27 Phones Belonging To Robert Mueller's Team Were Wiped Before Being Handed Over To DoJ To Be Checked During Trump-Russia 'Collusion' Probe

Special counsel Robert Mueller testifies about the 'Russiagate' probe before the House Intelligence Committee in Washington, DC (July 24, 2019 file photo). © Pool via Reuters/Alex Brandon

Daily Mail: REVEALED: At least 15 phones belonging to Robert Mueller's team - including FBI lover Lisa Page's - were wiped before being handed over to DoJ to be checked for anti-Trump bias

* Documents released after a lawsuit from the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch reveal phones from Mueller's team were wiped during probe
* They were wiped of information because of forgotten pass codes, irreversible screen damage, loss of the device, intentional deletion or other reasons
* Andrew Weissman, Mueller's deputy, 'accidentally wiped' his phone on two occasions after entering the wrong passcode
* A phone belonging to FBI lawyer Lisa Page was restored to factory settings
* The OIG opened the investigation into possible bias in the origins of the Russia Investigation, determining that the FBI did comply with policies

More than 15 phones belonging to the investigative team of then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller were wiped before they were handed over to the Office of the Inspector General to be examined for proof of potential bias.

Mueller and his team were investigated by the Department of Justice for alleged biased in its pursuit of any proof that Trump or his administration colluded with Russia.

The investigation concluded that there was no bias but as part of it, Mueller's team was told to hand over cellphones. Many had been wiped of their data.

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WNU Editor: What are they hiding? And these people call themselves lawyers?!?!?!? President Trump sums it up best.

"What are the odds of 31 phones accidentally wiped clean?" @LizMacDonaldFOX @realKTMcFarland pic.twitter.com/mEzwHTmAKI

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2020

More News On Phones Belonging To Robert Mueller's Team Being Wiped Before Being Handed Over To DoJ To Be Checked During Trump-Russia 'Collusion' Probe

Republicans demand answers on Mueller team wiping phones, suggest 'anticipatory obstruction of justice' -- FOX News
Members of Mueller’s team ‘wiped’ phones during Trump probe: DOJ -- NYPost
At Least 27 Phones from Special Counsel’s Office Were Wiped before DOJ Inspector General Could Review Them -- National Review
Mueller Team 'Accidentally Wiped' Phones During Trump-Russia 'Collusion' Probe, DOJ Records Show -- Sputnik

U.S. Justice Department Drops Plans For A Trial Against Two Russian Firms Accused Of Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's heavily redacted report is shown during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, June 10, 2019. © REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Politico: Justice Department drops plans for trial over Russian interference in 2016 U.S. election

A judge dismissed charge against two companies tied to “Putin’s chef.”

The Justice Department is abandoning plans for a looming criminal trial focused on claims of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

With jury selection set to begin in just over two weeks, prosecutors asked a federal judge to permanently dismiss the charges special counsel Robert Mueller brought two years ago against two Russian firms linked to a St. Petersburg businessman known as Putin's chef, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: When you have bad news that you want buried, you announce it during a crisis like the current Covid-19 pandemic crisis. These charges were bogus when they were first made, and they are still bogus now that the trial has been dropped. Bottom line. The Justice Department did not want to pursue this case in a courtroom, because they knew too well that they did not have any evidence to convict the companies and individuals that they charged. The Russian firms and individuals whose trials have been dropped are now demanding compensation .... ‘Russian troll firm’ says it has a $50bn grudge to settle with US after indictment dropped by DoJ (RT).

