Just two weeks after being confirmed, William Barr will announce that Robert Mueller has completed his investigation.
That’s according to “people familiar with the plans”, who spoke to CNN.
While the timing of Barr’s announcement is obviously subject to change, the Justice Department is reportedly preparing for the main event. After receiving the confidential report from Mueller, Barr will then prepare a summary for Congress.
Suffice to say Democrats are skeptical about Barr’s commitment to transparency with regard to the Russia probe.
We’ve spent a ton of time in these pages documenting the myriad reasons why Barr is a questionable choice to oversee the investigation and to serve as the gatekeeper between Mueller’s conclusions and the public.
His history with special counsels isn’t exactly amicable and on top of that, Barr literally wrote a memo to Rod Rosenstein last year criticizing the Mueller probe, calling the obstruction inquiry “fatally misconceived.” That memo is embedded in full below for anyone who needs a refresher.
Barr’s confirmation hearing left many questions unanswered, although generally speaking, it went ok.
Relive the video highlights
Here’s what he told now presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar when asked whether he’d commit to making the conclusions public.
Of course he was asked what amounts to the same question multiple times and in each case, he gave a similar answer. Which exchange you decide to key on is just a matter of personal preference; it’s always the same back and forth.
In written responses to questions from senators earlier this month, Barr reiterated that he would resign before he’d fire Mueller for something other than “good cause”, but some of his answers cast still more doubt on whether he would ultimately make sure the public gets to read the report when it’s finally released.
For instance, the following seems to leave the door open to Barr protecting Trump (see the last two sentences):
Since “prosecuting” a sitting president is a bit of a thorny issue (to say the least), one wonders how it’s possible that Trump could be anything other than an “uncharged third party” in the report. Throw in the fact that Barr harbors a rather expansive interpretation of executive power and you’ll be forgiven for having doubts.
Then again, Barr describes himself as a longtime friend of Mueller’s and here’s what he said when Lindsey Graham asked about the chances that he (Mueller) would preside over a “witch hunt”:
So that’s a “no”. As of yesterday morning, Trump still did not concur with that assessment.
“….(The Witch Hunt) in time likely will become recognized as the greatest scandal in American political history, marking the first occasion in which the U.S. government bureaucrats sought to overturn an election (presidential)!” Victor Davis Hanson And got caught! @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2019
To say Barr’s handling of this report will be under a microscope would be the understatement of the century. This is potentially one of the biggest conspiracies in modern political history and if Democrats think for a second that Barr is complicit in covering up a crime, they will move heaven and earth to remedy the situation.
“The regulations require Mueller to explain in his report all decisions to prosecute or not prosecute matters under scrutiny”, CNN notes, adding that “Barr would also need to inform Congress if the Justice Department prevented the special counsel team from pursuing any investigative steps.”
Clearly, the end of the Mueller investigation is not the end of Trump’s legal worries, which will drag on for the foreseeable future, and likely for the rest of his life (literally).
The other question here is whether the report will leak – after all, it’s not exactly like Trump has a reputation for running a tight ship and you’ve got to think DoJ is teeming with angry employees itching to avenge the president’s daily attacks on the nation’s law enforcement apparatus.
If CNN is correct about the timing, it’s possible Barr will make the announcement while Trump is meeting with Kim Jong-Un, a surreal state of affairs befitting of the surreal times in which we live.
And on that note, we’ll leave you with what Trump said on Wednesday when asked about the situation.
The CNN article is quite interesting:
“Attorney General Bill Barr is preparing to announce as early as next week the completion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, with plans for Barr to submit to Congress soon after a summary of Mueller’s confidential report, according to people familiar with the plans.”
You need to understand what this supposedly means. CNN wants you all to know that “people familiar with the plans,” described above, have Mueller informing Barr, that Mueller has completed ALL OF HIS!! He’s done!! Hanging up his hat and going home. How do I know that!! Because Mueller’s filing a report on the “Russia Investigation.” It says so above in quotes. And we are to understand that this means all of his work! And why is that? Here’s why, the governing subsection of the Special Counsel regs is this, which when read, is the end of the road for a Special Counsel.
28 CFR § 600.8{c) – Notification and reports by the Special Counsel:
“(c) Closing documentation. At the conclusion of the Special Counsel’s work, he or she shall provide the Attorney General with a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel.
