Robert Mueller indicts 13 Russians for election meddling

[Rewind]

Writing on Twitter today, Elizabeth Warren became the first 2020 Democratic candidate to call for Trump's impeachment: "The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States." Yahoo News' political writer Rick Newman looks at all of Trump's guilty behavior and his efforts to discredit, and even halt, the Mueller investigation:

The Mueller report thoroughly impugns Trump
Yahoo News, Apr 18 2019 12:36 PM

Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence linking President Donald Trump to any crimes involving Russian interference with the 2016 US election and he declined to prosecute Trump for obstructing justice or interfering with prosecutors investigating the Russian interference. But the 448-page Mueller report contains numerous damning details of Trump asking subordinates to obstruct justice on his behalf, condoning other people's crimes, covering up facts, telling people to lie and lying himself. Trump may avoid prosecution, but critics will feast for years on the mendacity Mueller revealed. Even some Trump supporters may question their fealty to a President now revealed to operate like a mob boss, except with poorer judgment.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/t...193651086.html

[Rewind]

Now that the Mueller report has been released, Emperor Trump can resume his efforts to persecute and punish his perceived enemies.

Trump campaign on Mueller: 'Time to turn the tables,' investigate Obama administration

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/n...administration

[Rewind]

The revelations in the Mueller report did not sway many Americans. Trump's blindly loyal supporters continue to worship him while ignoring his lies and misconduct and Trump's critics continue to see him as dishonest, self-serving and a threat to our democracy.

Here's the one thing the Mueller report proves beyond a shadow of a doubt
Chris Cillizza, CNN Apr 19 2019

The Mueller report, the result of a 22-month investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, didn't end the debate over whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice or acted inappropriately while in office. But there's one thing it proved beyond any debate: The President lies with remarkable ease and cajoles those around him to do the same. The examples of Trump's willingness to bend the truth to breaking documented by special counsel Robert Mueller are legion. Here are just a few:

Trump told White House counsel Don McGahn to deny that Trump had ordered him to fire Mueller in the summer of 2017 following media reports that detailed the episode. McGahn refused to lie, insisting that his memory of the incident was correct.

Trump told the media that he had fired FBI director James Comey because of a memo written by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein detailing the ways in which Comey broke the chain of command during the 2016 election. The Mueller report notes that Trump had made the decision to fire Comey before Rosenstein ever put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Trump denied any significant involvement in the construction of Donald Trump Jr.'s statement in the wake of New York Times reporting about a June 2016 meeting between, among others, the President's eldest son and several Russians. According to the Mueller report, Trump specifically requested a line be deleted that acknowledged that one of the purposes of the meeting was in hopes of gathering dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Trump's dim view of the value of telling the truth rolls downhill in his administration. Again, the Mueller report documents a series of instances where the President's advisers lie either because they believe that's what he wants them to do or because he has normalized it to the point that they no longer feel as though it's even the wrong thing to do. Trump and those around him have repeatedly shown a willingness to obfuscate, distort and downright lie when it suits their needs.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/19/polit...ers/index.html

[Rewind]

Well, at least one Republican is not happy that the world's biggest liar occupies the White House.

Republican Mitt Romney says he is 'sickened' by Trump's behavior during Russia probe

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1RV1AR

Trump approval drops 3 points to 2019 low after release of Mueller report: Reuters/Ipsos poll

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1RV16S

[Rewind]

A Los Angeles Times editorial titled "Mueller's damning report" notes that "the details from the special counsel belie President Trump's assertion that he's been vindicated." After citing numerous examples of "Trump degrading his office by engaging in sleazy, self-serving, deceptive and arguably criminal behavior," the editorial points out that an impeachment is unlikely to win two-thirds approval in the Republican-led Senate and a battle over impeachment would be bitter, divisive and polarizing.

The editorial concludes that the best way to end the Trump Presidency is for voters to turn out in large numbers in 2020 and remove him: "The misconduct and deception documented in Mueller's report strengthens the already urgent argument for replacing him. But even without it, there are dozens of good reasons to emphatically reject his leadership. Americans didn't need the Mueller report to establish that this President is ignorant, erratic and irresponsible or that he is contemptuous of the rule of law. But the special counsel's account underlines the importance of making Donald Trump a one-term President."

[Rewind]

The United States Attorney General and the Department of Justice are supposed to serve the people of the United States of America. Emperor Trump thinks they exist solely to serve him.

A darker portrait emerges of Trump's attacks on the Justice Department

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ent/ar-BBW7azg

[Rewind]

Letter from Carlos Mestas of Simi Valley in today's Los Angeles Times:

"With 39 years of law enforcement experience, including dealing with thousands of suspects, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that when the subject of an investigation declares to someone, "I'm f***ed," prefaced with "This is the end of my Presidency," it's a good indication that the person probably did something illegal."

And from Linda Pulliam of Williams:

"It seems that the President can not be criminally charged with obstruction of justice because his aides refused to carry out his orders. He also surrounded himself with unethical individuals willing to break laws and buddy up with Russia for monetary gain. I don't care about technicalities; I have not a shred of respect for this administration."

[Rewind]

The childish, petulant, narcissistic, egotistical, vindictive, thin-skinned Tweeter-In-Chief has advanced far beyond squawking his usual "Fake news!" and "Witch hunt!" mantras. Yesterday, in response to a reporter's question, Trump said Mueller acted honorably. Trump's tweets, however, reveal his true feelings.

The 448-page Mueller report is the detailed summation of a 17-month investigation led by a Republican – who was appointed by a Republican – who, in turn, was appointed by a Republican President. Trump called it "the Crazy Mueller Report, written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters." He declared, "Statements made about me by certain people are fabricated & totally untrue." He denounced the statements as "total bullshit & only given to make the other person to look good (or me to look bad)."

I'm waiting for Emperor Trump to scream, à la the Queen in Alice In Wonderland, "Off with their heads!"

[Rewind]

NBC News national security writer Ken Dilanian House views all the Trump-Russia connections as collusion, even though Robert Mueller refused to use the term. Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff "Whether obstruction was criminal or not, whether these contacts were sufficiently illicit — they are unquestionably dishonest, unethical, immoral and unpatriotic. They should be condemned by all Americans."

Mueller report shows Russians, Trump camp were friends with benefits. Collusion by another name?
Analysis: Mueller didn't find a conspiracy he could prove but did show that the Russians and the Trump team pursued a relationship during the election and after.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...lusion-n996101

[Rewind]

Mueller found "multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations." In addition, Trump lied constantly and persuaded some of his aides to lie. A sitting United States President can not be indicted – but Trump will not be "sitting" forever.

Former US Attorney Preet Bharara: Mueller report shows there's 'potential viable prosecution once Donald Trump leaves office'

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...ice/ar-BBW9Aji