Yesterday, President Trump And His Campaign Were Cleared By Robert Mueller Of Any Wrongdoing In The 2016 Election; Let's Take A Look Back At How We Got Here
TOP TAKEAWAYS
- As early as 2014, the Obama Administration had the knowledge to respond to Russia's cyber campaign but didn't take the threat seriously and failed to issue a forceful response.
- In February 2014, an intelligence source informed the Obama Administration that Russia was planning a wide-ranging campaign to attack Western institutions using cyberattacks, information warfare, propaganda and social media campaigns.
- Despite having two-years of advance knowledge, the Obama Administration decided to only issue a public warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin and applied just "symbolic" sanctions for their cyber meddling.
- Following the 2016 election, Democrats and the FBI used unverified allegations in the Democrat-funded Steele Dossier to probe collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia and eventually force a Special Counsel investigation.
- On January 10, 2017, Buzzfeed News published Fusion GPS' "Steele Dossier," a memo, funded by Democrats, that contained salacious allegations which even Glenn Simpson, the founder of Fusion GPS, said were "largely unverifiable."
- On January 09, 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported the FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies had launched investigations to substantiate claims made in the unverifiable dossier.
- On February 02, 2018, the House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence revealed that the FBI had used the unverified Steele Dossier as the basis for a FISA application to surveil members of the Trump Campaign.
- Throughout the first half of 2017, Democrats like Sens. Cory Booker (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) demanded a Special Counsel investigate allegations that the Trump campaign and Russia had colluded.
- Following the appointment of Robert Mueller, Democrats and the media began claiming, without evidence, that there was overwhelming evidence of "collusion" between the Trump Campaign and Russia.
- The Department of Justice appointed Robert Mueller as Special Counsel on May 17, 2017 to fanfare and acclaim from Democrats who said he would be "an excellent special counsel," and called him a "respected public servant of the highest integrity."
- Following Mueller's appointment, Democrats like Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) went into overdrive falsely claiming "the evidence is pretty clear that there was collusion."
- During the same time, the mainstream media aided the Democrats in spreading this narrative with the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC writing a combined 8,507 articles mentioning the Special Counsel investigation.
- On March 24, 2019, the Special Counsel's report confirmed there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and the DOJ confirmed there was no obstruction of justice.
- The Special Counsel's determination came after spending over $25 million dollars, and 675 days investigating the 2016 election, including interviewing more than 500 individuals and issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas.
- In addition to the Special Counsel's investigation, all of the Congressional investigations into the 2016 election likewise found no evidence of collusion.
- Now that it's over, hard questions need to be asked concerning what Democrats, the media and the investigative community were thinking over the last two years?
- Why was there an investigation into President Trump based off a completely bogus dossier?
- Should there be a reckoning for the mainstream media who were so wrong about collusion over the past two years?
- Are the American people sick of the Democrats' witch hunts?
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAD NEARLY TWO YEARS ADVANCE NOTICE OF RUSSIA'S INTENTIONS TO INTERFERE IN THE 2016 ELECTION BUT FAILED TO ACT FORCEFULLY TO STOP IT
The Obama Administration Had Nearly Two Years Advance Notice Of Russia's Intent To Interfere In The 2016 Election
In Advance Of The 2016 Election, Russia Sought To Sow Disinformation Through Social Media And Computer Hacking Operations Designed To Gather And Disseminate Information To Influence The Election. (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
In February 2014, A Russian Source First Told His American Contacts The Kremlin Was Planning A Wide-Ranging Campaign To Attack Western Institutions Using Cyberattacks, Information Warfare, Propaganda, And Social Media Campaigns. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 842 of 5006 )
By July 2016, CIA Director Brennan Worked To Arrange An Interagency Sharing Of Information Process With Top Obama Officials Concerning The Russian Election Interference Plans. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2768 of 5006)
By The Time The Interagency Process Began, Obama Administration Officials Had No Question That Russian State-Sponsored Hackings Were Behind The Cyberattacks And Release Of Stolen Democratic Materials "As the interagency process began, there was no question regarding the big picture being drawn up by the analysts and experts assembled by Brennan: Russian state-sponsored hackers were behind the cyberattacks and the release of swiped Democratic material by WikiLeaks, Guccifer 2.0 (an internet persona suspected of being a Russian front), and a website called DCLeaks.com" (Michael Isikoff And David Corn, "'Stand Down': How The Obama Team Blew The Response To Russian Meddling," Yahoo , Accessed 03/09/18)
Despite Their Advance Knowledge, The Obama Administration Repeatedly Refused To Confront Russia Strongly And Instead Issued A Failed Warning To Russian President Vladimir Putin And Placed "Largely Symbolic" Sanctions Against Russia
In The Fall Of 2014, Russian Hackers Gained Access To The White House. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 957 of 5006 )
The Obama Administration Refused To Confront Moscow Over The Hacks Due To Its Desire To Obtain Cooperation On Terrorism, Syria, And The Iran Nuclear Deal. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 957 of 5006)
In 2016, Following Increased Russian Activity, Michael Daniel, The Obama White House's Cybersecurity Expert, And Celese Wallander, Obama's National Security Council Russian Expert, Began Drafting Options For A Aggressive Response To Russia's Cyber Interference. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2937 of 5006)
But Obama National Security Adviser Susan Rice Told Daniel And Wallander "To Knock It Off." (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2937 of 5006 )
