# 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:** 560
**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 2, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11183 "2019-05-02T02:07:19Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > 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. Oh, yeah, Comey fucked up big time. He’s an idiot and I don’t get why he was so determined to put the investigation into “her emails” on blast while the investigation into tRump’s connection with Russia on the down low. Somehow it would “look political” for the FBI not to prosecute Hillary in the court of public opinion, but nobody worried at all how it would look to keep tRump’s issues secret. I just thought it was interesting that he addressed how some of these people tRump surrounds himself even start to talk like he does. It made me think of Ronny Jackson, whose letter marveling at tRump’s extraordinary good health sounded as though it could have been written by The Cheeto himself. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > I think he may have some mentalist-type aptitude for reading people, which, of course, is an important skill for a conman. We know he likes to have one-on-ones with people that he’s attempting to recruit, with no-one else in the room. He probably talks about how great he is to test their obsequiousness, says some outrageous things to test their moral fiber, and then makes queries regarding the potential extent of their loyalty to him. > > He’s also a magnet and an emboldener for morally corrupt people, because his moral corruption is so brazen, yet he seems to get away with it and is “facially”, to use a Barr term, successful. I think so too. He has a way of finding these people. He doesn’t always get it right, because sometimes even shitty people like Jeff Sessions and James Mattis will not fully cooperate with what he wants. But he still finds lots of people who will just fall in line. I know there’s got to be a lot of corruptible people, especially when it comes to the amounts of money that that exchange hands in Washington. But I guess I thought a few more of them would be willing to stand in the way of authoritarianism. I mean actual authoritarianism but they don’t mind. They love it. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11184 "2019-05-02T02:13:51Z")
Trust me, this isn’t the story; we’ve already known that somehow or another, Trump would eventually find a way to shut down the election. I will admit that I was wrong in the timing - I thought he’d fire Mueller much earlier than he did. As we found out, he would have if only people in his administration had actually obeyed his orders to do so, so I wasn’t really all that wrong to begin with as it turns out. But now I’m tellin you all this, and listen up good: the real fun is about to begin. While everyone’s outraged over the fact that Mueller didn’t convince the entire congress or the American people to drive Trump out of office, it is clear that this has landed some blows to the body, which means that Trump will inevitably have to respond in kind. Trump’s in political jeopardy. He is in legal jeopardy. Even worse than that, he and his children are in potential financial jeopardy if they end up on the wrong side of this. They’ve known this was coming and they’ve been preparing for it. All they needed were some authoritarian-minded brethren who were similarly corrupt, and they’ve found their partners in Mitch McConnell and now Bill Barr. And what I’m sayin is this: they’re about to go on the offensive. They’re not going to take this lying down. They know that the electoral math isn’t in their favor and that not everyone’s swallowing their bullshit, so their answer is to simply render democracy and democratic processes ineffectual, or at least less so. From Bill Barr’s point of view, it starts with not just avoiding subpoenas, but rather putting the Democrats on the defensive. **The Department of Justice is going to start going to after its "enemies.**" Bank on it. This is what I’ve been talking about. I know y’all thought I was nuts, but the moment is here. It’s coming. Get ready. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11185 "2019-05-02T02:19:28Z")
You weren’t the only one, Asahi. > [@JohnT](#): > > Reopened emails investigation is my bet. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > NO time, is what’s being said now; the report won’t be released until noon EDT. > > ‘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:** ![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 2, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11186 "2019-05-02T02:25:43Z")
There was scuttlebutt not long ago (unsourced so far as I know at this point) that Barr has ties to Alfa Bank. I think a lot more Republicans have ties to Russians than we’re currently aware at this point. And I believe that’s why they are so malleable. They are as scared as Trump, which makes them all dangerous as hell. ---
