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Congress awaits Mueller conclusions as Democrats push for report's release | Congress awaits Mueller conclusions as Democrats push for report's release |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Washington and America waited with bated breath on Saturday for the next stage in the Trump-Russia drama: the communication to Congress of the “principal conclusions” of special counsel Robert Mueller. | Washington and America waited with bated breath on Saturday for the next stage in the Trump-Russia drama: the communication to Congress of the “principal conclusions” of special counsel Robert Mueller. |
Mueller report: Trump camp celebrates but danger is not past yet | Mueller report: Trump camp celebrates but danger is not past yet |
By the early afternoon, indications were that they would have to wait a while longer. Multiple news outlets cited a senior justice department official as saying Attorney General William Barr would not be enlightening Congress on Saturday. | |
If and when such conclusions do become public, they will likely feed into Republican claims of vindication for the president and Democratic attempts to hold him to account. | |
Mueller was appointed in May 2017, in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey. He investigated Russian election interference, links between the Trump campaign and Moscow and potential obstruction of justice by the president. | Mueller was appointed in May 2017, in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey. He investigated Russian election interference, links between the Trump campaign and Moscow and potential obstruction of justice by the president. |
Having indicted three entities and 34 individuals including close advisers to Trump – among them campaign manager Paul Manafort and lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, both sentenced to jail – he handed in his report late on Friday afternoon. | |
A letter announcing its completion was delivered to the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Congress in understated fashion, given the media hoopla it caused. An unassuming woman in a black puffer jacket held a plain manila envelope containing a single sheet of paper as she slipped past camped-out reporters. | A letter announcing its completion was delivered to the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Congress in understated fashion, given the media hoopla it caused. An unassuming woman in a black puffer jacket held a plain manila envelope containing a single sheet of paper as she slipped past camped-out reporters. |
Under DoJ rules, the full report does not have to be made public. But attorney general Barr said in a letter to congressional leaders of both parties he would give them “the principal conclusions” possibly as soon as this weekend. On Saturday, House Democrats planned a 3pm call to discuss strategy. | |
On Friday, officials briefed the media that no further indictments would be made. That seemed to put Trump family members including Donald Trump Jr and Jared Kushner in the clear. But Mueller’s conclusions could still provide revelations damaging to the president and his hopes of re-election. A sitting president cannot be indicted but Mueller’s report could include details of wrongdoing. | |
The White House reacted with caution, saying it had not seen the report. Trump was already at his private club in Florida. On Saturday, he went to his nearby golf course. His Twitter account, his prime outlet for invective about Mueller’s work, was silent. | The White House reacted with caution, saying it had not seen the report. Trump was already at his private club in Florida. On Saturday, he went to his nearby golf course. His Twitter account, his prime outlet for invective about Mueller’s work, was silent. |
According to the pool report, White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said the president’s mood was “good”. He declined to say who Trump played golf with and whether the Mueller report was discussed on the course. | |
Back in Washington, Republicans and supporters of Trump celebrated a victory over Democrats and, in some cases, the mainstream media. Party chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted: “Imagine watching MSNBC or CNN for the last two years and learning: 1. Mueller finished his work without any DoJ interference. 2. No American will be charged for colluding with Russia. | |
“It wasn’t just Democrats who falsely speculated, many in the media went right along with it.” | “It wasn’t just Democrats who falsely speculated, many in the media went right along with it.” |
Democrats pressed for the release of the full report and discussed investigations of Trump by House committees they control. On Friday night Adam Schiff, chair of the House intelligence panel, told CNN he would subpoena Mueller to appear if necessary. But on Saturday, one senior Democrat said the party should take care. | |
“We have to be careful to use the resources and the abilities of the House majority in a focused and a responsible way,” Chris Coons, a senator from Delaware, told CNN. | “We have to be careful to use the resources and the abilities of the House majority in a focused and a responsible way,” Chris Coons, a senator from Delaware, told CNN. |
Referring to the protracted and politicised fallout from a deadly attack on a US facility in Libya in September 2012, he added: “I think there were 13 investigations by House Republicans of the Benghazi incident. I myself sat through three hearings in the Senate, and the Republicans in that case demonstrated overreach.” | Referring to the protracted and politicised fallout from a deadly attack on a US facility in Libya in September 2012, he added: “I think there were 13 investigations by House Republicans of the Benghazi incident. I myself sat through three hearings in the Senate, and the Republicans in that case demonstrated overreach.” |
Coons added: “We need to focus on things that matter to the average American. I support [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi’s view that we ought to be able to explain what we’re going after and why. | Coons added: “We need to focus on things that matter to the average American. I support [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi’s view that we ought to be able to explain what we’re going after and why. |
“There are lots of issues that we’ve known over the last two years, whether it’s Trump’s taxes and allegations of some impropriety there, or his policy making which in ways is unpredictable or inappropriate … there’s plenty of things which deserve our investigation [but] we should not overdo it.” | “There are lots of issues that we’ve known over the last two years, whether it’s Trump’s taxes and allegations of some impropriety there, or his policy making which in ways is unpredictable or inappropriate … there’s plenty of things which deserve our investigation [but] we should not overdo it.” |
Amidst intense speculation about what Mueller will do next, a spokesman said he would simply focus on closing down his office. | Amidst intense speculation about what Mueller will do next, a spokesman said he would simply focus on closing down his office. |
According to the Politico Playbook email, a gossipy staple of Washington life, the former FBI director was spotted on Friday night “in his regular booth at Salt and Pepper in the Palisades”. | According to the Politico Playbook email, a gossipy staple of Washington life, the former FBI director was spotted on Friday night “in his regular booth at Salt and Pepper in the Palisades”. |
“Over the course of the investigation,” Politico wrote, “locals often spotted Mueller on weekends dining with his wife Ann and others at the American-style restaurant. He likes the scallops. Ann typically orders the salmon on a ceasar salad, according to a source familiar with their visits.” | “Over the course of the investigation,” Politico wrote, “locals often spotted Mueller on weekends dining with his wife Ann and others at the American-style restaurant. He likes the scallops. Ann typically orders the salmon on a ceasar salad, according to a source familiar with their visits.” |
Trump-Russia investigation | Trump-Russia investigation |
Trump administration | Trump administration |
Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
Russia | Russia |
US politics | US politics |
Robert Mueller | Robert Mueller |
Democrats | |
news | news |
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