Instead, The White House Put All Aggressive Responses On Hold And Obama And His Aides Came Up With A Different Plan. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2937 of 5006 )
In August 2016, The White House Decided Obama Would Confront Putin Directly At The G20 Meeting In China. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2937 of 5006 )
- Following His Warning To Putin In China, Obama Claimed There Was No Further Tampering Of The Election Process Except For The Leaks Through Wikileaks "And so in early September, when I saw President Putin in China, I felt that the most effective way to ensure that, that didn't happen was to talk to him directly. And tell him to cut it out, and there were going to be some serious consequences if he didn't. And in fact, we did not see further tampering of the election process but the leaks through wikileaks had already occurred." (President Barack Obama, President Obama's Final End-Of-Year Press Conference , Washington, D.C., 12/16/16)
- The Washington Post Reported That The Russian Propaganda Organization, The Internet Research Agency, Continued Its Operations Up To And After The 2016 Election . "Nov. 3, 2016. A post at the Instagram account "Blacktivist" promotes Jill Stein as an alternative. Nov. 8, 2016. Trump is elected president. The aftermath. Nov. 12, 2016. The Agency continues its efforts to divide the country, hosting dueling protests in New York. One is meant to "show your support for President-Elect Donald Trump," and another called "Trump is NOT my President." Nov. 19, 2016. The Agency organizes a rally in Charlotte called "Charlotte Against Trump." Jan. 20, 2017. Trump is inaugurated." (Philip Bump, "Timeline: How Russian Trolls Allegedly Tried To Throw The 2016 Election To Trump," The Washington Post , 02/16/18)
In Late December 2016, Obama Approved A "Largely Symbolic" And "Modest Package" Of Punishment For Russia's Interference. "But in the end, in late December, Obama approved a modest package combining measures that had been drawn up to punish Russia for other issues - expulsions of 35 diplomats and the closure of two Russian compounds - with economic sanctions so narrowly targeted that even those who helped design them describe their impact as largely symbolic." (Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima, and Adam Entous, "Obama's Secret Struggle To Punish Russia For Putin's Election Assault," The Washington Post , 06/23/17)
- The Washington Post : Obama's Economic Sanctions Were "So Narrowly Targeted That Even Those Who Helped Design Them Describe Their Impact As Largely Symbolic." "But in the end, in late December, Obama approved a modest package combining measures that had been drawn up to punish Russia for other issues - expulsions of 35 diplomats and the closure of two Russian compounds - with economic sanctions so narrowly targeted that even those who helped design them describe their impact as largely symbolic." (Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima, and Adam Entous, "Obama's Secret Struggle To Punish Russia For Putin's Election Assault," The Washington Post , 06/23/17)
From The Very Beginning, The Obama Administration Didn't Take Russia's Cyber Activity Seriously
Despite Writing Repeated Memos, The Intelligence Community's Warnings About Russia's Information Warfare Plans Received Little Attention In The U.S. And Europe. (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 842 of 5006)
Obama's Cybersecurity Staff Were "Convinced That The President And His Top Aides Didn't Get The Stakes.". (Michael Iskoff and David Corn, "Russian Roulette: The Inside Story Of Putin's War On America And The Election Of Donald Trump," 2018, 2937 of 5006 )
For Context: Obama Was Vacationing In Martha's Vineyard While His Staffers Prepared A List Of Options For Responses To Russia's Hacking. "Obama would be vacationing in Martha's Vineyard until Aug. 21, and the deputies took his return as an informal deadline for preparing a list of options - sanctions, diplomatic responses, and cyber-counterattacks - that could be put in front of the principals and the president." (Michael Isikoff And David Corn, "'Stand Down': How The Obama Team Blew The Response To Russian Meddling," Yahoo , Accessed 03/09/18)
Democrats And Obama Administration Officials Agree That The Obama Administration "Choked" In Its Handling Of The Russian Hacking
Following The Election, Ranking Member Of The House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) Said That The "Obama Administration Should Have Done A Lot More" Concerning Russia's Intervention In U.S. Elections. "Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House intelligence committee, also said Donald Trump's complaints about White House inaction, tweeted after the Washington Post reported that Barack Obama knew about Russian interference as far back as August 2016, were like 'knowingly receiving stolen property [and] blaming police for not stopping the theft.' 'I think the Obama administration should have done a lot more when it became clear that not only was Russia intervening but it was being directed at the highest levels of the Kremlin,' Schiff said." (Martin Pengelly, "Top Democrat Schiff Criticizes Obama Over Reaction To Russian Hacks," The Guardian , 06/25/17)
A Former Senior Obama Official Said He Felt The Administration Had "Choked" In Their Handling Of The Russian Hacking And That It Was His "Hardest Thing About My Entire Time In Government To Defend." "A former senior official involved in White House deliberations on Russia, who was not named by the Post, is quoted as saying: "It is the hardest thing about my entire time in government to defend. I feel like we sort of choked." (David Smith and Sabrina Siddiqui, "New Details Of Russia Election Hacking Raise Questions About Obama's Response," The Guardian , 06/23/17)
Former U.S. Ambassador To Russia, Michael McFaul Stated "The Punishment Did Not Fit The Crime ." "The punishment did not fit the crime," the former ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, said of the US sanctions." (David Smith and Sabrina Siddiqui, "New Details Of Russia Election Hacking Raise Questions About Obama's Response," The Guardian , 06/23/17)
FOLLOWING THE 2016 ELECTION, DEMOCRATS AND THE FBI SEIZED ON AN UNCREDITED, UNVERIFIABLE DOSSIER TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED COLLUSION BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND RUSSIA
On January 10, 2017, Buzzfeed News Published An Unverified Dossier Alleging President Trump And His Campaign Colluded With Russia That Was Immediately Taken As Gospel By The Media
