Nothing has been more anxiety-producing over the past 20-plus months than the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's meddling in the 2016 elections on behalf of their asset and con man Donald "Rump" Trump, and if a conspiracy was formed between Rump and his team and Russia. As Mueller may be bringing his investigation to a close in order to deliver a report to the Attorney General and the public, Eric Umansky at ProPublica has some wise advice on preparing for the report. We've condensed his article:
1. "Don’t Predict. We don’t know what Mueller will report, when he will report it or even whether we’ll be able to read it."
2. "Stop Focusing on 'Collusion'....For one thing, 'collusion' is not itself a clearly defined crime. It is a crime to commit a conspiracy against the United States..."
3. "Remember: We Already Know a Lot. We already know Trump had a hidden conflict of interest involving Russia during the campaign. Despite publicly denying it, Trump was negotiating to develop a tower in Moscow..."
4. "Don’t Expect Answers to Everything, or Even Most Things....[Mueller's] job is first and foremost to look for crimes. And while he can, and has, looked beyond Russian interference in the election, he’s unlikely to dig into everything..."
5. "Mueller Is Not Alone..."Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating the inauguration and other matters, the New York attorney general is investigating the Trump Foundation..." etc.
6. "The Final Judgments on Trump’s Actions Will Be Political, Not Legal. (Caveats Apply.) Whatever Mueller ultimately files, he is very unlikely to charge the president with a crime....Having said that, Trump does face significant legal jeopardy. For example, former presidents can be indicted. So can Trump’s own company...."As Umansky advises, stay patient and remember the report is only the culmination of a narrowly-defined investigation. Special Counsel Mueller was smart enough to deliver evidence of crimes he found on the part of Rump and his cohort to Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Columbia, and probably many others. That's not to mention what States are pursuing. Keep the faith.
