March 25, 2019 — A 22-month Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election concluded on Friday, clearing President Donald Trump from a suspicion of conspiring with foreign agents to influence the outcome of the election.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to the Justice Department Attorney General Robert Barr. On Sunday, Barr released a four-page letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees summing up key findings from the report.
‘No collusion’
The fundamental finding is that the Trump campaign did not “knowingly coordinate with” the Russia’s Internet Research Agency in its disinformation and social media operations to sow social discord in the United States or with the Russian governments computer hacking operations.
“The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities,” Attorney General Robert Barr quoted the Special Counsel report as saying.
AG Says No Case on Obstruction of Justice
As for the investigation into obstruction of justice, the Special Counsel laid out both sides of the question without deciding on whether President Trump’s actions and intent should be considered as a criminal offense.
“While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Barr quoted the Mueller Special Counsel report as saying.
In effect, the Special Counsel left it to the Attorney General to decide. And Attorney General Barr along with the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided that the evidence of obstruction-of-justice “is not sufficient to establish” that Trump committed an offense.
The investigation led to several indictments, including one finding that the Russian government spent millions to sow discord in the U.S. political system. It also led to the arrest of several Trump-affliliated persons, such as former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Democrats Call for Full Report Release
House Democrats, meanwhile, are asking for the the complete report and underlying documents. “Far from the ‘total exoneration’ claimed by the president, the Mueller report expressly does not exonerate the president,” House Democratic Chairment Jerrold Nadler, Adam Schiff, and Elijah Cummings wrote in a statement.
Trump Emboldened
Despite what may be ongoing accusations and investigations by Democrats, President Trump appeared vindicated after the cloud of the Mueller investigation ended. White returning to Washington on Sunday, Trump said the investigation “was an illegal takedown” effort that failed. He vowed to fight back against critics in Congress and the media who accused him of crimes.