On January 10, 2017, Buzzfeed Published The Christopher Steele Dossier Which Alleged Russia Had Compromising Information On President Trump. "A dossier making explosive - but unverified - allegations that the Russian government has been "cultivating, supporting and assisting" President-elect Donald Trump for years and gained compromising information about him has been circulating among elected officials, intelligence agents, and journalists for weeks." (Ken Bensinger, "These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia," BuzzFeed , 01/10/17)
BuzzFeed Editor Ben Smith In An Op-Ed In The New York Times Called The Dossier, "Unquestionably Real News." "But a year of government inquiries and blockbuster journalism has made clear that the dossier is unquestionably real news. That's a fact that has been tacitly acknowledged even by those who opposed our decision to publish. It has helped journalists explain to their audience the investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 election. And Mr. Trump and his allies have seized on the dossier in their efforts to discredit the special counsel leading the investigation, Robert Mueller." (Ben Smith, Opinion, "I'm Proud We Published The Trump-Russia Dossier," The New York Times , 01/09/18)
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Charged That Political Interests Were Trying To Discredit The Dossier And Said That, "A Bunch Of The Dossier Has Proven To Be True." MSNBC's RACHAEL MADDOW: "So, there may be a continuing political interest in Washington in trying to make the Christopher Steele dossier seem like a scandal or seem like an unplumbable depths that we`ll never be able to understand and nobody will ever be able to investigate, we`ll never know if any of its true. But I get the political drive to come to one of those two conclusions or maybe both. But in reality, based mostly on open source reporting from the American media, in reality, A, a bunch of the dossier has proven to be true B, the FBI and the CIA have reportedly validated parts of it as true and have apparently used it as the basis of some of their ongoing investigation. C, the special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the veracity of the dossier, including interviewing Christopher Steele about it. And D, Senate investigators apparently can meet with Christopher Steele if they want to, even if the Republican chairman of the Intelligence Committee yesterday said otherwise." (MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show," 10/05/17)
In November, Chris Hayes Of MSNBC Reported That It Was Clear The Fusion GPS Dossier Should Be "Taken Seriously As A Document…" MSNBC's CHRIS HAYES: "Yes, and the sort of final thing I think that seems important here is just the degree to which the status of this document, which always -- you know, this document has been at the center of a lot of the reporting, the earliest reporting that it was Comey himself who had to pull the President aside at a briefing and say this thing was out there. What does seem clear, and I want you to tell me whether this is how you understand it, is that this is taken seriously as a document, not itself verified, but as a skeleton to work off to attempt to verify." (MSNBC's "All In With Chris Hayes," 10/05/17)
It Was Later Revealed That The Document Was Not Only Unverifiable But Also Funded By The Democratic National Committee
Fusion GPS, The Sponsor Of The Dossier, Was Paid $50,000 A Month To Compile Research On Then Candidate Donald Trump By The Democratic National Committee. REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "What was the budget for you to enjoy the freedom to pursue the lines of inquiry you wanted to pursue?" MR. SIMPSON: "I don't remember being given a specific expenses budget. I think the fees were $50,000 a month." REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "Flat fee, $50,000 a month?" MR. SIMPSON: "That's right. REP. GOWDY" (R-SC): "Plus expenses, minus expenses?" MR. SIMPSON: Plus expenses, yes. (Glenn Simpson, Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence Interview Of Glenn Simpson, U.S. House Of Representatives , 11/14/17, p. 22)
Glenn Simpson, The Founder Of Fusion GPS, Testified That The Law Firm Of Perkins Coie Ultimately Paid Christopher Steele $160,000 Dollar For His Work On The Dossier. REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "And how much did you pay Chris Steele?" SIMPSON: "I think what we've told the committee from the bank records is that it was ultimately $160,000. That sounds right to me. I think probably the initial engagement was for 20 or 30 thousand dollars. There's, you know, currency differences between pounds and dollars, so I don't remember how it was denominated or exactly how it was priced." REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "Now, help me understand this. Would that payment for Steele have been expensed to the law firm, or would Fusion have paid that out of its own money that it received from the law firm?" SIMPSON: "I believe, at least if things were running the way I hope they ran, it was expensed to the law firn." REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "So Perkins Coie paid Chris Steele? MR. SIMPSON: I think it was --1 mean, I think we billed them for it." (Glenn Simpson, Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence Interview Of Glenn Simpson, U.S. House Of Representatives , 11/14/17, p. 25)
- Glenn Simpson Testified That He Had Known For Years That Perkins Coie Were One Of The Main Lawyers Used By The Democratic Party. REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "Mr. Simpson, were you aware that Perkins Coie was retained by the DNC?" MR. SIMPSON: "I'm aware. I was aware of that and have been for years that they have -- they were one of the main lawyers for the Democratic party, yes. I don't have any specific awareness." REP. GOWDY (R-SC): "That wasn't my precise question. With respect to this fact pattern, with respect to your firm being retained, were you aware that Perkins Cole was working on behalf of the DNC?" MR. SIMPSON: "Yes. I mean, I know that they are - the DNC is a client of Perkins Coie. I don't - I didn't see it -- nobody gave me a document or informed me specifically of that." (Glenn Simpson, Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence Interview Of Glenn Simpson, U.S. House Of Representatives , 11/14/17, p. 19)
