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Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump
New York Times ^ | 05/29/2019 | By Sharon LaFraniere and Eileen Sullivan

Posted on 05/29/2019 11:34:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, on Wednesday declined to clear President Trump of obstruction of justice in his first public characterization of his two-year-long investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” Mr. Mueller said, reading from prepared notes behind a lectern at the Justice Department. “We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.”

He also said that while Justice Department policy prohibits charging a sitting president with a crime, the Constitution provides for another process to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing — a clear reference to the ability of Congress to begin impeachment proceedings.

Although his remarks closely matched statements contained in his more than 400-page report, Mr. Mueller’s portrayal of Mr. Trump’s actions was not as benign as Attorney General William P. Barr’s characterizations. While Mr. Barr has seemed to question why the special counsel investigated the president’s behavior, Mr. Mueller stressed the gravity of that inquiry.

“When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of their government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable,” he said.

He suggested that he was reluctant to testify before Congress, as the House Judiciary Committee has asked. “The report is my testimony,” he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: again; collusion; hillary; mueller; muellerreport; russia; trumprussia; trusttheplan; whitehat
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To: JoSixChip

“...that is because he does not have the backing of congress”

More importantly he doesn’t have the backing of the media.

The media runs the world. Whoever has the media controls everything, because over 75% of the country hasn’t got a clue. The Dems have the backing of the media (Hollywood/TV/ESPN/K-12 and Colleges/Facebook/Music Industry/etc./etc.).

When the media finally discovered they could lie, make up stuff, and it makes absolutely no difference to the masses, the game changed. Short of a war to take control of communications, or at least to restore a neutral media, what real chance do conservatives have to persuade the public?


61 posted on 05/29/2019 12:12:39 PM PDT by Sir Bangaz Cracka (Sweet Saint Skittles bounced dat ole white Craka head off da sidewalk causin he was real skeered.)
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To: 1Old Pro

Did you notice Nadler couldn’t answer questions from the press without reading from his statement. What the heck is up with that?


62 posted on 05/29/2019 12:12:54 PM PDT by marajade (Skywalker)
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To: Cementjungle

Maybe he’s waiting for them to finally pull the trigger on impeaching him. That way they can’t spin anything, accuse him of some type of obstruction, or somehow try to control the narrative. He can then dump everything, in his defense and they all have to sit there and take it. And there’s not a thing they could do about it.


63 posted on 05/29/2019 12:13:57 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: marajade
Did you notice Nadler couldn’t answer questions from the press without reading from his statement. What the heck is up with that?

his attorney staffers told him what to think. What I noticed is that he is dropping his insistence that Mueller testify.

64 posted on 05/29/2019 12:14:33 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: 1Old Pro

How did Nadler’s staff know what the press was going to ask?


65 posted on 05/29/2019 12:16:02 PM PDT by marajade (Skywalker)
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To: 1Old Pro

Ya, Nadler is also SCARED TO DEATH of bringing Mueller out in public, red-headed-stepchild action.


66 posted on 05/29/2019 12:16:18 PM PDT by TonytheTiger7777
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To: TonytheTiger7777

Why is Mueller getting special treatment?


67 posted on 05/29/2019 12:17:04 PM PDT by marajade (Skywalker)
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s not up to him to clear Trump - it’s up to him to indict Trump - if he doesn’t do the latter, the former is understood.....


68 posted on 05/29/2019 12:19:27 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ (director)
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To: SeekAndFind

If Mueller had made those comments the day before he could have been fired for cause.
(Loss of pension and benefits too!)


69 posted on 05/29/2019 12:20:22 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing obamacare is worse than obamacare itself.)
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To: Intolerant in NJ

Mueller said he couldn’t indict a sitting president. Then why all the fuss, time, and money?


70 posted on 05/29/2019 12:20:42 PM PDT by marajade (Skywalker)
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To: 1Old Pro
>> Because there was NO COLLUSION AND NO OBSTRUCTION. And that is tearing the Dems apart. <<<

Remember when the NY Times won a Pulitzer for the Russian collusion story?

Flashback: WaPo, NYT Awarded Pulitzer Prizes For Trump-Russia Collusion Reports
71 posted on 05/29/2019 12:21:33 PM PDT by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
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To: Intolerant in NJ

RE: It’s not up to him to clear Trump - it’s up to him to indict Trump

Actually, Mueller said that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was “not an option,” citing department policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Here’s what he said:

“Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.”

The question then becomes — if you can’t formally charge him with a crime, the least you could do is provide EVIDENCE for a legal body to charge him with a crime. Even that Mueller could not provide.


72 posted on 05/29/2019 12:24:18 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: fortheDeclaration
He has done so.

Nothing has been released yet.

73 posted on 05/29/2019 12:26:00 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: marajade

RE: Mueller said he couldn’t indict a sitting president. Then why all the fuss, time, and money?

If Mueller can’t indict, the least he could do is provide sufficient evidence to show that there is legal basis for indictment. Where is the evidence?

Not being able to provide that, he should simply say that the Special Counsel does not have sufficient evidence, not leave a cloud hanging.


74 posted on 05/29/2019 12:26:08 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind
The Cowardly Louse Mueller couldn’t find a crime and didn’t have the balls to indict for obstruction. He then makes a statement when his bosses are out of town. He makes the Cowardly Lion look like Superman.
75 posted on 05/29/2019 12:27:05 PM PDT by Chgogal (Definition of a “louse”: Robert Mueller.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Sounds like the whole process was just one big waste of time and money.


76 posted on 05/29/2019 12:28:19 PM PDT by marajade (Skywalker)
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To: SeekAndFind

Hired only Democrats...

Spent over two years on the investigation...

Left no stone unturned...

Spent something like $35 million...

Can’t say if his crew was incompetent or Trump was innocent.

I can.


77 posted on 05/29/2019 12:35:56 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Can I get a shout out for the person(s) who donated $2,000.00 from France? Thanks so much! Wow!)
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To: marajade
How did Nadler’s staff know what the press was going to ask?

Nadler didn't really answer any specific questions. The press didn't press him on the one BIG question, is he still going to insist Mueller testify?

78 posted on 05/29/2019 12:36:42 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: SeekAndFind

Mission Accomplished!!


79 posted on 05/29/2019 12:37:03 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: marajade
Mueller said he couldn’t indict a sitting president. Then why all the fuss, time, and money?...exactly the point Brit Hume made - if there was no chance to find the President guilty of anything - including the main question collusion - the whole investigation was a "Fool's Errand".....
80 posted on 05/29/2019 12:41:38 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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