What Barr said, what Mueller said

You prove my point beautifully. Just another deflection (in caps yet) and rationalization and acceptance of current behavior from past events. The tragedy is you don't know when to stop digging.

 

Prove it.

 

What will you do when the redactions are released and still no collusion?

 

The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. to answer questions about his previous testimony before Senate investigators in relation to the Russia investigation. No doubt this concerns the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, during which Junior, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort showed a willingness to work with representatives of the Russian government.

It's the first congressional subpoena of one of Trump's kids. The subpoena sets up a fight that's unprecedented in the Trump era: A Republican committee chair pit against the Republican President's eldest son.

It's also a sign that the Russia investigations in Congress aren't over despite the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe and despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying it's time to move on from the Russia probe.

It is amazing to me that McConnell is so willing to destroy Congress's oversight power of the executive branch. It's akin to making a pact with the devil that could haunt the GOP for generations. Congress has not seen the full version of the Mueller Report, and McConnell doesn't care.

 

You are dreaming. Trump just used executive privilege to prevent the full report going to Congress. Why? There is only one possible reason. Trump is guilty of impeachable offenses.

 

Mueller delved into the Trump Tower meeting, whose attendees included Donald Trump Jr. as well as Jared Kushner, the candidate’s son-in-law and senior adviser, and his then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort — all attracted by a promise of information unearthed by Russians to tarnish Hillary Clinton.

It’s a federal crime to seek campaign assistance from a foreign person or government. But Mueller’s report said it would be hard to prove the men violated the law “willfully” or that the assistance they were hoping for was a “thing of value,” both of which are requirements for conviction.

Mueller bent over backwards in not accusing Junior of committing a crime, including the idea that ignorance of the law makes one innocent.

The episode began June 3, 2016, when Donald Trump Jr. got an email from Rob Goldstone, a British publicist, saying a Russian billionaire and Trump business partner had been told by the “crown prosecutor of Russia” that he could “provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia.” This was “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump,” Goldstone said.

Junior’s response was within minutes: “If it’s what you say I love it especially later in the summer.” The meeting took place six days later.

However, Mueller concluded to prove a “willful” violation of the law, prosecutors would have to show that the campaign officials knew they were acting illegally. And the investigation, Mueller said, “has not developed evidence that the participants in the meeting were familiar with the foreign-contribution ban” — even Manafort, a veteran of political campaigns.

That conclusion is astounding. According to Mueller, ignorance of the law is an excuse.