Robert Mueller, Former F.B.I. Director, Is Named Special Counsel for Russia Investigation

no its not...

 

I'm curious where the Dowd voicemail falls on the established facts / faux scandal continuum . . . asking for a friend

 

Mueller did not make a determination as to whether a crime was committed, despite that being what he and every prosecutor is paid to do. Even if he can't indict, he can make that determination (as Ken Starr did). That's why Barr was annoyed with Mueller, guy failed to perform his basic duty. Instead he chose implication and innuendo.

 

You can let your friend know that it doesn't change anything I posted. It doesn't really even relate to the list that I've asked about and @cml750 hasn't been able to answer.

Does your friend have any other barely related questions?

 

Yet Republicans were supposedly mad about Comey saying something bad about Hillary Clinton when she wasn't going to be charged with a crime. He chose to follow the guidelines and presented solid evidence.

 

I realize that the Dowd voicemail doesn't relate to the list about the Trump Tower meeting you provided. On the other hand, if Volume II of the Mueller Report is that sloppy and misleading on this point . . . where else may it be sloppy and misleading? and potentially misleading on more major points?

 

I didn't find it sloppy or misleading.

 

fair enough

 

Referring to Starr is questionable... it was after Starr that the "can't indict a sitting President" DOJ guideline happened.

Mueller's "basic duty" as Special Counsel was to investigate and create a report on his investigation's findings. That role is different than a prosecutor.

 

trump's 2016 campaign chairman being sent to NY's Riker Island prison and will be held in solitary confinement.

 

Neither Mueller or Comey followed the guidelines. It was up to DoJ whether to indict Hillary, not Comey. And he certainly shouldn't have given a press conference to disparage an uncharged party. Mueller did the same thing, except he wasn't even willing to make a determination that a crime was committed, as Comey did.

Mueller essentially presented a prosecutorial case against an uncharged party without having to face any cross-examination or case from the defense. Disgraceful. There's a reason he and the Dems don't want him facing any questions from Congress.

The job of the DoJ is to determine whether crimes are committed, and if so, to prosecute them. Mueller failed to do that job.

 

It wasn't his job to determine if a crime had been committed. His report laid out what the guidelines to legally qualify as committing the crimes would be, and he laid out the evidence.

 

Mueller laid out his mandate and scope....he clearly said if he thought Trump didn’t commit a crime he would have said it. He left it for Congress.

Likewise Trump, Jr, Kushner were able to submit written questions and delete communications without reprisal.

This wasn’t a case you get to see on Law and Order...

 

I actually agree with my Trump supporting friends on this.

I think Mueller played this as too much of a boyscout. He was hired to do an investigation. If he found wrongdoing he should have said that. If he was never going to say that then he shouldn't have been doing the investigation. The purpose of the investigation was to prepare a report for the Justice Department, not for Congress. If he didn't think he could tell his superiors in the justice department whether there was wrongdoing he should have refused the assignment.

 

It's bizarre to be hired to generate a report for a department and then think your job is to lay out a report for another company.

 

But he shouldn't have to underestimate his audience. Also, he was handcuffed by the DoJ. If they told him his job was to prosecute the crime he would have been required then to say he was prosecuting. It is not uncommon for investigations to turn over information over to other authorities when the information is under their jurisdiction.

 

It is not uncommon for investigations to turn over information over to other authorities when the information is under their jurisdiction.

 

This is total BS.

Carry on.

 

I think more to the point is that Trump and co. took advantage of the fact that he was a boy scout and used that against the rule of law as it applies to the executive branch.

They knew that Mueller would follow the book and not indict Trump or his family for obstruction of justice. So they all collectively obstructed in order to withhold other crimes, and make obstruction be the only crime that would be referred to Congress. That crime being one they felt would not be pursued for impeachment.... which is almost exactly what happened or is happening.

At every turn they tried to game the system and take advantage of Mueller playing by the rules. Allowing them to use a joint defense agreement to share info etc etc.

Only thing I’m certain of though is that investigating Trump Russia is only really starting. This will live on for decades now. Trumps obstruction case in vol 2 just shows how little Mueller was able to actually investigate. It’s no shock that Mueller decided to close shop right after Manafort bailed on his cooperation. They knew what Trump had done to obstruct, and they knew they were on thin ice with getting fired as soon as the new AG came into place.

Main takeaway really is that the Special Counsel statute needs to be rewritten again. Unfortunately it won’t happen until a Dem wins again and won’t be used again until it’s used against the Dem president that wrote it.

Republicans don’t play by the rules. They play Dems and Republican Boy Scouts for fools when they abuse their power with zero shame to make up their own rules.... and that’s why they have all the power in this country.

 

He did say he found wrongdoing. Perhaps he was too naive and believed the system would work.