The Mueller Report will go down in history as the most extensive, document on the corruption of a U.S. president and his administration. It will also be seen as having failed its mission of holding the president accountable for breaking the law. Attorney General William Barr’s inaccurate pronouncement that Mueller’s investigation completely exonerated Trump of any collusion, coordination, and obstruction of justice during the 2015 presidential campaign was part of a corrupt cover-up that has damaged the integrity of our democracy.
In contrast to Barr’s disregard for the constitution, hopefully, the incoming Attorney General will become a steward of the constitution and pursue federal prosecution against Trump for obstruction of justice in the Russia investigation.The recent pardon of former national security advisor Michael Flynn and the commutation of former advisor Roger Stone signals Trump’s strategy to influence potential future cooperation by these and other witnesses in the inevitable indictments awaiting him after he leaves office.The following excerpts from part II of the Mueller report reveal a presidential candidate and his campaign that will break democratic norms and laws to gain power and pursue an autocratic American government;-
In February of 2017, Trump’s asked FBI director James Comey to pledge loyalty to him. Additionally, in defense of his National Security Advisor Michael Flynn who admitted to lying to the FBI, Trump asked Comey to ” see his way clear to letting this go” related to Flynn’s charges.- In May of 2017, Trump fires James Comey after he refuses to tell Congress Trump is not under investigation.- Attempts to have Mueller removed as Special Counsel after he learns he is being investigated for obstruction of justice in the Russia investigation.- Attempts to curtail the Special Counsel’s investigation by trying to get AG Jeff Sessions removed from office after he would not publicly announce the Mueller investigation was unfair.- Orders his attorneys to withhold emails regarding the setting up of the June 9th meeting with Don Jr and Russians at Trump Tower to obtain damaging information on Hillary Clinton.- Pressures AG Jeff Session to reverse his recusal and take charge of the Russia investigation. Sessions were also asked by Trump to investigate Hillary Clinton.- Made efforts to get White House Counsel Don McGahn to deny he was ordered by him to have the Special Counsel removed. Don McGahn refused to do so.- Attempts to influence Michael Flynn in his cooperation agreement with the government and signals support of Paul Manafort during his prosecution by publicly calling him ” a brave man.”- His treatment of Michael Cohen was full of praise before Cohen began cooperating with the government’s investigation. He ordered him to ” stay strong” during his prosecution, then publicly called him a “rat” and accused his family members of committing crimes.
In unprecedented fashion, Trump inserted himself into every aspect of the investigation. His attempts to influence witnesses, delegitimize the Special Counsel’s investigation, signal pardons, refuse to testify, block congressional subpoenas, and spread disinformation should have led his party to ask him to resign. Had William Barr not created the false narrative that Mueller’s report exonerated Trump, the House of Representatives may have impeached him. A corrupt attorney general and an equally corrupt Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, undeservedly saved Trump’s presidency.
Had Mueller finished the job he started, had Barr not publicly lied about a false exoneration, and if the Republican-led Senate had chosen country over party, Trump would have been gone from office, and COVID-19 would not have been allowed to kill 250,000 Americans and decimate the economy. Trump proclaims he was the greatest president in U.S. history, maybe only behind Lincoln, before the COVID pandemic. If Republican voters would read the Mueller Report and substitute Trump’s name with Barack Obama, no doubt they would support its validity and justification for impeachment and removal from office.It has been a long, damaging, traumatic wait, but the U.S. Constitution is about to be reinstated.