Additionally, Simpson Told The Senate Judiciary Committee, That "He Made No Immediate Use" Of The Dossier And Called The Information Contained In The Dossier "Not Particularly Useful" Because It Did Not Contain "Things You Can Prove." SIMPSON: "So when this arrived it was also right around the time I think - Trump had said weird things about the Russians and Putin and things that are very atypical for a Republican and that people found to be odd. So when this arrived, you know, we made no immediate use of it at all in terms of, you know, giving it to anybody. It was essentially used to inform our researcher, but because it was -and because it was human source intelligence and some of it was of a personal nature, it was not particularly useful for the kind of things that are, you know, useful in politics, which are things that you can prove, things that you can say, things that people will believe." (Glenn Simpson, Senate Judiciary Committee On The Investigation Of Fusion GPS's Activities Related To The Dossier Compiled By Christopher Steele, The Prevezon Case, And The Magnitsky Act, U.S. Senate, Testimony , 08/22/17, p.144)
According To Simpson, Steele Said He Would Not Warrant To Him That The Dossier Was, "All True." SIMPSON: "And so we've essentially filtered out everything that we think is disinformation and we're not going to present that to you here. We're going to present to you things that we think come from credible sources, but we're not going to warrant to you that what we - that this is -- that this is all true. And, you know--" (Glenn Simpson, Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence Interview Of Glenn Simpson, U.S. House Of Representatives , 11/14/17, p. 70)
When Christopher Steele Proposed To Report The Dossier To The FBI, Simpson Said He Did Not Think Steele Would Be Believed Or That "It Was Necessarily Appropriate" For Him To Do So. SIMPSON: "So he proposed to - he said we should tell the FBI, it's a national security issue. I didn't originally agree or disagree, I just put it off and said I needed to think about it. Then he raised it again with me. I don't remember the exact sequence of these events, but my recollection is that I questioned how we would do that because I don't know anyone there that I could report something like to and be believed and I didn't really think it was necessarily appropriate for me to do that." (Glenn Simpson, Senate Judiciary Committee On The Investigation Of Fusion GPS's Activities Related To The Dossier Compiled By Christopher Steele, The Prevezon Case, And The Magnitsky Act, U.S. Senate, Testimony , 08/22/17, p.160)
Democrats, The FBI And The Intelligence Community Then Used The Discredited Fusion GPS Dossier As The Basis To Launch Investigations Into The Trump Campaign
In January 09, 2017, The Wall Street Journal Reported U.S. Intelligence Agencies And The Federal Bureau Of Investigation Had Been Spending Months Investigating The Claims In The Steele Dossier. "U.S. intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have spent months trying to substantiate explosive claims, compiled by a former Western intelligence official, that Russian government operatives engaged in an extensive conspiracy with advisers to Donald Trump's presidential campaign and employees of his company, people familiar with the matter said." (Shane Harris, Devlin Barrett, and Alan Cullison, "Spy Agencies Investigating Claims Trump Advisers Worked With Russian Agents," The Wall Street Journal , 01/09/17)
On January 13, 2017, The Senate Intelligence Committee Additionally Announced It Would Look Into Allegations Of Links Between Russia And The 2016 Political Campaign. "Senate Intelligence Committee leaders announced late Friday that they would look into allegations of links between Russia and the 2016 political campaigns as part of a broader review of the intelligence community's report on Russian hacking." (Karoun Demirjian, "Senate Intel Chiefs Promise Investigation Of Trump-Russia Ties As House Democrats Accuse FBI Director Of Stonewalling," The Washington Post , 01/13/17)
At The Same Time, Democrats Also Pressed The FBI For An Investigation Into What "Leverage" Russia Might Have Over President Trump. "Pelosi and other Democratic leaders excoriated Comey for his stubbornness, but stopped short of calling for his head - pressing the FBI director to take up an investigation into what 'leverage' Russia might have over Trump, even as they questioned Comey's integrity." (Karoun Demirjian, "Senate Intel Chiefs Promise Investigation Of Trump-Russia Ties As House Democrats Accuse FBI Director Of Stonewalling," The Washington Post , 01/13/17)
On February 2, 2018, The House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence Made Public A Committee Memo On Abuses Of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. "The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence today made public a committee memo with information on abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act." (Press Release, "Nunes Statement On Release Of HPSCI Memo," House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence , 02/02/18)
The Memo Confirmed, The Discredited Christopher Steele Dossier Formed An Essential Part Of The FBI's Original FISA Application To Surveil A Member Of The Trump Campaign, Carter Page. "The 'dossier' compiled by Christopher Steele (Steele dossier) on behalf of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton campaign formed an essential part of the Carter Page FISA application. Steele was a longtime FBI source who was paid over $160,000 by the DNC and Clinton campaign, via the law firm Perkins Coie and research firm Fusion GPS, to obtain derogatory information on Donald Trump's ties to Russia." (Press Release, "Nunes Statement On Release Of HPSCI Memo," House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence , 02/02/18)
Democrats Followed Up Their Demands For Congressional Investigations With Demands For An Independent Special Counsel Investigation Into The Trump Campaign And Russia
