Robert S. Mueller (via YouTube)
Ever since Robert Mueller was named special counsel to investigate Trump campaign collusion with foreign governments, and Donald Trump’s obstruction of justice into that investigation, Trump lawyers have been promising that the probe will be completed “soon.”
A report from Bloomberg indicates that “soon” might finally be here. But given that we’re dealing with anonymous sources, it’s impossible to know if this timeline for wrapping up the investigation is Mueller’s actual timeline, or more wishcasting from the White House, or a best guess of a lawyer who’s part of the investigation and thinks it seems to be wrapping up.
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Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to issue findings on core aspects of his Russia probe soon after the November midterm elections as he faces intensifying pressure to produce more indictments or shut down his investigation, according to two U.S. officials.
Specifically, Mueller is close to rendering judgment on two of the most explosive aspects of his inquiry: whether there were clear incidents of collusion between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, and whether the president took any actions that constitute obstruction of justice, according to one of the officials, who asked not to be identified speaking about the investigation.
While presenting the findings after the midterms is surely a “good government” strategy to not have the findings turn into a political football, the imminent end to the investigation would be a very big deal in the upcoming election — if people think the Russia investigation is a big deal among the voting public, which I’m not sure it is.
That’s because what happens after Mueller wraps up his investigation is that he sends his report to Rod Rosenstein. And Rosenstein has wide discretion on what he releases to Congress, and whether he releases any of it publicly. And Trump has wide discretion on firing Jeff Sessions and installing somebody at the Justice Department who might bury any parts of the Mueller report Trump doesn’t like.
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So if you want to see what Mueller has uncovered after the midterms, you kind of have to vote for a party in Congress that takes the Russia investigation seriously and will publicize its findings and back up Mueller’s work with their own public hearings. There’s really only one party that would do that. But if you want Mueller’s report to be buried by Devin Nunes and Attorney General Lindsey Graham, you can vote for that as well.
… And here I thought that I might take some vacation after the midterms.
Mueller Ready to Deliver Key Findings in His Trump Probe, Sources Say [Bloomberg]
Elie Mystal is the Executive Editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at [email protected]. He will resist.