There’s been a lot of misrepresentation of Democratic expectations for Mueller. Fringe figures aside, most people understood that Mueller could not be expected to bring down Trump like a superhero. But I think it was widely felt that he would proceed fearlessly and with a clear sense of the transnational crime and corruption syndicates that were involved. He gave a lecture on that very topic a few years back. We also were in the in unusual position of having personally witnessed the crimes being committed and felt that the facts spoke for themselves. So our expectations were and are rational.
It now seems increasingly apparent that Mueller backed off, big time. We don’t know why or to what extent. Comey is certainly taken aback. My own guess is that the GOP corruption has metastasized to such a degree that Mueller was overwhelmed and ultimately reluctant or incapable of doing his job. The NRA, the evangelical community, key GOP members of Congress, the White House, the AG himself,key Pentagon contractors like Blackstone: all are up to their necks in Russian money and ancillary lawlessness. Basically Mueller was faced with a can of worms that would reveal the total rot of his party and the people he’s associated with all his life. He backed off.
Methinks Whitaker will be making a return trip to Congress to explain, under oath, any and all decisions he made regarding the investigation and what discussions he had with Mueller.
Here’s the problem: if Whitaker lies, the remedy for Congress is to pass the matter to the DOJ. What then?
From what I’ve seen in the Trumpverse, lying to Congress often isn’t the first crime they’ve committed. The more layers of the onion that you pull back, the likelier you’ll find that they have lied to a number of government agencies, including some on the state level. Its not perfect, but it’s probably the only justice we’ll get while Trump/the GOP is in power.
To me, Barr is the culprit.
I don’t think Comey has the moral standing to question anyone else’s decisions regarding investigations.
He should thank trump for firing him. Before he was fired, he was a political hack in the FBI who caused Hillary to lose the most important election since I was born. He was scorned by many.
Trump fires him and his situation changes dramatically. Plus, the book he was working on became a book of interest. No one would have given it a second thought beforehand.
Comey is now prime interview material for pundits. Personally, I could give a shit less less about what he thinks. He did not hurt Trump at all. Instead, he made himself one of Trump’s many villains to rail against. They both gained by his firing.
Are either one of them smart enough to arrange this mutually beneficial firing on purpose? You be the judge.
Even before the report was released everyone was wondering why Mueller didn’t interview the president. I don’t think it would have made a bit of difference. 45* lies with impunity all the time, I think Mueller just didn’t want another session listening to a mess of lies that should come out in the trials.
The expected trials that is. This really has been the most disappointing time for me since 2016.
Plus considering ALL the concessions Trump’s camp would demand it just wouldn’t be worth it
Because Donald Trump lies all the time about everything.
One possible answer to the question of no Trump subpoena is that it would get things tied up in a court battle and so delay delivery of a final detailed report. Muller might feel the report would be damning enough. (300+ pages and evidence.) Unless he has simply surrendered, perhaps he’s planning to tell all to House investigators and didn’t want to delay that.
Maybe that’s just wishful thinking, but I guess we’ll know when and if he testifies to Congress.