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NY): "We Need To Have A Special Prosecutor, Someone Who's Independent And That's Not A Part Of This Issue." SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): "This president cannot oversee an investigation into his own associates. We need to have a special prosecutor, someone who's independent and that's not a part of this issue with this ultimately issue patriotism. This nation needs to get to the bottom of the attacks by the Russians into our elections." (CNN's "Erin Burnett," 05/10/17)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): "We Need A Special Counsel," Independently Selected. SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): "I think that his reason for firing Comey, he was concerned about how he treated Hillary Clinton, I mean, kind of give me a break. That really does not pass the laugh test. So, I think what we need to do now is go forward. And it is very important that this be done in a bipartisan way. We need a special counsel independently selected." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 05/10/17)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): "If There Was Ever A Time When Circumstances Warranted A Special Prosecutor, It Is Right Now." SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): "If there was ever a time when circumstances warranted a special prosecutor, it is right now." (ABC's "World New Tonight," 05/10/17)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): It "Should Be Clear To Everyone…That It's Now Time For A Special Prosecutor." SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): "Now it is clear. And I think that should be clear to everyone, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of where you are in the Justice Department, that it's now time for a special prosecutor." (CNN's "Newsroom," 05/10/17)
DNC Chairman Tom Perez: "We Need An Independent Investigator, An Independent Counsel To Do This." DNC CHAIRMAN TOM PEREZ: "And this is about interference with the federal elections for president. And we need an independent investigator, an independent counsel to do this." (Fox Business' "Mornings With Maria," 03/16/17)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY): "The Only Way That Anyone Will Have Confidence That There's An Honest Investigation Going On…Will Be If There's An Independent Prosecutor Appointed." REP. JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): "But he wanted to stop the investigation and the only way -- the only way that anyone will have confidence that there's an honest investigation going on of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians will be if there's an independent prosecutor appointed." (CNN's "Outfront," 05/09/17)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): "I Am Convinced That An Independent Prosecutor Is Necessary" REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): "You know I can say this, and up until now I wasn't sure whether there should be a special prosecutor because that is a function of a couple of things. It's a function of whether the attorney general can be independent and -- or whether it's a conflict of interest or an appearance of impropriety. And whether there is something concrete and specific enough to be investigated. I am now convinced that both of those criteria are met and an independent prosecutor should be appointed. Certainly, the attorney general is in no position to oversee any investigation or prosecution involving any of the counterintelligence issues concerning Russia. So I am now convinced that an independent prosecutor is necessary." (CNN's "Inside Politics," 03/02/17)
FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT MUELLER, DEMOCRATS AND THE MEDIA IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CLAIMING, WITHOUT EVIDENCE, THERE WAS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION
On May 17, 2017, The Department Of Justice Named Robert Mueller As Special Counsel, An Appointment That Enthused Democrats Who Spouted Praise For His Integrity And Credibility
On May 17, 2017, The Justice Department Appointed Robert Mueller As Special Counsel To Oversee An Investigation Into Ties Between President Trump And Russian Officials. "The Justice Department appointed Robert S. Mueller III, a former F.B.I. director, as special counsel on Wednesday to oversee the investigation into ties between President Trump's campaign and Russian officials, dramatically raising the legal and political stakes in an affair that has threatened to engulf Mr. Trump's four-month-old presidency." (Rebecca Ruiz and Mark Landler, "Robert Mueller, Former FBI Director, Is Named Special Counsel For Russia Investigation," The New York Times , 05/17/17)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): Bob Mueller Is "No-Nonsense," "He's Direct," He's Trustworthy," "He's Truthful," "He's A Very Special Man," "And I Think He's Going To Be An Excellent Special Counsel." SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA): "Bob Mueller, you have to know -- and I think you do know this, Wolf -- is known to many of us. I knew him when I was mayor of San Francisco and he was U.S. attorney. And, of course, during my time here when he was head of the FBI, and he's no nonsense. He's direct. He's trustworthy. He's truthful. He's a very special man. And I think he's going to be an excellent special counsel." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 5/18/17)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): Robert Mueller Is "A Respected Public Servant Of The Highest Integrity. Everyone Respects Him." CNN's SUNLEN SERFATY: "Tonight Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Capitol Hill facing lawmakers, briefing the full Senate behind closed doors after appointing the former director of the FBI, Bob Mueller, as special counsel for the Russia investigation." SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): "He'll get to the bottom of this, and I think that's really important." REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): "A respected public servant of the highest integrity. Everyone respects him." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 05/18/17)
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): Mueller Is Somebody Who Has Shown "Their Ability And Capacity To Do This Investigation In Independent Way With Consistent Integrity." SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): "But yet we`ve seen these per-- persistent attacks to try to undermine the credibility, to try to undermine the work, and that to me is unacceptable. This is somebody who has shown not only their ability and their capacity to do this investigation in an independent way with consistent integrity, but to do so, again, also shakes people`s faith in our institutions." (CBS' "This Morning," 01/26/18)