More News On The U.S. Justice Department Dropping Plans For A Trial Against Two Russian Firms Accused Of Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election

Feds dropping case for 2 Russian companies in troll probe -- AP
Judge allows US to drop two of 16 defendants in Russian troll farm case brought by Mueller -- CNN
DOJ drops charges against ‘Russian trolls’ after they dared demand evidence in US court -- RT
DOJ moves to drop charges against Russians accused of funding troll farm -- Axios
Why did the Justice Department drop its prosecution of 2 firms linked to a Putin associate? -- NBC

Roger Stone Found Guilty Of Lying To Congress About WikiLeaks

....A double standard like never seen before in the history of our Country?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019

Daily Mail: Roger Stone clutches the bible as he is found GUILTY of lying to Congress about WikiLeaks' release of Clinton emails 'to make Trump look good' and faces up to FIFTY years in prison

* GOP operative Roger Stone was found guilty Friday in federal court
* He was found guilty five counts of making false statements to Congress and single counts of obstructing a congressional proceeding and witness tampering
* Stone could be jailed for a maximum of 50 years - 20 years for obstruction and five years apiece for the lying and witness tampering charges
* He lied about his conversations with senior Trump Campaign officials and lied to lawmakers when he said he had no written communication about WikiLeaks
* Longtime Trump confidante Stone previously told Congress that Randy Credico was his back channel to WikiLeaks' Julian Assange
* But Credico denied those claims and threatened to contradict Stone's sworn statement, which would showed Stone perjured himself

Roger Stone faces years in federal jail after he was found guilty today of lying to Congress about his efforts to procure stolen Democratic Party emails from WikiLeaks to help Donald Trump become President.

Jurors agreed the self-proclaimed political dirty trickster told five 'whoppers' when he testified before members of House Intelligence Committee investigating Russian collusion in the 2016 election.

Stone lied about the identity of his 'back channel' to WikiLeaks and lied when he denied asking its founder Julian Assange for the plundered messages.

He lied about his conversations with senior Trump Campaign officials and lied to lawmakers when he said he had no emails or written communications about WikiLeaks that could prove useful to their probe.

Read more .....

Update: Roger Stone guilty of witness tampering, lying to Congress (AP)

WNU Editor: Lying under oath and witness tampering are serious crimes. And even though Roger Stone has been convicted on what is essentially a process crime, it does not minimize the seriousness on what he did.

Commentaries, Reactions, And Analysis On Today's Testimony from Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller

FILE PHOTO: A gavel sits on the chairman’s dais in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing room on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 14, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

David Morgan, Reuters: Explainer: After Mueller, what do U.S. House Judiciary Democrats do about Trump?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in control of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee hope that Robert Mueller’s testimony on Wednesday will boost their wide-ranging investigation of President Donald Trump, but it is not entirely clear where that inquiry is headed.

The panel, led by New York Representative Jerrold Nadler, has the power to start impeachment proceedings against Trump.

But Nadler is not among the 90 House of Representatives Democrats who have publicly said they favor initiating the impeachment process against the president.

Senior House Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are trying to hold back impeachment demands within the party, fearing a voter backlash in the 2020 election campaigns. If the House were to impeach Trump, it would then be up to the Republican-controlled Senate to hold a trial and potentially remove him from office.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Not what I had expected from Robert Mueller. I thought he would better than this. This also irked me .... Mueller dodged lawmakers’ questions roughly 150 times (Politico). When everything is finally said, in the end this is what is going to happe .... Analysis: Mueller has spoken, but 2020 may be the final word (Lisa Mascaro, AP).

Commentaries, Reactions, And Analysis On Today's Testimony from Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller

