Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Biodun Iginla, BBC News
Showing posts with label Jeff Sessions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeff Sessions. Show all posts

Friday, April 19, 2019

ANALYSIS: Mueller report: key takeaways from the Trump-Russia probe


Date created : 
Joshua Roberts, REUTERS | Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after briefing US senators on his investigation into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, on June 21, 2017.
by Rachel Rubin and Biodun Iginla, France24 News Analysts, Washington
US President Donald Trump may not have obstructed justice, but it wasn't for lack of trying, according to the long-awaited report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller that details multiple efforts Trump made to curtail the probe.
ADVERTISING
Mueller’s report, the result of a 22-month investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections, found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia, but could not reach a concrete legal conclusion on whether the US president obstructed the investigation.
The 448-page report takes the American public inside the room with Trump as he expressed fear that the special counsel would end his presidency and made several attempts to get the people around him to curtail the probe.
FRANCE 24's Philip Crowther reports from Washington
Ultimately, Mueller found Trump's inner circle saved him from himself. They refused to carry out orders that could have crossed the line into obstructing justice.
ADVERTISING
Here are some key takeaways from the report.
  • Trump tried to influence the Russia probe
Mueller details several instances in which Trump or his campaign engaged in potential obstruction of justice.
Some occurred in public. Others behind closed doors. Trump ordered his White House counsel to try to have Mueller removed. He directed his former campaign manager to deliver a message to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make a public statement calling the investigation "very unfair". He also wanted Sessions to announce that Trump had done "nothing wrong" and to say that the investigation's scope had been limited.
But people around Trump either refused or quietly allowed the matters to drop.
"The president's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," the special counsel wrote.
  • No collusion, but no exoneration
The special counsel did not find a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. He did not recommend charging any Trump associates as agents of the Russian government or with campaign finance violations.
But on the question of obstruction, Mueller said there was evidence on both sides of the question. He said some of Trump's actions related to potential "garden variety" obstruction.
"If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment," Mueller wrote.
  • 'End of my presidency'
Trump's legal team has claimed "complete vindication" by the report, emphasizing that there was no evidence of collusion.
"FOR THE HATERS AND RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS – GAME OVER," the president wrote in a message on Twitter that, not for the first time, imitated the iconography of fantasy series "Game of Thrones."
But the report describes in detail a president driven to interfere in the probe out of fear that it would "call into question the legitimacy of his election" and his own uncertainty that his family or associates may have violated the law.
In one particularly dramatic moment, Mueller reported that Trump was so agitated at the special counsel's appointment on May 17, 2017, that he slumped back in his chair and declared: "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm f---ed."
Mueller wrote that on multiple occasions Trump did things that were "capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations." Some of that was in private, one-on-one encounters that witnesses relayed to the special counsel.
But the president's public acts also raised questions that they could have led witnesses to feel intimidated or alter their testimony, moves that Mueller said were equally threatening to the "justice system's integrity."
  • Ignorance of the law was a defence
That was the case for Donald Trump Jr. and a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer.
In June 2016, Trump Jr. agreed to take the meeting despite it being described in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help his father. Trump Jr. was looking for dirt that could be used against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
The meeting raised questions about whether Trump Jr. and others violated the federal ban on foreign contributions to American political campaigns.
But Mueller, who interviewed many of the participants in the meeting, said he didn't find that he could bring a case.
The special counsel wrote that it was unlikely the government could prove that Trump, Jr. and others in the meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful".
  • Mueller felt he couldn’t charge Trump – even in secret
The report reveals some of Mueller's reasoning behind why he didn't reach a conclusion on the question of obstruction.
He says that he would have exonerated Trump if he could have, but he wasn't able to given the evidence he uncovered. Still, Mueller said that the Justice Department's opinion that a sitting president couldn't be indicted meant he also couldn't recommend Trump be criminally charged, even if he made the recommendation in secret.
That's because Trump could not defend himself during a public trial while in office.
In announcing the release of the redacted report, Attorney General William Barr said he asked Mueller during a meeting in early March about the matter. Mueller replied that he didn't recommend charges against Trump solely because a sitting president cannot be indicted, Barr said.
Barr: 'White House fully co-operated with the investigation'

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, September 21, 2018

BREAKING AND ANALYSIS: Rod Rosenstein denies voicing plot to remove Trump


September 22, 2018  04H:12  GMT/UTC/ZULU TIME
US Deputy Attorney General Rod RosensteinImage copyrightAFP
Image captionRod Rosenstein: "There is no basis to invoke the 25th amendment"
by Melissa Gruz and Biodun Iginla, BBC News Political Analysts, Washington
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has denied a report that he discussed invoking a constitutional clause to oust President Donald Trump.
America's second most senior law official said the allegation was "inaccurate and factually incorrect".
The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, also said Mr Rosenstein had suggested secretly recording Mr Trump to expose chaos in the White House.
But a source told the BBC that the comment was sarcastic.
Mr Rosenstein is reported to have made the remarks after Mr Trump fired the FBI director last year.
James Comey had been overseeing his law enforcement agency's investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mr Trump referred to the "Russia thing" when asked why he was removed.
Mr Trump told a rally in Missouri on Friday evening that there was a "lingering stench" about what was being exposed at the US Justice Department.
He said he would get rid of it just as his administration "had gotten rid of bad people at the FBI".
Media captionThe 25th Amendment: Could it be used to unseat Trump?