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA): "Thank God For Bob Mueller" Being Special Counsel. SEN KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): "There`s no guarantee that he won`t. So far so good. And thank God for Bob Mueller being in that position and I have a great deal of respect for him." (MSNBC' "The Beat," 09/07/17)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): Many People Have Said That "Mueller Is Of The Highest Integrity," And Has Devoted Himself To Law Enforcement For Most Of His Professional Life. SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): "Yes, it`s convoluted reasoning. First of all, when Mr. Rosenstein appointed Mr. Mueller, he explicitly said he had not informed the White House. He just went ahead and did it, to his credit. But second, the fact that Mueller is considered for these positions speaks to his integrity, and many people, including Jeff Sessions himself said that Mueller is of the highest integrity. And this is just shooting the messenger. Anytime, we`ve had two people now who have devoted themselves to law enforcement, to the country for most their lives, most of their professional lives." (MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show," 06/13/17)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): To Suggest Bob Mueller Is Biased "Is A Disservice And A Smear Of A Dedicated Public Servant," And "Hurts Our Democracy And Our System Of Checks And Balances." REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): "But I don't think it was politically motivated. And to suggest that Bob Mueller, a Republican appointed by another Republican, working with other Republicans, is somehow biased against the Republican president because of partisan reasons is a disservice and a smear of a dedicated public servant. But, more broadly, just hurts our democracy and our system of checks and balances." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 12/21/17)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): Attacking Mueller's Integrity Is "Unacceptable," "Mueller Had Widespread Support All Across the Political Spectrum For The Very Fine Work He Did As FBI Director." SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): "I'm very concerned. Look, what Mueller was asked to do -- and, by the way, before this investigation, as you recall, Mueller had widespread support all across the political spectrum for the very fine work he did as FBI director. What he was asked to do was to deal with a very serious issue. Did the Trump administration collude with the Russians in the campaign? Very important issue. That is what he's trying to do. And to attack his integrity in order to protect the president is unacceptable." (CNN's "State Of The Union," 12/24/17)
Throughout Mueller's Appointment, Democrats Went Into Overdrive Claiming, Without Evidence, That President Trump Was Guilty Of A Litany Of Crimes
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): "The Evidence Is Pretty Clear That There Was Collusion Between The Trump Campaign And The Russians." "MSNBC's CHRIS HAYES: "There is more reporting about Manafort having met nine times with the Special Counsel`s Office more focus on Roger Stone. What are your expectations for where this goes next?" SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): "The evidence is pretty clear that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians…" (MSNBC'S "All In," 10/17/18)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): "Well, Look, There's Clear Evidence Of An Attempt To Collude." REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): "Well, look, there's clear evidence of an attempt to collude. The Russians offered the campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton." CNN's WOLF BLITZER: "Then set up the meeting at Trump Tower." (CNN's "The Situation Room" 12/14/17)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR): "I Think There Was Clearly An Intent To Collude." BLITZER: "Have you seen evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia?" SENATOR RON WYDEN (D-OR): "I think when you look at Donald Trump Jr. and what is on the record, I think there was clearly an intent to collude." (CNN's "Wolf," 12/15/17)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): "This President In My Estimation Has Done Everything Possible To Certainly Be Eligible For Impeachment." REP. MAXINE WATERS (D-CA): "This president in my estimation has done everything possible to certainly be eligible for impeachment. And so I really do think that it should be started." (CNN's "Erin Burnett Outfront," 12/10/18)
Blumenthal: "It's A Watergate Moment." BLUMENTHAL: "It`s a Watergate moment." NANCY CORDES: "Connecticut`s Richard Blumenthal was the only Senate Democrat willing to go there." SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL: "Every single remedy, including indictment of the President, should be on the table. The President can be indicted." (CBS' "This Morning," 08/23/18)
DNC Chairman Tom Perez: "On A Certain Level This Is Worse Than Watergate." TOM PEREZ: "-on a certain level this is worse than Watergate because the Saturday Night Massacre, he kept firing Senate- confirmed people until he found Bork, who was a Senate confirmed person to do this." (MSNBC's "Live With Ali Velshi," 11/07/18)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): "Obviously, The Suggestion Is It Goes Back To Watergate." BLITZER: "Give us some historic perspective on what's going on right now. Step back a little bit and give us some comparisons to other moments in American history. I ask you that as someone who's lived through some tumultuous times." SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): "Well, you know, obviously, the suggestion is it goes back to Watergate." BLITZER: "You see comparisons?" SANDERS: "I see some comparisons." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 05/10/17)
During The Same Period, The Media Overwhelmingly Focused On The Mueller Investigation Rather Than Any Of The Trump Administration's Policies With Main Stream Outlets Writing Nearly 8,507 Articles Mentioning The Special Counsel Investigation
Articles By The Washington Post Mentioning The Mueller Investigation From May 17, 2017 Until March 22, 2019: 1,184 . (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From Washington Post Search Bar , Search Date 3/23/19)
Articles By The New York Times Mentioning The Mueller Investigation From May 17, 2017 Until March 22, 2019: 1,156 . (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From The New York Times Search Bar , Search Date 3/11/19)
Stories By CNN Mentioning The Mueller Investigation From May 17, 2017 Until March 22, 2019: 1,965 . (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From CNN Search Bar , Search Date 3/11/19)
Stories By MSNBC Mentioning The Mueller Investigation From May 17, 2017 Until March 22, 2019: 4,202 . (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From MSNBC Search Bar, Search Date 3/11/19)
From May 17, 2017 Until March 22, 2019, CNN, MSNBC, The Washington Post, And The New York Times Have Written Nearly 13 Articles Per Day Mentioning The Mueller Investigation.