Key takeaways from Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony -- AP
Mueller's testimony on Trump and Russia: the biggest takeaways -- The Guardian
Highlights from former U.S. special counsel Mueller's testimony -- Reuters
'It is not a witch hunt': Top moments from Robert Mueller's testimony before Congress -- William Cummings, USA TODAY
‘Bob Mueller is struggling’ -- Darren Samuelsohn, Politico
Mueller offers terse answers, uncertainty in testimony -- Laurie Kellman, AP
Opinion: Commentary on the Mueller hearing -- CNN
The Guardian view on Robert Mueller’s testimony: what will Democrats do next? -- Editorial Guardian
Mueller tangles with GOP, but provides little new info -- Jacqueline Thomsen, The Hill
Hoyer calls Mueller's reticence 'unacceptable' -- The Hill
Gohmert presses Mueller on Comey friendship, handling of FBI agents -- The Hill
Mueller’s Testimony Was Just as Confusing as His Report -- Bloomberg
POLITICO Playbook PM: Mueller gives impeachment crowd little to work with -- Politico
After Robert Mueller, time for an impeachment investigation of Donald Trump -- Karen Hobert Flynn, USA Today
Op-Ed: Congress should take Mueller's testimony as a call to action -- Los Angeles Times
'GTFO!' Don Jr. explodes after Mueller says he has no idea who Fusion GPS is despite firm commissioning former spy's anti-Trump dossier that launched surveillance warrants -- Daily Mail
Fox’s Chris Wallace: Mueller Testimony a ‘Disaster for the Democrats’ and for His Reputation -- Justin Baragona, The Daily Beast
Impeachment drive slowed by Mueller's stumbles -- John Bresnahan, Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle, Politico
Robert Mueller Said All He Needed to Say -- The New York Times
Mueller hearing makes for less than compelling TV drama -- David Bauder, AP
Mueller's shaky return to Capitol Hill -- Marshall Cohen, CNN
Mueller’s testimony was a major anti-climax. Will Democrats finally realize he won’t save them? -- RT
Mueller hearing: Have we learned anything new? -- Anthony Zurcher, BBC

President Trump Declares 'Truth Is a Force Of Nature!' After Today's Testimony From Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller

Daily Mail: 'TRUTH IS A FORCE OF NATURE!' Trump takes victory lap and THANKS Democrats for holding hearings where dazed Mueller bumbled through answers and was an 'embarrassment for the Democrats'

* Donald Trump rendered a six-word verdict on the Mueller hearings: 'TRUTH IS A FORCE OF NATURE!'
* Hotly anticipated one-two punch of congressional hearings began for Robert Mueller, the former special counsel tasked with a sweeping Russia probe
* Hearings before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, both run by Democrats who are hungry to hurt Donald Trump's re-election prospects
* Democrats immediately got Mueller to say his report did not exonerate Trump and that the president could be charged after he left office
* Mueller said internal guidelines informed his decision not to make a determination on charging Trump
* He later went further, saying he didn't indict Trump because of the guidelines
* Quizzed on report section on Trump saying: 'I'm f*****' after learning of Mueller's appointment
* Pushes off questions on the Golden Showers dossier
* Trump thanks Judiciary for hearing
* Tweets at end of the hearings: 'TRUTH IS A FORCE OF NATURE!'
* Intel panel chair Adam Schiff charges Trump with 'disloyalty to country'
* Asked for multiple lawmakers to repeat questions, failed to recall his own first appointment by Ronald Reagan
* Republicans brought up the 'FBI lovers,' ask why his report doesn't mention impeachment
* President started the day by making his case on Twitter, booming that Democrats 'illegally fabricate[d] a crime' to bounce him from office
* He baited Mueller, saying he had denied the former FBI chief the chance to come take the job again just one day before he took on the job of investigating him
* Lines formed late Tuesday night outside a congressional office building

President Donald Trump cheered Robert Mueller's testimony Wednesday moments after the former special counsel wrapped up his appearance before his second of two congressional committees.

'TRUTH IS A FORCE OF NATURE!' Trump tweeted, celebrating a long-sought hearing that Democrats hoped might bring new national awareness of the details of Mueller's 448-page report.

Instead, Trump, his campaign, and his allies were ridiculing Mueller's performance, following a pair of televised hearings where the longtime prosecutor and former FBI director stumbled during some answers, failed to recall details of his report – and turned down multiple opportunities to deliver a stern lecture to Trump or his campaign.

'I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing,' Trump tweeted following Mueller's first appearance, before the House Judiciary Committee.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: President Trump's Twitter feed is "relishing" all of this (President Trump's Twitter Feed).

