# A Thread for the Mueller Investigation Results and Outcomes (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 28, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093 "2017-10-28T20:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 538
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10743 "2019-04-17T21:39:38Z")
The White House has already gotten the conclusions of the report, fortunately not on a tarmac. > **[White House and Justice Dept. Officials Discussed Mueller Report Before...](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/trump-mueller-report.html)** > > Some of President Trump’s advisers are concerned about whether he will retaliate against them if the report reveals them as sources of damaging details. And if you think they aren’t coordinating, know that Trump announced this press conference by Barr on the radio before the DOJ did. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10744 "2019-04-17T21:57:32Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I believe it is 9:30 ET. Barr and Rosenstein to take questions. How long the reporters will have to review the report in order to ask intelligent questions is unknown. > > My guess is this will their chance to polish the turd as much as possible. They may even announce an investigation into the start of the investigation. Or they’ll talk about Benghazi. Who knows? Reopened emails investigation is my bet. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10745 "2019-04-17T22:06:16Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > The White House has already gotten the conclusions of the report, fortunately not on a tarmac. > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/william-barr-press-conference.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes&utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/william-barr-press-conference.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes&utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app) > > And if you think they aren’t coordinating, know that Trump announced this press conference by Barr on the radio before the DOJ did. I justed looked at Trump’s Twit feed and the last mention of the report is 10 hours old. So maybe that’s a good sign he’s not crowing about it? > [@](#): > > @realDonaldTrump > 10 hours ago > Wow! FBI made 11 payments to Fake Dossier’s discredited author, Trump hater Christopher Steele. @OANN@JudicialWatch The Witch Hunt has been a total fraud on your President and the American people! It was brought to you by Dirty Cops, Crooked Hillary and the DNC. What an ass. Also, what is the evidence that Steele is a “Trump hater”? I thought Steele was alarmed that the Trump campaign was having all these contacts with Russians and that’s why he went to the FBI. Does Steele actually have an ax to grind or is this just more of Trump’s BS lies about his “enemies”\* Still claiming “witch hunt” instead of “total exoneration” and “no collusion”, though. \*Who seem to be anyone that dares not to be a Trump suck-up. Trump is so thin-skinned that he seems all upset that Fox stepped out on him: [Donald Trump really isn’t happy that Fox News hosted a town hall with Bernie Sanders](https://www.vox.com/2019/4/16/18410572/trump-fox-news-bernie-sanders-town-hall) \*The president isn’t used to watching himself get attacked on his favorite channel \* > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump is far from thrilled about the fact his favorite television station broadcast a Bernie Sanders town hall on Monday evening — one in which Sanders repeatedly laid into him and called him “dangerous.” > > On Tuesday morning, Trump — who regularly live-tweets Fox News shows, programming that almost always covers him favorably — bemoaned the Fox News event featuring one of the 2020 Democratic frontrunners, and notably used the pronoun “we” while decrying the network’s recent move to hire former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile as a contributor. So unfair! ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10746 "2019-04-17T22:42:45Z")
Report itself won’t be released till after press conference. So hatchet job confirmed, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10747 "2019-04-17T23:01:51Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I justed looked at Trump’s Twit feed and the last mention of the report is 10 hours old. So maybe that’s a good sign he’s not crowing about it? > > What an ass. **Also, what is the evidence that Steele is a “Trump hater”?** I thought Steele was alarmed that the Trump campaign was having all these contacts with Russians and that’s why he went to the FBI. **Does Steele actually have an ax to grind** or is this just more of Trump’s BS lies about his “enemies”\* Still claiming “witch hunt” instead of “total exoneration” and “no collusion”, though. > > \ No, Steele does not have an axe to grind. Surely by now you’ve noticed that Trump’s go-to move is to focus everything through a partisan and/or otherwise tainted lens, with never any proof/evidence offered for those views. Steele has been so unfairly smeared. The government of The Netherlands had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The government of Australia had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The government of Germany had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. The government of the UK had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. Steele was part of that government, and was well regarded on both sides of the pond as a consummate professional in his area of expertise: Russian spies. A kindly piece of advice: _Never_ take what Trump says at face value. Ever. He lies constantly. And so does Barr, apparently. Based on recent comments made by Barr, Trump and other regular henchmen about “spying” on the Trump campaign, Barr will announce tomorrow that there will be an investigation into the investigators in the run-up to the election. It’s a disgusting, pure bullshit political tactic, with no basis in fact. Just a desperate way to attempt to muddy the waters so Trump can find a path to “reelection.” ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10748 "2019-04-18T00:26:28Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > A kindly piece of advice: _Never_ take what Trump says at face value. Ever. He lies constantly. And so does Barr, apparently. Oh, I know. I think in 2015 I posted on Facebook that it saves time by assuming whatever Trump says is false. My Trumpster friends were like “How can you say that?” I replied that he was a conman who was most likely showing early signs of dementia. I just wanted to get the straight dope on Steele and any possible conflict of interest in his research. Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean there’s not someone out to get you, as the saying goes. And I, along with countless others I’m sure, would certainly like to see that asshole get gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10749 "2019-04-18T00:43:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I believe it is 9:30 ET. Barr and Rosenstein to take questions. How long the reporters will have to review the report in order to ask intelligent questions is unknown. NO time, is what’s being said now; the report won’t be released until noon EDT. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > My guess is this will their chance to polish the turd as much as possible. They may even announce an investigation into the start of the investigation. Or they’ll talk about Benghazi. Who knows? > [@JohnT](#): > > Reopened emails investigation is my bet. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > …Based on recent comments made by Barr, Trump and other regular henchmen about “spying” on the Trump campaign, Barr will announce tomorrow that there will be an investigation into the investigators in the run-up to the election. ‘Yes’ to all this. The order of the day will be to distract from the report. And the best way to do that—if Trump’s people don’t think he can get away with actually starting a war—is to _ **create outrage** _. And they will be interested in creating as much outrage as possible. So, yes: investigations into James Comey (for starting the investigation), into Hillary Clinton (for having gotten more votes than Trump, but ostensibly for some made-up shit), and into any other of Trump’s enemies they think they can get away with targeting. I would not be remotely surprised if Barr announces investigations of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and especially Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler. Trump & Co. will want all media outlets to have _not one second_ to devote to the Report, because they’ll be so busy talking about the plans Barr has announced to harass Trump’s opponents. And it wouldn’t be surprising if a large number of those tasked with the harassment (FBI and other Justice Department employees) quit in protest. So Trump’s people will simply sashay over to Liberty University and deputize the entire student body. All this will serve very well to keep people from talking about Mueller’s results. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10750 "2019-04-18T01:31:41Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Report itself won’t be released till after press conference. So hatchet job confirmed, I guess. Yeah, the fix is well and truly in. In true Trumpian fashion, they’re not even trying to hide the corruption. With that said, very recent WaPo reporting indicates the report will be “lightly” redacted. Huzzah, maybe at least 20% will be readable. Tomorrow will be an interesting day. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10751 "2019-04-18T01:44:01Z")
There was a Mueller tea leaf I [read a while back](https://www.justsecurity.org/62726/muellers-findings-doj-non-disclosure-policy-grand-jury-secrecy-apply/), from Matthew Miller, that none of the witnesses who spoke to the Special Counsel Office about obstruction have gone before the grand jury. This would mean that Barr couldn’t redact the obstruction of justice stuff on grand jury secrecy grounds. The\* Washington Post \*is reporting that the obstruction of justice part of the report will be [only lightly redacted](https://twitter.com/matthewamiller/status/1118680247631794176). ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10752 "2019-04-18T01:48:12Z")
Unless I hear that Cheeto took an unscheduled flight to Moscow at 5:00 am, I’ll have to go with **Aspenglow, John T, and Sherred** on predictions. What can the house do right away if this report turns to aid Trump and deny all collusion/obstruction/whatever? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10753 "2019-04-18T02:44:12Z")
Just remember gang: Every word Dotard, the Individual of the Firsts is going to say tomorrow is something he refused to say under oath. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10754 "2019-04-18T03:07:38Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > No, Steele does not have an axe to grind. Surely by now you’ve noticed that Trump’s go-to move is to focus everything through a partisan and/or otherwise tainted lens, with never any proof/evidence offered for those views. Steele has been so unfairly smeared. > > The government of The Netherlands had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. > > The government of Australia had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. > > The government of Germany had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. > > The government of the UK had no axe to grind when they alerted our national security agencies of signal intelligence they were receiving about ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians. Steele was part of that government, and was well regarded on both sides of the pond as a consummate professional in his area of expertise: Russian spies. And now he’s the _gag_ President _retch_. And he’s spent the past two years treating them in such a way that now they ALL have axes to grind. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10755 "2019-04-18T03:16:43Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > The White House has already gotten the conclusions of the report, fortunately not on a tarmac. > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/william-barr-press-conference.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes&utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/william-barr-press-conference.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes&utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app) > > And if you think they aren’t coordinating, know that Trump announced this press conference by Barr on the radio before the DOJ did. Okay, this one paragraph: > [@](#): > > Justice Department officials have had numerous conversations with White House lawyers about the conclusions made by Mr. Mueller, the special counsel, in recent days, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. **The talks have aided the president’s legal team as it prepares a rebuttal to the report** and strategizes for the coming public war over its findings. Why would they need a “rebuttal” to a report that “completely exonerates” Trump? I’m betting that even the redacted version shows what a piece of work he is. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10756 "2019-04-18T03:23:59Z")
Some of the folks on MSNBC are referring to Barr’s planned dog and pony show tomorrow morning as a “Prebuttal”, which cracks me up for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10757 "2019-04-18T04:10:07Z")
If it’s lightly redacted, why did it take so long to release? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10758 "2019-04-18T04:27:56Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > If it’s lightly redacted, why did it take so long to release? Such a great question. 🙂 Listening to the late showing of Maddow tonight. I love Judge Reggie Walton. [Judge Walton: Barr is Sowing Public Mistrust with his Mishandling of the Mueller Report](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/16/judge-barr-mistrust-mueller-1278030). (Politico) > [@](#): > > “The attorney general has created an environment that has caused a significant part of the public … to be concerned about whether or not there is full transparency,” U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton said during a hearing Tuesday afternoon on a Freedom of Information Act suit demanding access to a report detailing the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller. Judge Walton intends to receive a pleading from Barr’s DOJ on May 2nd to determine if the report released to the public by Barr is the same as what would be released in response to a FOIA request. Bad look if it isn’t, and Judge Walton implies he may be quite willing to take these matters into his own hands. May 2nd. I may finally get to open that bottle of wine!! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10759 "2019-04-18T05:01:10Z")
I’ve lowered my expectations to the point where I expect tomorrow to be Al Capone’s Vault II. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10760 "2019-04-18T05:15:36Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Such a great question. 🙂 > > Listening to the late showing of Maddow tonight. > > I love Judge Reggie Walton. > > [Judge Walton: Barr is Sowing Public Mistrust with his Mishandling of the Mueller Report](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/16/judge-barr-mistrust-mueller-1278030). (Politico) > > Judge Walton intends to receive a pleading from Barr’s DOJ on May 2nd to determine if the report released to the public by Barr is the same as what would be released in response to a FOIA request. Bad look if it isn’t, and Judge Walton implies he may be quite willing to take these matters into his own hands. > > May 2nd. I may finally get to open that bottle of wine!! Supposedly, they’ve decided to release a “lightly redacted” copy. I suspect that between the judge and Mueller going in to work a few days ago, the cogs have moved to force Barr to not be a complete dick. Personally, I’ll just skip the conference, unless there are reports that Rosenstein decided to fall on his sword and start walking through the list of open investigations on national TV, just to get tackled by secret service. I’m just glad that I’m on the West Coast. I’ll wake up to the report. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10761 "2019-04-18T05:42:12Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Hell, I’ll thrown in t-shirts that say, “AIR FORCE ONE CREW” for everyone on board. Better just to throw in some paper towel rolls. > [@sciurophobic](#): > > I presume it would be to the DC District Court, where there’s only 3 Trump appointed judges, and 17 by Carter, Clinton, and Obama. As we speak; probably best act on it soon before _that_ deck gets reshuffled. > [@Locrian](#): > > What can the house do right away if this report turns to aid Trump and deny all collusion/obstruction/whatever? Wondering too. (most likely a dumb question: or does the DC district court have principal jurisdiction over probing into such a result?) Probably mentioned already elsewhere: Barr’s stock photo used on PBS is perfect: he’s holding both hands out like he’s going abra-cadabra. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/10762 "2019-04-18T11:31:05Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > If it’s lightly redacted, why did it take so long to release? They needed to get Putin’s blessing. These things take time. So the AG has been working with Donald’s lawyers all the while. What a shock. Sad that Barr throws what until now had been a bipartisan good reputation and throws it right in the shitter to please Orange Julius Caesar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=537) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=539)