**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 2, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11187 "2019-05-02T02:43:00Z")
[Matthew Miller](https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1123767213109010434): > [@](#): > > "My theory now about what happened to Bill Barr is that his change over the past 25 years has tracked the change the entire Republican party has undergone. I really think he believes this investigation never should have started to begin with. I think he believes some of the worst conspiracy theories about people inside the FBI trying to take down the president. Will the Attorney General go from Coverup General to Witchfinder General? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11188 "2019-05-02T02:46:56Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I guess we learned that if you are being investigated you should do your damndest to obstruct the investigation so that there isn’t sufficient evidence to charge you with the underlying crime and therefore the obstruction is now legal. … If You Are A Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11189 "2019-05-02T03:04:36Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > By the way, is there any precedent for an attorney general to label the subject of an investigation “falsely accused” after the Department has determined that the evidence does not rise to the level where they can prosecute them for a particular crime that they were investigating? And furthermore has actively obstructed their obtaining the necessary evidence? ---
**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 2, 2019, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11190 "2019-05-02T03:08:07Z")
Barr [also believes](https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1123670102535176192) that a president can shut down any proceeding against them if they think it’s unfounded or if they’re being falsely accused. So, basically, corrupt presidents can never be investigated. ---
**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 2, 2019, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11191 "2019-05-02T03:32:23Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Trust me, this isn’t the story; we’ve already known that somehow or another, Trump would eventually find a way to shut down the election. I will admit that I was wrong in the timing - I thought he’d fire Mueller much earlier than he did. … Did you mean “shut down the **investigation** ”? ---
**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 2, 2019, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11192 "2019-05-02T03:32:39Z")
> **[Mueller complained that Barr’s letter did not capture ‘context’ of Trump probe](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-complained-that-barrs-letter-did-not-capture-context-of-trump-probe/2019/04/30/d3c8fdb6-6b7b-11e9-a66d-a82d3f3d96d5_story.html?utm_term=.c9c0d0d8d1ac)** > > In a letter and phone call, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and Attorney General William P. Barr went back and forth over Mueller’s concerns. “The summary letter the Department sent to Congress and released to the public . . . did not fully... “In that call, Mueller said he was concerned that media coverage of the obstruction probe was misguided and creating public misunderstandings about the office’s work, according to Justice Department officials. **Mueller did not express similar concerns about the public discussion of the investigation of Russia’s election interference** ” Mueller basically extinguished the Russia-hawk narrative, yet there are many who just can’t let go. I think these people are coming unhinged and I’m somewhat frightened that such a large group of otherwise intelligent people are so nuts. “When Barr pressed Mueller on whether he thought Barr’s memo to Congress was inaccurate, Mueller said he did not but felt that the media coverage of it was misinterpreting the investigation, officials said.” More dousing of the flames. Mueller said the media fucked up. Some disturbed individuals are having trouble with plain text. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11193 "2019-05-02T04:06:27Z")
Mueller never mentioned the fucking media; Barr is the one who fucked up. ---
**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 2, 2019, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11194 "2019-05-02T04:19:17Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > **Mueller said the media fucked up.** Some disturbed individuals are having trouble with plain text. Did he now? You heard him? :dubious: ---
**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:** [May 2, 2019, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11195 "2019-05-02T04:29:25Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Why in the world would he resign as long as Trump wants him there? There are no consequences this Congress will enact against him and no one else can touch him. Didn’t the HoR Sergeant at Arms once have the authority to deputize the Capitol Police to take defiant subpoena recipients into custody? ---
**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 2, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11196 "2019-05-02T04:34:55Z")
The timeline of Mueller’s letters is interesting. 24th March: Barr releases to Congress, and the public, his 4-page summary of the report’s principal conclusions. 25th March: Mueller sends Barr a letter enclosed with the introduction and executive summary for each volume of the report marked with redactions for public release. 27th March: Mueller sends Barr another letter telling him his summary letter “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of the report, which has led to “public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation.” He says the release of the pre-prepared summaries would “alleviate the misunderstandings that have arisen.” Almost all the media, both Fox and the mainstream media, were going with the Trump has been exonerated narrative at this time. It took some days following the Barr summary for the idea that this was a whitewash to percolate through to the main news media. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11197 "2019-05-02T04:37:52Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Anybody here read the noir novel **Nightmare Alley?** > > I’d kinda like to see the short-fingered vulgarian end up like the conman protagonist…working for a two-bit carnival biting the heads off live chickens. > > [Nightmare Alley - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_Alley) Victor Mature was BORN to play that role! ---