As you can read yourself: “At the conclusion of the Special Counsel’s work.” Are you all presuaded he’s done with all of the trials, charging, arresting, investigating, and the like, by sometime next week? No more indctments? Donald Trump, Jr. walks? Kushner, walks? Really? That’s it. No more Russia related indictments? There was no criminal conspiracy with the Russians by anyone? The two appeals in the DC courts ? Mueller is dropping those two cases? They were just a dalliance? Mueller’s team is done looking through all 50 congressional transcripts and found zero?
That story smell like a three day old fish tail.
This sounds like the wishing it to come into existence/trap to set expectations. Then, if Mueller, doesn’t wrap it up, they will claim he’s gone rogue to diminish the impact for the enthralled base!
The SA
Marty,
What’s your point? You want Mueller to investigate forever? You do know that Mueller has handed off to District Atty’s and State Atty’s all ancillary criminal investigations. “Trump Jr. walks, Kushner walks” – If Mueller has something, anything, you would see a referral. Sounds like you aren’t able to accept any result of than guilt for anyone associated with Trump.
My point? The article is thinly sourced. It’s inconsistent with the proceedings and the facts known in ongoing proceedings and it’s too soon to call. That there have been too many instances of stories attributing action or alleged statements to Mueller’s team that have proven false since he started and therefore raising expectations based upon “according to people familiar with the plans,” is wrongheaded. Since CNN reported WAPO has also reported similarly, but I’ll be patient and wait and see.
As to my tongue in cheek “Trump Jr. walks, Kushner walks:” It’s equally obvious to me that Mueller could indict Trump Jr., Kushner and others, between now, next week, or any other day if the story is off, or he could have handed it off to the US Atty in DC, NY or VA as you imply.
And would I be disappointed if Trump Jr. and Kushner walks, you bet. They both engaged in criminal conduct from all that has been aired, but if Mueller doesn’t indict, that’s life in the big city.
One more solid point about handing Jr and Jared off to NY State, e.g., they could not then be pardoned by daddy or anyone else.
One more thing about my point, Anonymous.
The same CNN which stated that Mueller was done with his work and would be releasing his report to Barr next week — which report I wrote “smell[ed] like a three day old fish tail,” in fact smells like a three day old fish!!
It has been said repeatedly, facts are a stubborn thing.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02signaled/22/politics/mueller-report-next-week/index.html
Another fact that I have a written about here a number of times last year is that Cyrus Vance had jurisdiction over Trump and his gang’s crimes – and although we did not hear much from his office – it was a given that his office would move in on these cases. Finally, Vance has signaled that Trump can stick his pardons where they belong and to keep a look out for more to come!!!
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/nyregion/manafort-pardon-trump.html
Point made, Anonymous: the story smelled like a three day old fish tail and CNN now admits it is.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/politics/mueller-report-next-week/index.html
Nice, ey?
Well. An end to this crutch may be one of the better things that could happen for the left and it’s media friends. If they do not break their dependence on low hanging fruit they will not reach the level of influence that is needed to defeat the crooked douche in the next election. CNN you absolutely need to find new left leaning guest to argue with the republican guests; rather than taking ass kickings in your own front yard. You are not losing based on the merits of your inclinations, you are losing because your guests are old tired brow beaten and satisfied with their contribution! Trump is not a god, he can be defeated. Fresh and hungry blood is needed, move the the same old smug self satisfied lame debaters out of the way.
Overheard on the road to Stockholm syndrome. Oh we were defeated sniffle. By cheaters, sniffle sniffle, we can totally blame ourselves blow, wipe. We must buy those polling claims of not being fair sniffle. From now on we will put on the air of fair, wipe even if it helps the cheaters sniffle. Life is so unfair rage sniffle sniffle. Come kick our ass again we lack the confidence to fight back. Look he is mentioning us again, blush.
Fake News ???
haha! You know, I bet Mueller says the same thing we do — when will this crap end? everyday more suspicious activity pops up — like the spa lady hanging with the trumps, selling contact with them, and trump right in the middle of it all!
All I hope for today is that he is sewing his case up nice and tight to give Pelosi and the courts reason to hang trump easily!