What is the claim?

The New York Times reported that Mr Rosenstein had discussed recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th amendment of the US constitution, which provides for the removal of a president if he is deemed unfit for office.
ADVERTISEMENT
It also says he suggested secretly recording Mr Trump to expose White House turmoil and dysfunction.
The suggestions came during meetings and conversations in May 2017 with Department of Justice and FBI officials, the paper said.
It cited several unnamed sources who were briefed on the events.
According to US media, the source of the allegations are memos created by former FBI acting director Andrew McCabe, who was fired by Mr Trump in March this year.
Mr Trump and Mr Rosenstein speak at an immigration event in May.Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionMr Trump and Mr Rosenstein speak at an immigration event in May
Mr McCabe's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said his client "has no knowledge of how any member of the media obtained those memos".
Mr Bromwich said the memos had been submitted to the special counsel who is investigating possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election and obstruction of justice, and that another copy had remained with the FBI.

How did Mr Rosenstein respond?

The deputy attorney general issued a statement saying: "The New York Times's story is inaccurate and factually incorrect.
"I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda.
"But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th amendment."
From left: Mr Rosenstein, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Mr McCabeImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionFrom left: Mr Rosenstein, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Mr McCabe

Who's telling the truth?

A justice department press officer told the BBC that Mr Rosenstein's comment about secretly recording the president was a joke.
The statement was attributed to "a source who was in the room" and was said to remember the exchange in question.
"The statement was sarcastic and was never discussed with any intention of recording a conversation with the president," the unnamed source said.
The spokesperson did not immediately reply to an emailed question asking if the 25th amendment was discussed during that meeting.
In other US media, there was scepticism that the US deputy attorney general would earnestly propose ousting the president.
Activating the relevant section of the 25th amendment would require a majority of Mr Trump's cabinet, the vice-president and majorities in Congress, which is currently controlled by the president's party.
The Washington Post also reported that Mr Rosenstein's remark about surreptitious recordings was not serious.
The newspaper said the deputy attorney general had been responding to Andrew McCabe's suggestion that the justice department investigate the president.
According to the Post, Mr Rosenstein replied sarcastically: "What do you want to do, Andy, wire the president?"
The newspaper also said that someone who was present at the meeting denied the 25th amendment had ever come up.

Will Trump sack Rosenstein?

Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC Washington
Donald Trump has spent a lot of time disparaging "fake news" reports from the "failing" New York Times largely based on anonymous sources. It will be interesting to see how he responds to an article that seemingly confirms his suspicions that members of his own administration are out to get him.
Or maybe they're not. It all depends on whether you believe sources who talked to people who were in the room when Rod Rosenstein reportedly entertained notions of secretly taping the president or organising a constitutional manoeuvre to remove Mr Trump from office.
On some level, it doesn't matter if the reports are true. They alter events and perceptions either way. Mr Rosenstein has been on thin ice with the president for so long his feet probably have frostbite. The New York Times story could be the ominous crack that presages a plunge into the cold abyss.
Given Mr Rosenstein's position overseeing Robert Mueller and the Russia probe, any move against him by the president would be fraught with political peril. The president has vowed that he won't make a decision about Jeff Sessions until after the mid-term elections in November. Would that reluctance extend to the attorney general's second in command?

Timeline of events

9 May 2017 - Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submits a memo to the attorney general regarding FBI boss James Comey's investigation into Hillary Clinton's handling of classified documents. President Trump fires Mr Comey, and Andrew McCabe becomes acting director of the FBI.
11 May 2017 - Mr Rosenstein denies that he threatened to quit after being described as a key influence in Mr Comey's firing. The New York Times says Mr McCabe's memos from around this time note that Mr Rosenstein was upset and wished Mr Comey was still at the FBI.
16 May 2017 - Mr Rosenstein met Mr McCabe and other senior officials to explain his role in Mr Comey's firing. He reportedly said he was frustrated with Mr Trump, suggested wearing a "wire" to secretly record the president during White House visits, and discussed invoking the 25th amendment to oust Mr Trump for being "unfit" for office, the New York Times reported on Friday.
17 May 2017 - Mr Rosenstein appoints Robert Mueller as special counsel, tasked with overseeing the Russia investigation.
17 March 2018 - Mr McCabe is fired by Mr Trump a day before his planned 18 March retirement. He had stepped down from his FBI role amid relentless criticism from Mr Trump.
30 May 2018 - US media report that Mr McCabe handed over a confidential memo on Mr Comey's firing - which reportedly details his conversation with Mr Rosenstein - to the special counsel.
26 July 2018 - After the justice department rejects a request to release Mr McCabe's memos, conservatives in the House of Representatives file articles of impeachment in an effort to oust Mr Rosenstein, accusing him of stonewalling their requests for information, which he denies.

Related Topics

More on this story

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)