What Barr said, what Mueller said

One thing was crystal clear from Barr's press conference on Thursday and before the Mueller Report was released: No collusion! Barr's willingness to echo Trump's favorite two-word mantra was evident throughout his remarks.

"The special counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes," Barr said.

It's true: Mueller did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. But Mueller uncovered "multiple links" connecting Trump aides to Russian officials and that there was at least some willingness to collaborate -- like Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Tower meeting. Mueller could not prove conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt.

Also, Barr's use of the word "collusion," which he repeated multiple times, raised some eyebrows in the legal community. In the report, Mueller intentionally steered clear of that political phrase because it "is not a specific offense" under US law, "nor is it a term used in federal criminal law." Strange Barr would use it.

Barr cleared Trump of obstruction. "After carefully reviewing the facts and legal theories outlined in the report... the deputy attorney general and I concluded that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction of justice offense," Barr said.

Mueller did not struggle with whether there was enough evidence to bring a case of obstruction of justice. The challenge was that they amassed compelling evidence but couldn't indict a President even if they wanted to, DOJ rules.

Here's what the report actually said: "...if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred."

Barr downplayed the role that DOJ guidelines played when Mueller considered whether Trump violated the law. Internal DOJ policies say that a sitting president cannot be indicted. The policy comes from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC).

"We specifically asked him about the OLC opinion and whether or not he was taking the position that he would have found a crime but for the existence of the OLC opinion," Barr said at his press conference. "And he made it very clear several times that that was not his position."

The OLC opinion had a major impact on Mueller's internal deliberations. In effect, Mueller framed his entire obstruction investigation around the notion that he couldn't bring any charges against Trump even if he found ironclad evidence against him, because of the OLC opinion. He specifically left the matter up to Congress.

"Special Counsel Mueller did not indicate that his purpose was to leave the decision to Congress," Barr said.

"With respect to whether the President can be found to have obstructed justice by exercising his powers under Article II of the Constitution, we concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a President's corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice," Mueller said.

Barr became a Trump lackey. It is difficult understand why this proud professional lowered himself to this role, sacrificing every bit of his self-esteem.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/19/politics/barr-versus-mueller-report/index.html

 

What Mueller didn't say. Why did Bob Mueller refer Strzok & Page to McCabe for disciplinary action? Why weren't Strzok & Page's team Mueller cell phones and laptops turned over to McCabe the same day he referred them?

 

AG Barr groveled before the BLOTUS instead of upholding the Law of the Land.

Be interesting to hear what Mueller has to say to Congress about Barr's dissembling equivocation of what was actually stipulated in the report.

 

Mueller will echo his colleague Rod Rosenstein's sentiments. ::
Rod "the wire" must've left his handcuffs and service revolver in his other trousers Thursday.

 

Incredible. What a mindless diversion, two lovesick FBI agents and their love notes. A worn out far right conspiracy theory dropped by every sensible Trump Republican in Congress.

 

I wish more Trump supporters would read the OP. They are being conned by Trump and Barr. The OP proves it. They should know that.

Only one Trump supporter responded, and he tried to change the subject. No one has questioned the analysis made in the OP, proving the validity of the post.

 

Another thing I wanna know is why it took 2 years for Mueller to say “hey guidelines say we can’t indict Trump”? He should said that publicly and turned it back over to congress about 2 years ago.

 

I watch Fox News for at least an hour a day because I am interested in what Trump and his supporters have to say.

I must give credit where credit is due -- to Trump's fans, believe it or not.

On this forum they are smart enough not to use statements made by Fox News commentators and their guests. Their remarks are filled with misconceptions, half truths, and outright lies. Trump's fans are smart enough to realize that Trump's critics on this forum would pounce on their misstatements and make them look foolish.

So, Trump's fans don't use the comments made on Fox News. They obviously are not meant for discussion. The propaganda is meant only for Trump's gullible base and the small diehards who will believe it.

There are exceptions, Shepherd Smith and Chris Wallace to name two.

 

You somehow are blaming Mueller for DOJ rules? The informed knew about that rule two years ago. You didn't?

What does your question have to do with the main thrust of the OP?

Nothing, you, too, want to change the subject. Why?

 

All of these problems are because of Obama and his tendency to embolden bad people. Obama must have emboldened Mueller to pick on poor Donny. I started watching Sean two days ago and I think I am starting to get Hannitized. I think we should just skip the election next year and give Trump another 4 years because Deep State RINOs and angry Democrats tried to set him up.

 

So why did he continue gathering evidence when he knew from the start that he wouldn’t be able to do anything to Trump per DOJ guidelines? Why not announce that publicly and turn that part of the investigation back to congress instead of just having it hang over Trump?

 

I was starting to see this talking point pushed by the Dems...glad to see the source is CNN.

Congress doesn’t determine if a crime is committed or not, if the special counsel found evidence, he wouldn’t indict but recommend charges like ken Starr did. That’s how it works. Mueller knew that, his staff knew that, they made their decisions because their wasn’t enough for charges.

With that said congress is free to atemot an impeachment, my guess is it won’t happen because dnc leadership knows that mueller is right

 

No your definitely Scarboroughed lol with your “ Roy Cohn” talk. Where was that talk when Holder was in contempt......

So it takes Mueller 2years to say what was known from day one. Strange huh

 

Stop it, logic always hurts the left’s narratives

 

Well I’d like to say we can’t know undoubtably if they made their decision because they’re wasn’t enough for charges..... probably but be 100% certain though with how wishy washy he was it really left us in the exact same place as before. My problem is why did it take him two years to say they couldn’t indict a sitting president? Why continue gathering evidence if you have no plans to reach a decision? That’s why I do tend to agree with your theory that they knew their evidence was weak and had they found strong evidence they would have done what you said. Why else continue to look if he “cant be indicted”?

 

The Roy Cohn talk came from Trump’s mouth as testified to by Don McGann in the Mueller report. However I am now almost sure the only reason Trump said it was because Holder and Obama emboldened him, so it’s not his fault.

 

Oh so a friend of a friend said it not your pals joe an mika? Ya msnbc is the beacon of honesty lmao

 

What Mueller did was irresponsible. Even if he didn't indict and if he found evidence of a crime of obstruction he had a duty to say so. He didn't so it was a political statement having nothing to do with a crime.

 

Though it seems Mueller has no problem with the loose legal term of "coordination" which is precisely what he was assigned to investigate.

 

Is that guy an emboldener too? I will refer to Sean tomorrow night.

 

If there is no collusion, what justice was obstructed? Obstruction is meaningless if no actual crime is attached. Sensible people understand this, whiny liberals do not...

 

Just stick with your regular Joe n Mika it seems to be working for ya

 

Mueller didn't axe the love birds? He axed them for exchanging love notes? Judge Rudy Contreras part of a menage a' trois?

 

If ALL ^^ that ^^ is about Rod "the wire" , do a PF search for it, enter the term and @PrincipleInvestment then tell me who coined that phrase. I got dibs on Jim "weasel move" too.

 

Give Mueller $25 million to tell you "maybe" then get back to me OK?