# 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:** 558
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11143 "2019-05-01T19:35:09Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > It’s one thing to not remember an event from 2 years ago but dude’s been on the job for like 2 months. Hey, be fair. It was two months, but it felt like two years. > [@jshore](#): > > “The Attorney General of the United States of America cleared the target of the most important investigation in modern history without reviewing the evidence.” > > He also did that when the actual report from the investigators who looked at all the evidence reached the specific conclusion that he could not clear the target. (And, the only question they allowed themselves to answer was “Was the target cleared or not?”) Question: Was the target cleared or not? Answer: Yes. Question: Does five added to seven equal eleven or twelve?\* Answer: Yes.\* Question: Are you an honest person or not?\* Answer: Yes.\* \*Hypothetical questions and how they would have been answered. See? No problems whatsoever with anyone from Tan the Conman’s administration with answering questions truthfully. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11144 "2019-05-01T19:37:56Z")
Here’s my summary of today’s hearing and surrounding data: What Mueller says: “The summary letter the Department sent to Congress and released to the public in the late afternoon of March 24 did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this Office’s work and its conclusions…There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation.” What Barr hears: “The media is fucking up.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11145 "2019-05-01T19:51:47Z")
MSNBC literally interrupted Barr’s testimony to point out that he was lying. > **[MSNBC Cuts Into Barr Hearing to Call the Attorney General a Liar](https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-cuts-into-barr-hearing-to-call-the-attorney-general-a-liar/)** > > The network also cut into Lindsey Graham's opening remarks to rebuke his claims that the Mueller report found ‘no collusion.’ ---
**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:** [May 1, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11146 "2019-05-01T19:53:20Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > I’ll tell you exactly why it is so important (besides any redaction issues): It speaks to the credibility of the person who is heading the Department of Justice. In particular, are we going to see this sort of report on every one of the 14 investigations that Mueller spun off or are we going to have to take his word on some of these other investigations? > > Because, from where I am sitting, his word ain’t worth shit. You’re right. It ain’t worth shit. Barr is garbage. However, I’ll bet not all of Mueller’s referrals were to other US Attorneys’ offices. Pretty sure some of them were to jurisdictions beyond the reach of the AG and of Trump. Barr won’t be able to fuck with those. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11147 "2019-05-01T19:54:18Z")
They could just put a big black “X” over the “Hon.” on Barr’s nameplate. There is no honor in the man. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11148 "2019-05-01T19:58:01Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > However, I’ll bet not all of Mueller’s referrals were to other US Attorneys’ offices. Pretty sure some of them were to jurisdictions beyond the reach of the AG and of Trump. Barr won’t be able to fuck with those. I hope you’re right…And, I hope these are some of the best ones. 😃 ---
**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:** [May 1, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11149 "2019-05-01T20:05:31Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > I hope you’re right…And, I hope these are some of the best ones. 😃 Me, too. 🙂 Here’s another takeaway that might buck you up a little: Barr was in front of the most friendly panel of questioners he could have possibly wished for under the circumstances, and he still looked exactly like the disingenuous, partisan Roy-Cohn piece of shit that he is. It only gets worse from here on out. The House Judiciary and Oversight committees won’t be nearly so friendly for him. And once Mueller and McGahn testify, Barr’s lack of fitness for his office will become even more apparent. Not that it can look much more obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11150 "2019-05-01T20:21:04Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Me, too. 🙂 > > Here’s another takeaway that might buck you up a little: Barr was in front of the most friendly panel of questioners he could have possibly wished for under the circumstances, and he still looked exactly like the disingenuous, partisan Roy-Cohn piece of shit that he is. > > It only gets worse from here on out. The House Judiciary and Oversight committees won’t be nearly so friendly for him. And once Mueller and McGahn testify, Barr’s lack of fitness for his office will become even more apparent. Not that it can look much more obvious. So what? I mean: why would Barr give a shit about any of this? He knows he’s not going to jail. He knows he’ll continue to be AG as long as Trump wants him there. He knows there will be absolutely no consequences for what he’s doing that will have any lasting ill-effect on him, and likely no short-term ill-effect either. He and the people he is shielding will continue to prosper and control our lives, and he knows that. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11151 "2019-05-01T20:38:45Z")
Comey apparently wrote an op ed published in the NYT today that is interesting. It could explain at least partially why so many of these appointees working for tRump turn into complete toadies and even praise him in public and start to talk like him. He “eats the soul” a bite at a time of anyone who has no character. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11152 "2019-05-01T20:50:27Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > I’ll tell you exactly why it is so important (besides any redaction issues): It speaks to the credibility of the person who is heading the Department of Justice. In particular, are we going to see this sort of report on every one of the 14 investigations that Mueller spun off or are we going to have to take his word on some of these other investigations? > > Because, from where I am sitting, his word ain’t worth shit. The fourteeen spinoffs will never get that far. While this dies down and iDJiT distracts us again, he’ll summarily quash them all. That’s what he’s shooting for, as well as his date with SCOTUS to have the unitary executive theory affirmed. Which so happens to be the position of Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. I may be (almost certainly am) repeating myself, but this is the one area that I believe the media is not looking at. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11153 "2019-05-01T20:50:44Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Comey apparently wrote an op ed published in the NYT today that is interesting. It could explain at least partially why so many of these appointees working for tRump turn into complete toadies and even praise him in public and start to talk like him. He “eats the soul” a bite at a time of anyone who has no character. [Accomplished people lacking inner strength can’t resist the compromises necessary to survive this president.](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/opinion/william-barr-testimony.html) > [@](#): > > It starts with your sitting silent while he lies, both in public and private, making you complicit by your silence. In meetings with him, his assertions about what “everyone thinks” and what is “obviously true” wash over you, unchallenged, as they did at our private dinner on Jan. 27, 2017, because he’s the president and he rarely stops talking. As a result, Mr. Trump pulls all of those present into a silent circle of assent. > > Speaking rapid-fire with no spot for others to jump into the conversation, Mr. Trump makes everyone a co-conspirator to his preferred set of facts, or delusions. I have felt it — this president building with his words a web of alternative reality and busily wrapping it around all of us in the room. > > I must have agreed that he had the largest inauguration crowd in history because I didn’t challenge that. Everyone must agree that he has been treated very unfairly. The web building never stops. > > From the private circle of assent, it moves to public displays of personal fealty at places like cabinet meetings. While the entire world is watching, you do what everyone else around the table does — you talk about how amazing the leader is and what an honor it is to be associated with him. > [@](#): > > Next comes Mr. Trump attacking institutions and values you hold dear — things you have always said must be protected and which you criticized past leaders for not supporting strongly enough. Yet you are silent. Because, after all, what are you supposed to say? He’s the president of the United States. > > You feel this happening. It bothers you, at least to some extent. But his outrageous conduct convinces you that you simply must stay, to preserve and protect the people and institutions and values you hold dear. Along with Republican members of Congress, you tell yourself you are too important for this nation to lose, especially now. > > You can’t say this out loud — maybe not even to your family — but in a time of emergency, with the nation led by a deeply unethical person, this will be your contribution, your personal sacrifice for America. You are smarter than Donald Trump, and you are playing a long game for your country, so you can pull it off where lesser leaders have failed and gotten fired by tweet. > > Of course, to stay, you must be seen as on his team, so you make further compromises. You use his language, praise his leadership, tout his commitment to values. > > And then you are lost. He has eaten your soul. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11154 "2019-05-01T20:52:58Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Comey apparently wrote an op ed published in the NYT today that is interesting. It could explain at least partially why so many of these appointees working for tRump turn into complete toadies and even praise him in public and start to talk like him. He “eats the soul” a bite at a time of anyone who has no character. [ **James Comey: How Trump Co-opts Leaders Like Bill Barr** _Accomplished people lacking inner strength can’t resist the compromises necessary to survive this president._](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/opinion/william-barr-testimony.html) > [@](#): > > …You feel this happening. It bothers you, at least to some extent. But his outrageous conduct convinces you that you simply must stay, to preserve and protect the people and institutions and values you hold dear. Along with Republican members of Congress, you tell yourself you are too important for this nation to lose, especially now. > > You can’t say this out loud — maybe not even to your family — but in a time of emergency, with the nation led by a deeply unethical person, this will be your contribution, your personal sacrifice for America. You are smarter than Donald Trump, and you are playing a long game for your country, so you can pull it off where lesser leaders have failed and gotten fired by tweet. > > Of course, to stay, you must be seen as on his team, so you make further compromises. You use his language, praise his leadership, tout his commitment to values. > > And then you are lost. He has eaten your soul. Sorry, this is no fucking excuse. Or, frankly, much of an explanation. ETA: Ninja’d. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11155 "2019-05-01T20:53:12Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > You’re right. It ain’t worth shit. Barr is garbage. > > However, I’ll bet not all of Mueller’s referrals were to other US Attorneys’ offices. Pretty sure some of them were to jurisdictions beyond the reach of the AG and of Trump. Barr won’t be able to fuck with those. Barr doesn’t give a shit about other jurisdictions or iDJiT himself. As in my previous post, it’s all about that straight shot to the Supremes. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11156 "2019-05-01T20:53:18Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > For as much grief as I give you, correctly, for being an partisan, idiotic hack who enjoys trolling, I suppose I should speak up, briefly, when I agree with you. The focus should not be on Barr’s summary; we all know he’s a political hack willing to lie for Trump rather than an impartial head of the Attorney General who works for the good of the country. > > We should instead focus on the report itself. We should focus on the fact the Russians tampered in our elections, that the Trump campaign knew about it and willingly benefited from it, that multiple members of the Trump campaign lied repeatedly to cover up the connections between Russian and the campaign, that Trump himself took steps to hinder, if not completely stop, the investigation itself, and that he obstructed justice. That’s what we should be focusing on, not that a political piece of garbage is acting as the president’s personal attorney instead of as the head attorney of the United States. > > You’re on board with this, right? No. Trump should be impeached on war crimes immediately. No time to waste on weak tea. > [@jshore](#): > > I’ll tell you exactly why it is so important (besides any redaction issues): It speaks to the credibility of the person who is heading the Department of Justice. In particular, are we going to see this sort of report on every one of the 14 investigations that Mueller spun off or are we going to have to take his word on some of these other investigations? > > Because, from where I am sitting, his word ain’t worth shit. Ok. I suggest you write Barr a thank you note for removing your fog of naïveté. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11157 "2019-05-01T20:58:15Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > So what? I mean: why would Barr give a shit about any of this? He knows he’s not going to jail. He knows he’ll continue to be AG as long as Trump wants him there. He knows there will be absolutely no consequences for what he’s doing that will have any lasting ill-effect on him, and likely no short-term ill-effect either. He and the people he is shielding will continue to prosper and control our lives, and he knows that. Barr doesn’t give too much of a shit about any of this. But he has to give a shit about what a majority of people think in this country. Why do you suppose Trump can’t climb above 41-42% in his approval ratings? This garbage isn’t working on roughly 60% of Americans. So the worse Barr looks, the worse Trump looks. And that isn’t going to help Trump in his reelection bid. As for whether or not Barr goes to jail… You’re right. Not so long as Trump remains in the Oval Office. But we can change that. Trump and his supporters are not a monolith. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11158 "2019-05-01T20:59:08Z")
> [@](#): > > **Comey** : > **You can’t say this out loud** — maybe not even to your family — but in a time of emergency, with the nation led by a deeply unethical person, this will be your contribution, your personal sacrifice for America. You are smarter than Donald Trump, and you are playing a long game for your country, so you can pull it off where lesser leaders have failed and gotten fired by tweet. But they did - in an intended reassurance, no less - in the anonymous NY Times Op Ed. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11159 "2019-05-01T21:02:27Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Comey apparently wrote an op ed published in the NYT today that is interesting. It could explain at least partially why so many of these appointees working for tRump turn into complete toadies and even praise him in public and start to talk like him. He “eats the soul” a bite at a time of anyone who has no character. Republican strategist Rick Wilson said that: “the moral corruption of Donald Trump is his superpower.” Trump appears to have some weird power to corrupt anyone in his orbit who is susceptible to moral corruption. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11160 "2019-05-01T21:04:56Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Trump appears to have some weird power to corrupt anyone in his orbit who is susceptible to moral corruption. Everyone who isn’t gets fired and replaced by someone who is. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11161 "2019-05-01T21:22:44Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Republican strategist Rick Wilson said that: “the moral corruption of Donald Trump is his superpower.” Trump appears to have some weird power to corrupt anyone in his orbit who is susceptible to moral corruption. I think it’s more that Trump is able to publicly expose how corrupt many people already are. They just have been getting away with it hidden for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11162 "2019-05-01T21:23:19Z")
Comey should write another op-ed: How I fucked Over Hillary Clinton Late In The Game To Give Trump A Push. Fuck James Comey and his guilty conscience. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=557) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=559)