Reposted: Some major news organization initial takeaways from the released, redacted Mueller report -- which can be found here (link). Emphasis has been added:
"Mueller was unable to conclude that "no criminal conduct occurred"
(From CNN's Laura Jarrett and Jeremy Herb)
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation was unable to clear the president on obstruction. The report states that the evidence obtained “about the about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred.”"Source link
More: "The report explicitly states that the investigation did not clear the president"
(Mueller report excerpt:)
“If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state.”Here is the complete paragraph from the report, for context. Source link:
“The evidence we obtained about the president’s actions and intent presents difficult issues that would need to be resolved if we were making a traditional prosecutorial judgment. At the same time, if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”...............................
"Mueller: Congress still has ability to find the President obstructed justice
In special counsel Robert Mueller's report, the team writes that:
"With respect to whether the President can be found to have obstructed justice by exercising his powers under Article II of the Constitution, we concluded that Congress has the authority to prohibit a President's corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice." "
Source link
More: "Mueller says Trump's public acts can be considered obstruction"
More: "Mueller cites Congress' right to investigate the President"
More (this general subject):..............................
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/the-mueller-report-excerpts.html
"Mueller suggests a pattern of behavior by Trump to harm the investigation."
(Mueller report excerpt)
"The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General’s recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony. Viewing the acts collectively can help to illuminate their significance."Source article link
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"Mueller: Obstruction by Trump failed because others refused to "carry out orders"
In the report, special counsel Robert Mueller outlined why obstruction by President Trump failed. It failed because others refused to "carry out orders."
"The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," the report said.
"(James) Comey did not end the investigation of (Michael) Flynn, which ultimately resulted in Flynn's prosecution and conviction for lying to the FBI. (Don) McGahn did not tell the Acting Attorney General that the special counsel must be removed, but was instead prepared to resign over the President's order. (Corey) Lewandowski and Dearborn did not deliver the President 's message to (Jeff) Sessions that he should confine the Russia investigation to future election meddling only. And McGahn refused to recede from his recollections about events surrounding the President's direction to have the special counsel removed, despite the President's multiple demands that he do so. Consistent with that pattern, the evidence we obtained would not support potential obstruction charges against the President's aides and associates beyond those already filed," the report said."
......................
(Source link)
"Trump told his White House lawyer to remove Mueller. He refused.
(From CNN's Erica Orden)
On June 17, 2017, after media reports indicated that special counsel Robert Mueller was investigating whether President Trump had obstructed justice, Trump called former White House lawyer Don McGahn at home and directed him to call the acting attorney general and say Mueller "had conflicts of interest and must be removed."
McGahn declined to do so, deciding that he would "rather resign than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre.""
..................................
(Source link)
4/18/19 news/analysis article link:
"The Attorney General Said There Was 'No Collusion.' But Trump Associates Still Interacted With Russians More Than 100 Times"...............................
"The special counsel found evidence of plenty of other crimes and made 14 referrals" (Source article link)..............................
"Mueller found Trump's answers 'inadequate'"Source article link
........................
"Witnesses, including some “associated with the Trump campaign,” deleted communications or had messages auto-delete, among other issues."
(Full article, source link)
Further:
"Mueller declined "several" prosecutions and was thwarted in other efforts"
...........................................
"Trump on Mueller appointment: "This is the end of my Presidency"
Update -- Also: ↓Here is a link to one initial (professional) summation (i.e., early 'takeaways') from the redacted Mueller report:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/mueller-report-pdf-takeaways.html
...And another (suggested):
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/muellers-damning-portrait-of-trump/587521/
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