More News On President Trump's Reaction To Today's Testimony From Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller

'Euphoria': White House, GOP exult after a flat Mueller performance -- Politico
Trump takes post-Mueller victory lap -- The Hill
Trump declares Mueller testimony a win for the White House -- AP
Trump, after Mueller testimony to House, says Republican Party had good day -- Reuters
Trump attorney: 'Case is closed' after Mueller testimony -- The Hill

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Testimony -- News Round-up

Daily Mail: 'Disoriented' Mueller's stumbling responses to questions during blockbuster hearing leave social media concerned the special counsel seems a 'confused old man' but some think it is all a strategy to frustrate the committee members

* Mueller faced members of the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees on Wednesday morning at a highly-anticipated hearing on the Russia investigation
* Viewers reacting on social media noticed Mueller stumbled at several points
'Mueller is acting like he doesn't know what's going on,' one viewer wrote on Twitter. 'He's acting like a confused old man'
* Some viewers have said Mueller's shaky demeanor calls his report into question
* Others think the 74-year-old veteran prosecutor sounds uncertain because he is being overly-cautious about coming off as impartial
* When it came to questions at the core of the report, Mueller has delivered firm answers without hesitation
* Another theory suggests the wobbly performance is a delaying tactic to frustrate Republican committee members determined to discredit the report
* Viewers also noted that Mueller is hindered by the mammoth task of manually searching through 397 pages to effectively answer questions about the report

Perplexed viewers are questioning Robert Mueller's 'confused' demeanor as he testifies in front of Congress.

The special counsel faced members of the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees on Wednesday morning at a highly-anticipated hearing on the Russia investigation.

Viewers reacting on social media have noticed that Mueller appeared to stumble at multiple points.

'Robert Mueller comes across as a doddering old fool with a questionable moral compass based on situational ethics who should never have been appointed in the first place based on reduced mental capacity,' one person tweeted.

Read more ....

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Testimony -- News Round-up

The Latest: Trump calls Mueller hearings ‘all nonsense’ -- AP
Live coverage: Mueller testifies before Congress -- The Hill
Mueller testimony: Live -- BBC
Mueller: it's 'generally' fair to say Trump's answers to inquiry were not always truthful – live -- The Guardian
Robert Mueller testimony: As it happened -- Al Jazeera
Robert Mueller testifies: Live Updates -- CNN

Mueller: No Russia exoneration for Trump, despite his claims -- AP
Mueller insists his report did not exonerate Trump on obstruction charges -- The Guardian
Trump was not exonerated by my report, Robert Mueller tells Congress -- BBC
Mueller says Trump was not exonerated but Trump declares victory -- Reuters
Mueller tells Congress his report did not exonerate Trump -- France 24
Robert Mueller did not exonerate Donald Trump, but the man in question disagrees -- ABC News Online
Mueller confirms President Trump refused to be interviewed -- BBC
Mueller explains why he never interviewed Trump -- Politico
Mueller confirms Russian election interference didn't end in 2016 -- Politico
'It's not a witch hunt!' Defiant Mueller defends his honor and insists Russia probe was 'not a hoax' as he contradicts Trump's Twitter mantra -- Daily Mail
Mueller: Trump could be charged with obstruction after leaving office -- UPI
Mueller: Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after leaving office -- The Hill
GOP lawmaker tears into Mueller, alleging his report violates DOJ principles -- The Hill
Mueller defends special counsel team against charges of bias -- Yahoo News
Trump, Mueller differ on whether Mueller sought FBI job -- AP
Mueller disputes Trump's claim he applied for FBI job the day before his appointment as special counsel -- Daily Mail
Robert Mueller dodges lawmakers' questions -- Politico

Robert Mueller Testimony -- Former Special Counsel Testifies On Russia Investigation (Live)

WNU Editor: The schedule for today's hearings are the following: Mueller will first appear before the House Judiciary Committee at 8:30 a.m. ET, and the hearing is expected to run for three hours. After a short break, Mueller will then testify before the House Intelligence Committee at noon ET.

Former Special U.S. Prosecutor's Testimony To Be Limited To The Boundaries Of The Russia Probe Report

FOX News: Barr says Mueller asked DOJ to send letter limiting testimony to ‘boundaries' of report

Attorney General Bill Barr told Fox News on Tuesday that it was former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team who asked the Justice Department to send Mueller a letter telling him to keep his upcoming testimony to House lawmakers "within the boundaries" of the public version of his Russia probe report.