From May 2017 Until March 22, 2019, The Washington Post Has Written 192 More Stories , 1,184 Total, Mentioning The Mueller Investigation Than They Have Written Mentioning The Administration's Defeat Of ISIS, 992 Total . (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From Washington Post Search Bar , Accessed 3/23/19)
From May 2017 Until March 22, 2019, The New York Times Has Written 644 More Stories, 1,156 Total, Mentioning The Mueller Investigation Than They Have Written Mentioning The Renegotiation Of The North American Free Trade Agreement, 512 Total. (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From The New York Times Search Bar , Accessed 3/23/19)
From May 2017 Until March 22, 2019, CNN Has Written 906 More Stories , 1,965 Total, Mentioning The Mueller Investigation Than They Have Written Mentioning The Administration's Successful Implementation Of Tax Cuts For The Middle Class , 1,059. (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From CNN Search Bar , Accessed 3/23/19)
From May 2017 Until March 22, 2019, MSNBC Has Written 4,061 More Stories , 4202 Total, Mentioning The Mueller Investigation Than They Have Written Mentioning The War Against ISIS , 141 Total. (Compiled By RNC Research, Sourced From MSNBC Search Bar, Accessed 2/11/19)
DESPITE THE DEMOCRATIC WITCH HUNT, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION, ALONG WITH CONGRESS, FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA
On March 24, 2019, The Department Of Justice Reported That The Mueller Investigation Found No Evidence Of Collusion Between The Trump Campaign And Russia
The Department Of Justice Reported The Special Counsel's Investigation "Did Not Find That The Trump Campaign Or Anyone Associated With It Conspired Or Coordinated With Russia In Its Efforts To Influence The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. " "The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As the report states: '[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.'" (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
- The Special Counsel's Investigation Did Not Find That The Trump Campaign Or Anyone Associated With It Conspired Or Coordinated With The Internet Research Agency To Conduct Disinformation Or Interfere With The Election. "As noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that any U.S. person or Trump campaign official or associate conspired or knowingly coordinated with the IRA in its efforts, although the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals and entities in connection with these activities." (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
- The Special Counsel's Investigation Did Not Find That The Trump Campaign Or Anyone Associated With It Conspired Or Coordinated With The Russian Government To Hack Into Computers Affiliated With The Clinton Campaign And Democratic Organizations. "Based on these activities, the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian military officers for conspiring to hack into computers in the United States for purposes of influencing the election. But as noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign." (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
The Department Of Justice Also Concluded That President Trump Did Not Commit An Obstruction Of Justice Offense
The Department Of Justice Concluded That President Trump Did Not Commit An Obstruction Of Justice Offense . "After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense." (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice, 03/24/19)
The Special Counsel's Conclusion Came After An Extremely Thorough Investigation Which Lasted Over 675 Days And Cost More Than $50,000 Dollars Daily
On March 24, 2019, The Department Of Justice Reported That The Mueller Investigation Thoroughly Investigated Allegations Concerning The Trump Campaign And Russia. "The report explains that the Special Counsel and his staff thoroughly investigated allegations that members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, and others associated with it, conspired with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, or sought to obstruct the related federal investigations. " (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
Cost Of The Mueller Investigation Through September 2018: $25,215,853.00
Costs Per Day Of The Mueller Investigation Through September 30, 2018: $50,230.00
- Through September 2018, The Mueller Investigation Was The Second Most Expensive Per Day Investigation Dating Back To The Creation Of The United States Special Counsel's Office In 1979. (Ibid.)
Days The Mueller Investigation Has Proceeded: 675 Days
Number Of Attorneys On The Mueller Investigation Team: 19 (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
Number Of Witnesses Who Were Interviewed Or Testified To The Special Counsel's Team: Approximately 500 (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
Number Of Search Warrants Issued: 500 (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
Number Of Subpoenas Issued: More Than 2,800 (Office Of The Attorney General "Letter Summarizing Mueller Investigation" Department Of Justice , 03/24/19)
The Special Counsel's Determination Followed Determinations From The House And Senate Intelligence Committees That There Was No Collusion Between The Trump Campaign And Russia
On April 27, 2018, The House Intelligence Committee Released Its Report Concluding There Was No Evidence Of Collusion Within The Trump Campaign. "The House Intelligence Committee on Friday released the final full report on its controversial investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, detailing work that led Republicans to conclude there was no evidence of collusion with the Trump campaign." (Mike Memoli, "Republicans Offer More Detail On Their Finding Of No Collusion, Democrats Say They Didn't Push Hard Enough," NBC News , 4/27/18)
- The Report Strongly Criticizes The Obama Administration For Its Failure To Confront Russian Meddling In The U.S. Election And Repeats Charges That The Justice Department Mislead A Judge In Order To Obtain A Surveillance Warrant On Trump Foreign Policy Aide Carter Page. "The report does strongly criticize the Obama administration for in its view failing to adequately confront Russian efforts to meddle in the U.S. election. It also repeats charges of a memo drafted by Nunes that the Justice Department misled a judge in its effort to obtain a secret surveillance warrant on Carter Page, a Trump foreign policy aide." (Mike Memoli, "Republicans Offer More Detail On Their Finding Of No Collusion, Democrats Say They Didn't Push Hard Enough," NBC News , 4/27/18)
On February 2, 2019, It Was Reported The Senate Intelligence Committee Had Uncovered No Direct Evidence Of A Conspiracy According To Both Democrats And Republicans On The Committee. "After two years and 200 interviews, the Senate Intelligence Committee is approaching the end of its investigation into the 2016 election, having uncovered no direct evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to both Democrats and Republicans on the committee." (Ken Dilanian, "Senate Has Uncovered No Direct Evidence Of Conspiracy Between Trump Campaign And Russia," NBC News , 02/12/19)
NOW THAT ITS OVER, HARD QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED CONCERNING WHAT DEMOCRATS, THE MEDIA AND THE INVESTIGATIVE COMMUNITY WERE THINKING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS?
Question 1: Why Did The Investigative Community Unleash An Investigation Onto President Trump Based Off A Completely Bogus Dossier?
