Yeah, I didnât want to come to work today either. Yet, here I am (donât worry boss, itâs lunchtime).
I think there is a sixth takeaway â He did not repeat the Reportâs statement that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that there was a criminal conspiracy between trump and Russia. I think he didnât repeat that statement because the Report was drawing a line too fine to walk in an oral statement.
Iâm not sure what that issue is but there is something that he is unwilling to say out loud regarding trumpâs involvement with Russia.
ETA - Iâve rewatched the video and I was wrong. He does repeat the reportâs statement that there was insufficient evidence to charge criminal conspiracy. Apologies all.
IMO, Mueller needs to testify. Most people wonât read his report, but many, many people will watch him speak to Congress. Plus, the 2020 campaign can use the clips in their adverts. Roll on, Nadler, Roll on!
Iâm fine with Muellerâs statement and position, except for one problem.
Barr polluted the investigation. Any effort to learn more, now hits the excuse âBarr said thereâs nothing here.â
Only Mueller can confront Barrâs purposeful obstruction of the truth.
From Muellerâs comments todayâŚ
"And as set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had
had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we
would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to
whether the president did commit a crime.
The introduction to the Volume 2 of our report explains that
decision. It explains that under long-standing department policy, a
president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office.
That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and
hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. "
âŚ
No Bob, it is not a matter of the Constitution. Itâs just a DoJ policy and not a law. So I strongly disagree. It is not âunconstitutionalâ. To say a sitting president cannot be charged breaks what is carved in stone at the SCOTUS âEQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAWâ. And also DoJ policy runs up against several amendments to the Constitution.
"Charging the President with a crime, Mueller said, âwas therefore not an option we could considerâ.â
Shorter Mueller: âTrumpâs guilty as hell.â
While I appreciate Mr. Muellerâs testimony, he says he doesnât want to testify. I don;t think that choice is up to him; he has to testify. Now that he is free from the shackles put on him by the Justice Department (say anything you want, just don;t say that the President committed a crime), he has to share his beliefs and expert opinion of the matter. Itâs the only way we come move forward (with the impeachment proceedings).
Fuck him. He doesnât get to decide if he wants to testify or not. He did this as an employee of the DOJ, and as such, he is answerable to the taxpayers and the congress who paid his salary. This sanctimonious, above the political fray act is wearing thin. If he didnât want to get political, he shouldnât have taken a government job and chased ambulances instead.
The reason he needs to testify is because the report doesnât speak at all and most Americans havenât read it. I havenât and the only Republican who seems to have read it is Amash. But if Mueller testifies publicly, it turns his report into video thatâs harder to ignore.
Seriously, if the only thing Mueller did was read excerpts from the report while the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean played in the background, thatâd be a huge help.
I think to not say âwere he a private citizen we would have indicted himâ
is cowadice.
Totally agree, and his pronouncement about not wanting to testify has a real potential to undercut Nadler,
the Committee, and Congress. Reality being the investigation will seek to compel the testimony of some
real assholes who have very little/no regard for Congress, The Rule of Law, or The Constitution. Bob
attempting to dictate terms of engagement to Congress sets an awfully bad precedent.
I think members of Congress (House and Senate) ought to read Muellerâs report just like Amash did.
Then pontificate.
As a private citizen Mueller has vastly less chance to get out from under a subpoena.
I canât Believe I have an opportunity to FIFY for Irasdad, but here it is:
âTrump is guilty as Heilâ
Unwilling to say out loud? Who gave him the option as to what to say and not say regarding his findings? He did.
âGet this guy out of the fucking White House.â
I still prefer the theme from âJawsâ
He doesnât question Barrâs âgood faithâ in not initially releasing his report summaries.
which is DC speak for âBarr screwed up royally (but I donât want to say that out loud)â