The letter provoked criticism from Democrats ahead of Wednesday’s highly anticipated hearing, with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler calling it “incredibly arrogant.” Asked by Fox News why the Monday letter was sent, Barr said Mueller’s staff asked the department for guidance ahead of the hearing.

Read more ....

Update: Mueller takes the TV stage; Democrats hope America tunes in (AP)

WNU Editor: The main stream news media have ignored mentioning that it was Robert Mueller himself who asked the Department of Justice a letter limiting the scope of the questioning to the report. As for limiting the scope of the questioning to just the "boundaries" of the report, it means that Republicans on the Committee will not be able to ask the questions that they have been so sorely wanting to ask for the past year. My prediction .... this is what is going to happen tomorrow .... Two-thirds of Americans and more than HALF of Democrats expect Mueller hearing to be snoozer that reveals no 'new information' (Daily Mail).

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller Agrees To Testify Before Congress After Being Suboenaed

NBC: Robert Mueller to testify publicly before House committees on July 17

The announcement came after the chairmen of the two panels issued a subpoena compelling Mueller's testimony.

WASHINGTON — Former special counsel Robert Mueller has agreed to testify in public about his two-year Russia investigation at a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee and Judiciary Committee on July 17. The announcement came from the chairmen of the two panels, who issued a subpoena compelling his testimony.

In a news release issued late Tuesday, Judiciary Committee Chairmen Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said that Mueller had agreed to testify next month.

“Pursuant to subpoenas issued by the House Judiciary and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence tonight, Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has agreed to testify before both Committees on July 17 in open session,” the chairmen said in a statement.

Read more ....

Update #1: Mueller to testify publicly on July 17 following a subpoena (CNN)
Update #2: Robert Mueller agrees to testify before House lawmakers July 17 after subpoena, Nadler and Schiff announce (FOX News)

WNU Editor: He is actually being ordered to testify.

After Yesterday's Statement By Robert Mueller, Will The Democrats In Congress Now Move To Impeach President Trump?

Special counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the Justice Department, May 29, 2019. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review: Mueller’s Press Conference Makes the Impeachment Tightrope Tougher to Walk for Democrats

The special counsel just upped the pressure on those in the party who think impeaching Trump is politically ill-advised.

Bob Mueller decided to shoot up the town before he rode off into the sunset.

It is fair enough to observe that in his short but explosive speech, delivered at the Justice Department this morning, the special counsel did not say anything that wasn’t already set forth in his report — a point being emphasized by the White House. The sprawling report is 448 pages long, however. In his nine-minute address, Mueller quite consciously highlighted the portions of the report that fuel the Democrats’ calls for impeachment.

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WNU Editor: It has been 24 hours since Robert Mueller made his statement, and I have had time to reflect. His 8 minute presentation was quick and messy with two stated goals. To lay the groundwork for Congress to impeach President Trump while explaining why he cannot do it .... Mueller laid out 2 reasons for why he investigated Trump even though he knew he couldn't charge him. Both of them are bad news for the president (Business Insider). And the second one was to avoid awkward but valid questions like this one .... Bob Mueller Runs and Hides in Eight Minutes to Avoid Having to Answer One Key Question (Roger Simon, PJ Media).

So what will Congressional Democrats and one Republican in Congress do next? Because so many of them are now invested in pushing for impeachment, as well as many in the media, there will be a massive groundswell to impeach the President. As to what will be the crime that the President will be charged with? My guess is that they will use the Mueller report to justify their position that President Trump obstructed justice, and that he must be removed from office. The problem is that even Mueller admits that collusion did not occurred, and that his probe was not impeded by the President. No one on his team was fired by the White House. And that documents and testimony he requested were not put under executive privilege. But these facts will be ignored, and with Mueller now gone all eyes will be on impeachment, pushed by a compliant media and a Democrat base who want the President gone. Bottom line. It is going to be a hot summer.