**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:** [May 2, 2019, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11198 "2019-05-02T06:13:17Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-complained-that-barrs-letter-did-not-capture-context-of-trump-probe/2019/04/30/d3c8fdb6-6b7b-11e9-a66d-a82d3f3d96d5\_story.html?utm\_term=.c9c0d0d8d1ac](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-complained-that-barrs-letter-did-not-capture-context-of-trump-probe/2019/04/30/d3c8fdb6-6b7b-11e9-a66d-a82d3f3d96d5_story.html?utm_term=.c9c0d0d8d1ac) > “In that call, Mueller said he was concerned that media coverage of the obstruction probe was misguided and creating public misunderstandings about the office’s work, according to Justice Department officials. **Mueller did not express similar concerns about the public discussion of the investigation of Russia’s election interference** ” > > Mueller basically extinguished the Russia-hawk narrative, yet there are many who just can’t let go. I think these people are coming unhinged and I’m somewhat frightened that such a large group of otherwise intelligent people are so nuts. > > “When Barr pressed Mueller on whether he thought Barr’s memo to Congress was inaccurate, Mueller said he did not but felt that the media coverage of it was misinterpreting the investigation, officials said.” > > More dousing of the flames. Mueller said the media fucked up. Some disturbed individuals are having trouble with plain text. Again, I could explain this to you if you’re genuinely not understanding what you see, but you would need to accept that I had explained to you in good faith and that what I have said is factually accurate, whether it comports with your beliefs or not. Do you want me to do so? ---
**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:** [May 2, 2019, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11199 "2019-05-02T06:26:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Stop the presses! [Rachel Maddow: Barr ordered end of Mueller probe.](https://www.politicususa.com/2019/05/01/rachel-maddow-indications-barr-ordered-the-end-of-mueller-probe.html) We’ll have to see, I suppose. No great hopes, but it certainly sounds plausible. I’d say that it seems like a patently dumb thing to do, except I do believe that we have reached the stage where the Republican Senate has made it clear that they’re going to defend Trump all the way through 2024 if it comes to it, regardless of whether he felches a live goat on TV or decides to take up a hobby of murdering peasants on the weekend. So, while impeachment isn’t only for Presidents, I’m not feeling like the Senate is going to let Barr go. So far as they’re liable to be concerned, if the man is willing to spend his days practicing the political coprophagia that it requires to try and hide Trump’s shit, well that just spares them from having to do it. If anything, they’re liable to be more protective of Barr than they have been of Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11200 "2019-05-02T08:08:59Z")
nevermind - misread. I thought Snowboarder was coming after me. Sorry if you happened to read my bile. ---
**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 2, 2019, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11201 "2019-05-02T08:57:20Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Did he now? You heard him? :dubious: > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Again, I could explain this to you if you’re genuinely not understanding what you see, but you would need to accept that I had explained to you in good faith and that what I have said is factually accurate, whether it comports with your beliefs or not. > > Do you want me to do so? Let’s try again: “When Barr pressed Mueller on whether he thought Barr’s memo to Congress was inaccurate, **Mueller said he did not** but felt that the media coverage of it was misinterpreting the investigation, officials said." At this point, there are two possibilities. First you can read the above and realize you fucked up and not respond. The other option is you really are that dumb, and you continue to trudge along with your complete stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093/11202 "2019-05-02T09:19:07Z")
“Officials said that Mueller said that what the officials said was fine.” Meanwhile, what Mueller actually said appears to have been something entirely different. But please keep trudging along, Governor… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=559) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-the-mueller-investigation-results-and-outcomes-part-1/800093.md?page=561)