Kimberly Strassel In The Wall Street Journal: "Americans Now Deserve A Full Accounting Of The Missteps Of Former FBI James Comey And His Team" And Of What Evidence Caused The FBI To Launch Such An Extensive Probe Into President Trump. "Which is all the more reason Americans now deserve a full accounting of the missteps of former FBI Director James Comey and his team-in part so that this never happens again. That includes the following: What 'evidence' did the FBI have in totality? What efforts did the bureau take to verify it? Did it corroborate anything before launching its probe? What role did political players play? How aware was the FBI that it was being gulled into a dirty-trick operation, and if so, how did it justify proceeding? How intrusive were the FBI methods? And who was harmed?" (Kimberly Strassel op-ed, "Mueller Is Done. Now Probe The Real Scandal," The Wall Street Journal , 03/24/19)
Strassel: "From What We Know, The FBI Operated On The Basis Of An Overheard Conversation Of Third-Tier Campaign Aide George Papadopoulos, As Well As A Wild 'Dossier' Financed By The Rival Presidential Campaign. "Yet from what we know, the FBI operated on the basis of an overheard conversation of third-tier campaign aide George Papadopoulos, as well as a wild 'dossier' financed by the rival presidential campaign." (Kimberly Strassel op-ed, "Mueller Is Done. Now Probe The Real Scandal," The Wall Street Journal , 03/24/19)
Strassel: The Mueller Report Is "A Searing Indictment Of The Federal Bureau Of Investigation, As Well As A Reminder Of The Need To Know The Story Behind The Bureau's Corrosive Investigation." "This is more than an exoneration. It's a searing indictment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as a reminder of the need to know the story behind the bureau's corrosive investigation." (Kimberly Strassel op-ed, "Mueller Is Done. Now Probe The Real Scandal," The Wall Street Journal , 03/24/19)
Question 2: Should There Be A Reckoning For Mainstream Media Who Were So Wrong About Collusion Over The Past Two Years?
The Washington Post's Paul Farhi: Barr's Announcement Was A "Thunderclap" To Mainstream News Who Spent Months Emphasizing The Possible-Collusion Narrative." "Barr's announcement was a thunderclap to mainstream news outlets and the cadre of mostly liberal-leaning commentators who have spent months emphasizing the possible-collusion narrative in opinion columns and cable TV panel discussions." (Paul Farhi, "Conclusion Of Mueller Probe Raises Anew Criticisms Of Coverage," The Washington Post , 03/24/19)
Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi: Mueller "Headed Home Without Issuing New Charges Is A Death-Blow For The Reputation Of The American News." "'Nobody wants to hear this, but news that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is headed home without issuing new charges is a death-blow for the reputation of the American news media,'" Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi wrote in a column published Saturday, a day before Barr nailed the collusion coffin shut." (Paul Farhi, "Conclusion Of Mueller Probe Raises Anew Criticisms Of Coverage," The Washington Post , 03/24/19)
Farhi: "The Conclusion Of The Inquiry Has Put A Question Once Hazily Debated Into Sharp Focus: Did the Mainstream News Media Mislead?" "But the conclusion of the inquiry has put a question once hazily debated into sharp focus: Did the mainstream news media mislead? 'Liberal journalists expected Mueller to build a case for scandalous collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government,' said Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the conservative Media Research Center. Noting Mueller's broad findings, he said, 'So now it's apparent the news channels merely channeled their wishful thinking. They had a grand denouement in mind, and it didn't happen. They mocked Trump for saying 'no collusion,' and that ended up being the truth. . . . The voters should feel punked, swindled.'" (Paul Farhi, "Conclusion Of Mueller Probe Raises Anew Criticisms Of Coverage," The Washington Post , 03/24/19)
Question 3: Are The American People Sick Of The Democrats' Witch Hunts?
Following The News That The Mueller Report Did Not Find Any Collusion Between The Trump Campaign And Moscow, Democrats On Capitol Hill Said They Would Still Proceed With Probes Of The Trump Administration. "The first glimpse into special counsel Robert Mueller's primary findings sparked a fresh battle on Capitol Hill, with Democrats saying they would proceed with probes of the Trump administration while Republicans said their opponents should desist after Mr. Mueller didn't establish collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow." (Kristina Peterson, Natalie Andrews, Siobhan Hughes, "Democrats Press On With Their Probes Of Trump," The Wall Street Journal , 03/24/19)
But Privately, Democrats Are Now Raising Concerns That Americans Don't Want A New Trump-Russia Probe. "Democrats are privately raising concerns that Americans won't have the stomach for a new, heavily politicized Trump-Russia probe, and Republicans are seizing the momentum from the Mueller findings to lash out at Schiff." (Kyle Cheny, Sarah Ferris, And John Breshnahan, "McCarthy Demands Schiff Step Down As Intel Chairman, Politico , 3/25/19)
MSNBC's Al Sharpton: Democrats "Now Have To Move On" And Start Talking About "Other Things Because The Mueller Situation, I Think, Has Ended Up A Clear Victory For The President." "'Democrats also now have to move on and really deal with hard issues,' Sharpton said on the network during special programming late Sunday. 'I think the politics is that we're now going to have to start talking about tax reform and climate change and other things because the Mueller situation, I think, has ended up a clear victory for the president.'" (Joe Concha, "MSNBC's Sharpton: Democrats Have To 'Move On' After 'Clear Victory' For Trump," The Hill , 3/25/19)
Former Clinton Adviser: Democrats Risk A Voter "Backlash" If They Don't Accept The Mueller Report's No Collusion Finding." "Democrats risk a voter "backlash" if they don't accept the Mueller report's no-collusion finding with regard to Russia and the Trump campaign, former Clinton political strategist Mark Penn said Monday." (Robert Gearty, "Former Clinton Adviser Says Democrats Risk Backlash If They Don't Accept Mueller Findings And Move On," Fox News , 03/25/19)
Bill Scher, Politico Magazine Contributing Editor: "Democrats, You're Doing It Wrong Again. It's Time To Move On." "In the interest of historical posterity and legal accountability, these may be legitimate threads to pull. But as a political matter, Democrats, you're doing it wrong again. It's time to move on." (Bill Scher, Op-Ed, "Mueller Just Gave Democrats A Gift. Will They Take It?" Politico , 03/25/19)
Media Accountability Read more research
