It’s Time for a White House Judgment Day

Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign’s relationship with Russia and any matters arising therefrom on April 18, 2019. It was a culmination of two years of anticipation with a reaction that had been predetermined by both sides. The report was rather indecisive, showing instances of misconduct but not going as far as to allege any specific crimes. Since its release, Republicans have been arguing that since Mr. Mueller had the opportunity to press charges but didn’t, the issue shouldn’t be pressed any further presidentially. Democrats argue that if the report details actions that constitute crimes, then it is actionable, regardless of whether it makes any specific allegations of specific crimes. Regardless, the process that the Mueller Report underwent before its release darkens an ugly shadow on the incumbent White House that had accumulated throughout the investigation.

When analyzing the release of the Report, it’s important to look at what the Report actually says. The Report took time to be released, and there is likely a reason for that. Mr. Mueller refused to officially specify a crime, presenting evidence but refusing to make any conclusions about whether or not further charges ought to be brought against anyone. However, he did make mappable paths that could lead to both obstruction of justice charges and collusion-related charges. Documents and references to WikiLeaks, an organization well-known for leaking documents detrimental to the Democratic Party, and details regarding the meeting between Donald Trump Jr., former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a federal Russian lawyer structure a potential case for collusion with Russia. In regards to obstruction, the successful firing of former FBI Director James Comey, the failed attempt to fire the Special Counsel himself, and the attempted control of the testimony of President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen outline a possible criminal case. The potential of crimes should, at the very least, bring a reckoning upon the White House.

Though Mr. Mueller declined to bring charges, he also declined to rule them out. He made sure to specify that the President was vulnerable to charges, no matter his position. He very clearly stated that though there are privileges the President is able to enjoy, “The Constitution does not categorically and permanently immunize the President.” He was even more explicit in condemning the idea that the President is in a different judicial category from the rest of America, saying “no person is above the law,” and “while the report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Future charges definitely have not been ruled out.

Mr. Mueller did provide a roadmap for potential charges. In regards to collusion, he pointed to President Trump’s information connections with Russia and the Kremlin. According to Mr. Mueller, President Trump repeatedly asked former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn to obtain former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s e-mails, referencing a scandal in which she allegedly deleted e-mails stored on a private server. In response, Flynn “contacted multiple people in an effort to obtain the e-mails.” He also pointed out that though an exchange wasn’t set up by the White House, “the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts.”

Mr. Mueller also explicitly said that he did not find obstruction of justice, but he clearly gave evidence that may appear as so. President Trump apparently fired the then-FBI Director James Comey in response to his insistence that Comey should lie about an investigation into Mr. Trump. As Mr. Mueller explained, “Substantial evidence indicates that the catalyst for the President’s decision to fire Comey was Comey’s unwillingness to publicly state that the President was not personally under investigation, despite the President’s repeated requests that Comey make such an announcement.” Mr. Mueller also found cases where President Trump attempted to obstruct the progress of the probe through Twitter, saying “Evidence concerning the President’s conduct toward Manafort indicates that the President intended to encourage Manafort to not cooperate with the government.” Overall, there is evidence of collusion and obstruction, but Mr. Mueller decided that it was inconclusive.

As part of the investigation, a multitude of people connected with President Trump have been arrested and indicted on charges related to perjury, conspiracy, and financial crimes. From former campaign personnel, such as George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and Michael Flynn, to longtime associates like Michael Cohen and Roger Stone, the Trump circle is riddled with convicted criminals. The combination of assumed and proven crime shows the need for a change in an already controversial White House.

With that volume of illegality, it seems logical that the Trump administration would be resistant to the release of the Report. As a result, current Attorney General and Trump appointee William Barr has played a heavy role in confusing the American people and muddling the context of the Report. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Barr had written to the White House and Justice Department, saying that he believed Mr. Mueller’s inquiry to obstruction was ill-conceived. After he was appointed, he seemed to maintain that belief. Mr. Mueller, on March 22, 2019, finished his 448-page report and gave it to Mr. Barr. After processing it, Mr. Barr released a four-page summary in which he claimed that Mr. Mueller said that there were no crimes committed. Mr. Mueller refuted the summary, writing to Mr. Barr that it failed to catch the “context, nature, and substance” of his report. President Trump has been open about his connections with the Attorney General’s office, so the possibility of an attempt to minimize the report is non-zero.

As the issues of Mr. Mueller’s investigation are intrinsically tied to national security and the classified dealings of the President, large portions of the report are redacted. The reasons for this are varied, but the redactions consistently hide large portions of potentially relevant text. For citizens, that makes sense. However, there has been a severe lack of lawmaker viewership of the Report. Due to boycotting over masking the full report from appropriately-credentialed congresspeople, only five Republican congresspeople have seen it, and no Democrats have. The viewership of the Report is at the discretion of Mr. Barr, so the inability for Democratic action in the House is in the hands of the Attorney General. When called to testify in front of the Democratic House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Barr refused to show up and was held in contempt of Congress. The White House’s attempts to keep the full report away from credentialed Democrats ought to bring further ire.

Throughout the process of Robert Mueller’s investigation into President Trump’s ties to Russia and any attempted obstruction into the investigation, a serious issue was uncovered. A web of convicted criminals ties very closely to the inner circle of the Trump administration, and there may be several more that could not be convicted because of the high standard of evidence for bringing charges in major cases. High-up positions, like Attorney General, have been filled by people who go against the sharing of all the truths regarding an investigation and its participants. Littered top to bottom with people seemingly against the interests of the American public, the Trump administration cannot stand as is.

It’s upon the Democrats in the House to take action. Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler, the current Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has a massive amount of power in regards to subpoenas and investigation. If used properly, Representative Nadler could bring further clarity to the investigation and clue the public in on the issues that Mr. Mueller couldn’t. If he is effective, impeachments, where needed, could be brought down throughout the White House. With the apparent pervasiveness of crime that has plagued the Trump administration, Congress must act. We cannot let a precedent of a lawless presidency continue. America has gotten through a crime-filled presidency with an effective investigation, as with President Richard Nixon and Watergate, but it has also faltered with the Special Counsel of President Bill Clinton and an investigation that devolved into the definitions of sexual conduct. If President Trump and the White House are left alone after this report and its history, then we will begin to lose the lawful system that defines democracy.