like a robot. He is legally right, but he leaves out common sense. When he wrote those two words, Boom! Game over.

As for obstruction, Mueller proved Trump committed obstruction over and over again. Then once again, the way Mueller wrote with legalese took the starch right out of it. He basically wrote, there is nothing I can do about it.

Also, history may be unkind to Mueller for doing this. Accepting written answers from Trump and his lawyers. Trump answered most of the questions by writing, I don't remember. That was fucking stupid. Mueller did not try to force Trump to testify in person. His excuse, it would take too long.

As I said in a recent post, with great irony it was the failure of the Mueller report that may lead to Trump's his impeachment.

[asiliveandbreathe]

1. So much was discovered by the Mueller team..when I read through

the information, written and documented by year, and month 2017-2018-2019..at Time line trump russia - Wikipedia..is a great source for a refresher - chronological order..

the link will not copy so need to just search "time line trump Russia", any year 2017, 2018 or 2019..it is all there...400 names..it does appear Seth Abramson is keeping it updated....

I would bet that the investigations referred to other jurisdictions are squashed...time will tell just how much damage barr has done to those referrals....

[Bleacher Creature]

2. I think the problem is that people overestimated Mueller.

He's a completely by the book, small "C" conservative prosecutor who has long been known to be risk averse and protective of his "non-political" reputation.

The minute it became clear that he was going to follow the DOJ-OLC memo, it was over. He prosecuted the easy cases, but got stymied by Trump's obstruction, which prevented him from being able to prove a conspiracy - or what Trump calls "collusion".

Mueller actually laid out a pretty strong obstruction case, and was very direct about it (at least for him), but he ultimately copped out by relying on the DOJ memo.

Mueller was never the answer. It's always been on us to get rid of Trump. We took a huge step forward when we won the House, and now either they or we need to finish the job.

[ecstatic]

3. +1000. nt

[shockey80]

5. Exactly.

[dalton99a]

4. Mueller used the DOJ opinion to avoid touching Trump directly - from the beginning -

and avoid reaching any conclusion about “whether the president committed a crime.”

“We, at the outset, determined that, when it came to the president’s culpability, we needed to go forward only after taking into account the OLC opinion that indicated that a sitting president cannot be indicted”

History will remember him for documenting the conspiracy and putting away many members of the gang

[Baitball Blogger]

6. I believe you are correct.

Does anyone remember the short notes in describing the two part report?

Was it that Mueller could not clear the president of conspiracy because there was confirmed obstruction preventing the collection of evidence; and in the end, it didn't matter because his department could not do anything about it?

If that's what it comes down to, it's obvious that when the president's actions are in question, we need an independent agency to do the investigation, because Mueller proved the Department of Justice is not the right place for that kind of investigation.

[Downtown Hound]

7. The Mueller report did weaken Trump significantly

It wasn't the knockout blow we all hoped for, but it did damage Trump, and even more important, it allowed Trump to think he was invincible, so much so that he went and did it again pretty much right away. It lulled trump into a false sense of security, and that, more than anything, is what's going to undo Trump in the end.

[Timewas]

8. That entire "investigation"

Was a joke....All it really accomplished was to kick the can down the road and kill time so that the trumplicans could continue to damage the country Mueller was and still is a fake.

[boston bean]

9. I thought Bob Mueller blew it, and I am still not sure whether he did so on purpose or not.

[shockey80]

11. I do not believe he did it on purpose.

He is so by the book it makes him look bad. I still believe in his heart Mueller is a patriot.

[cwydro]

10. You have a point.

Rec.

[Buckeyeblue]

12. History will judge us all harshly for this period

Our grandchildren will ask why we allowed this whole mess to happen. I still haven't figured out the answer to that.

[fallout87]

13. Mueller accepted written answers because

trump refused to sit and talk. What was Mueller supposed to do? Drag it out in court for 2+ years in the hopes he would be forced to sit down?

[shockey80]

15. Yes.

[fallout87]

16. And how would that have been better

?

[spanone]

14. William Barr killed the Mueller report....regardless of what Mueller says.

Barr killed it when he gave his 'summary' trying to exonerate his boss

[olegramps]

17. His wording to avoid the obvious conclusion that he was guilty of obstruction was creative avoidance

People fail to take into serious account of the close association between Mueller's family and the Barr family. Mueller's twisted wording is a prime example of his intent to avoid making a logical conclusion from the evidence. The linguistic gymnastics he employed amounted to nothing less than outright deception and gross fraud.

People were cajoled into acceptance of Mueller as some sainted protector or the law and failed to recognize that he is a life time solid Republican and that his allegiance should be carefully considered. There is only one conclusion that any prosecutor could come to from the evidence and that is Trump should be tried and held accountable for obstruction. The very charge that resulted in Nixon's resignation to avoid impeachment. If this is the legal standard, then hundreds of those tried with far less evidence should be immediately released from prison.