My Take On Robert Mueller's Remarks On The Russian Collusion Report

WNU Editor: An eight minute talk where nothing new was disclosed. And the lead story should be that his probe is over, and that he has nothing to add to the report .... no collusion, and no obstruction. But because he worded his presentation that he could not charge the President (so why the entire probe?), and stressed that he's not confident that President Trump didn’t commit a crime, his innuendos will be the lead story for today. Bottom line. When you say this .... "if we had had confidence that (Trump) clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so" .... what he really means is that he did commit a crime, but we cannot prove it. Is this American justice? That you now have to prove your innocence? I also have met people who have wanted to nail people, and Robert Mueller is clearly someone who wants to do just that on President Trump. But after 500 interviews, 1,200 subpoenas, and seizing millions of documents, he could not because he has no evidence.

Robert Mueller also does not want to testify to Congress. The prospect of facing Republicans and their questions on how he conducted this probe is clearly a road that he does not want to go down. I also expect the media narrative today will be to target Attorney General Barr, and that he misrepresented Mueller's findings. AG Barr's investigation on how this entire affair started, from spying on the Trump campaign in 2016, to the evidence and rational that was used in justifying it, has started. And what better way to discredit what will be uncovered than to discredit the man who is leading it.

So what is next? This is just another phase in the push to get rid of President Trump. Robert Mueller was clear in his remarks today that he wants Congress to now handle this, which means impeachment. And even though the Republican controlled Senate has made it clear that impeachment will not be brought up, and the majority of Americans do not want impeachment, the Democrat controlled House of Representatives will still begin this process and push it to the 2020 Presidential election.

Robert Mueller Makes Public Statement On The Russia Investigation (Live)

Testimony From Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller Will Occur In June (If Ever)

Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after briefing members of the U.S. Senate on his investigation into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2017. Joshua Roberts, Reuters.

Politico: Mueller’s House testimony likely off until at least June

House Democrats are backing away from plans to hold a blockbuster hearing this month with Robert Mueller after talks stalled out with the special counsel and his representatives.

Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and a senior Democratic committee aide told POLITICO on Friday that there’s no Mueller hearing planned for next week, though that could also change at a moment’s notice if the special counsel said he’s ready to testify.

“I would assume not,” Nadler replied when asked whether Mueller would be appearing before the upcoming Memorial Day recess, which starts next Friday.

Read more ....

Update: Does Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller Want To Testify? (May 17, 2019)

WNU Editor: I do expect the former Special Counsel to testify one day, even though it is becoming clear to everyone that he does not want to do this. And I also do not expect him to give the Democrats the ammunition they want in order to intensify their efforts against President Trump, even though many are hoping that he will. In the meantime the Democrats are trying to put a brave face on an investigation that really ended with the Mueller report's final conclusion that there was no Russian collusion .... Step by step: Democrats play the long game against Trump (AP).

Does Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller Want To Testify?

CNBC: Robert Mueller will decide if he wants to testify to Congress, Attorney General William Barr says

* Robert Mueller will decide whether he will testify to Congress, Attorney General William Barr says.
* “It’s Bob’s call whether he wants to testify,” Barr tells The Wall Street Journal.
* Barr’s remarks come after President Trump said it would be up to Barr whether Mueller would testify. Previously, the president had said Mueller shouldn’t testify.

Robert Mueller will decide whether he will testify to Congress, Attorney General William Barr told The Wall Street Journal. President Donald Trump had earlier said that it would be up to Barr to decide whether Mueller would testify.

“It’s Bob’s call whether he wants to testify,” Barr said, the Journal reported early Thursday.

His comment comes as House Democrats escalate their fight with the Justice Department over the unredacted version of the special counsel’s report on Russian election interference and potential obstruction of justice by Trump.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am beginning to wonder if Robert Mueller even wants to testify .... especially in the current Washington environment. My guess is that he has nothing to offer, because if he did he would have testified a long time ago.

Why Are Democrats Refusing To Look At The Unredacted Mueller Report?

Sen. Rand Paul on Mueller probe: "I think since the very beginning this all has been politically motivated. Now both sides are doing it. I think it goes back even to the Clintons. This is why we shouldn't have special prosecutors" https://t.co/s5XgPCmrVq pic.twitter.com/A69JAu6gOR

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 12, 2019

Zero Hedge: Why Hasn't A Single Democrat Looked At The 99.9% Unredacted Mueller Report Provided To Congress?

If there's one thing that suggests Congressional Democrats are not acting in good faith amid their new obstruction crusade, it's this;

House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler (D-NY) held Attorney General William Barr in contempt on Wednesday for failing to turn over the full Mueller report and its underlying evidence - yet not a single Democrat in Congress has elected to look at the 99.9% unredacted 'volume 2' section of the Mueller's findings provided to Congress by the DOJ, which specifically covers the obstruction portion of Mueller's investigation (Section "A" of the report covering alleged conspiracy with Russia was offered 98.5% unredacted).

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This has been politics since Day One. And aside from some Grand Jury testimony, a growing realization that there is probably nothing in the unredacted Mueller Report that will bolster the Democrat case against the President. So what is next? The Democrats are hoping that something new will come out of this .... Channeling maybe-yes, maybe-no Mueller: Speak, Bob, Speak! (AP).

White House Counsel Officially Responds To The Mueller Report

CNBC: White House lawyer slams Mueller report for making ‘political statements’

* White House lawyer Emmet Flood sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr accusing special counsel Robert Mueller of making political statement in his report on Russia and President Donald Trump.
* Flood, who joined the White House legal team in May 2018, worked as an impeachment attorney for President Bill Clinton.
* Flood’s five-page letter to Barr claimed that the report on Mueller’s far-reaching probe should not be legitimized or taken as precedent, and argued that Trump has retained his executive privilege rights related to the probe.

White House lawyer Emmet Flood sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr accusing special counsel Robert Mueller of making “political statements” in his report on Russia and President Donald Trump.

Flood’s five-page letter to Barr claimed that the report on Mueller’s far-reaching probe should not be legitimized or taken as precedent, and argued that Trump has retained his executive privilege rights related to the probe.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The full letter from White House counsel Emmet Flood to Attorney General Barr can be read here, and IMHO it is a must read .... Read the full letter from White House counsel Emmet Flood to AG Barr (NBC). What's my take. In hindsight Robert Mueller should not have stacked his team entirely with people who are/were staunch Democrat supporters with a long history of partisan politics. It would have deflected the flood of criticisms that is (and will) now be coming in. As for the significance of this letter. The White House is shifting into a very aggressive approach, and is telegraphing that the President will now start using his powers of executive privilege. But what strikes me about this letter was its criticisms of top law enforcement officials, and how they behaved in 2016/2017. I would not be surprised if these former officials are going to be targeted for investigation, if not already. I also expect the White House will be declassifying all relevant information and files on what happened during this period, and when that happens a lot of people are going to need to explain themselves. Bottom line. Prepare for the floodgates to open of documents in the coming weeks/months.

More News On The White House Counsel Officially Responding To The Mueller Report

White House rips Mueller in letter to DOJ, says team ‘failed in their duty to act as prosecutors’ -- FOX News
White House complained about Mueller report to Barr -- The Hill
White House lawyer mocks Mueller report as 'law school exam paper' -- Politico
White House lawyer blasted Mueller over obstruction decision in April letter to Barr -- CBS

Live: U.S. Attorney General Barr Faces Senate For Mueller Report Hearing (10:00 EST)

U.S. Special Counsel Mueller Disputes Attorney General Barr's Description On Russian Findings

Washington Post: Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III wrote a letter in late March complaining to Attorney General William P. Barr that a four-page memo to Congress describing the principal conclusions of the investigation into President Trump “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of Mueller’s work, according to a copy of the letter reviewed Tuesday by The Washington Post.

The letter and a subsequent phone call between the two men reveal the degree to which the longtime colleagues and friends disagreed as they handled the legally and politically fraught task of investigating the president. Democrats in Congress are likely to scrutinize Mueller’s complaints to Barr as they contemplate the prospect of opening impeachment proceedings and mull how hard to press for Mueller himself to testify publicly.

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WNU Editor: This is all moot. The report has been released for all to read, and from what I have read in the Trump-Russia collusion section, it only confirms the Attorney General's memo. As to the obstruction part of the report, Attorney General Barr stated that since Mueller did not make a decision on obstruction, his office analyzed the evidence and they made the decision that there was no obstruction.

As for Special Counsel Mueller's concerns that Attorney General Barr's four-page memo “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” .... IMHO it is too little, and definitely too late. So why the release of Mueller's letter now? A realization that after two years of intense media focus on Trump - Russian collusion to be told at the end there is no evidence to make a case .... we are witnessing a massive let-down and an attempt to shift the focus to try and make the case for obstruction. My prediction. Good luck to those who want to make a case for obstruction when there is no evidence that Trump - Russian collusion occurred, when executive privilege was not exercised, and no one was fired or prevented in doing their job.

More News On U.S. Special Counsel Mueller Disputing Attorney General Barr's Description On Russian Findings

Mueller Objected to Barr’s Description of Russia Investigation’s Findings on Trump -- The New York Times
Mueller criticized attorney general's memo on Russia findings -- The Guardian
Mueller expressed misgivings to Barr about 4-page letter -- CNN
Mueller confronted Barr over characterization of special counsel's report -- CBS

The Kremlin Reacts To The Release Of The Mueller Report

TASS: Kremlin says Mueller’s report was waste of taxpayers’ money

Moscow regrets that the documents of this sort are causing direct influence on the development of Russian-US relations, the Kremlin spokesman said.

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov believes that US taxpayers have solid reasons to start asking questions why budget money was wasted on special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe.

"We regret the documents of this sort are causing direct influence on the development of Russian-US relations, whose condition leaves much to be desired," Peskov said.

"Speaking less seriously I should say that in a similar situation our Audit Chamber would’ve certainly probed into what the taxpayers’ money has been wasted on. Anyway, it’s up to the US taxpayers to ask such questions."

Read more ....

WNU editor: I find the Kremlin's response to the release of the Mueller report to be low-key.

More News On The Kremlin's Reaction To The Release Of The Mueller Report

Mueller report takes ‘Russian meddling’ for granted, offers no actual evidence -- RT
Kremlin Says Mueller Report Shows No Evidence of Russian Meddling -- Moscow Times/Reuters
Russia mocks US over long-awaited Mueller report: 'Zero, a void, lies and fibs' -- The Independent

Democrats React To The Release Of The Mueller Report

USA Today: 'A damning document': Democrats call Mueller report's details disturbing, vow hearings

WASHINGTON – Democrats reacted with alarm to fresh details in Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, vowing to hold hearings and look further into whether President Donald Trump improperly tried to impede the special counsel's investigation.

Intelligence Committee member Rep. Jim Himes, D-Ct., said the section of the report focused on obstruction of justice "reads like The Godfather."

"The array of sleazy behavior, of lies, and ordering subordinates to do potentially illegal things is really pretty grim," he told USA TODAY.

"Once you start reading the report, it's very clear that Mueller is jumping up and down and saying ‘Congress do what I can’t do,'" Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., another member of the Intelligence Committee, told USA TODAY.

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Democrats React To The Release Of The Mueller Report

House Democrat Nadler sees evidence of obstruction in Mueller report -- Reuters
House Democratic leader Hoyer: impeachment 'not worthwhile': CNN -- Reuters
Dems run from impeachment post-Mueller -- Politico
House Dem: Mueller report offers 'ample evidence' for impeachment -- The Hill
Ocasio-Cortez says she will sign Trump impeachment resolution -- The Hill
Senior House Democrat: Mueller report the beginning, not the end -- DW
Dem House chairs: Mueller report 'does not exonerate the president' -- The Hill
House Democrat Nadler to subpoena for unredacted Mueller report -- Al Jazeera
How 2020 Democrats Are Reacting to the Release of the Mueller Report -- Adam K. Raymond, NYMag
Mueller report has Democrats promising more investigations -- Financial Times
Dems accuse Barr of misleading Congress and public -- Politico
Top Dems: Barr 'deliberately distorted' portions of Mueller report -- The Hill
John Podesta: The Mueller report shows an attack on our democracy. It’s time to act. -- The Washington Post
Clintonworld stews over Mueller report -- Politico