Based on the Mueller Report I believe Trump committed Obstruction of Justice.

[BeastieRunner]

Mueller did not seek charges for attempted obstruction or other lesser charges.

That's up to the DOJ.

Mueller was not tasked with that. That is up to the DOJ and later, Congress.

You also cannot indict a sitting POTUS, that is what Congress is for.

We've seen 2 modern impeachments play out on lesser charges that come from an initially blacked out report.

We will probably see the same thing happen, right around election time. If I were the POTUS, I would get this out in the open NOW because an impeachment hearing in 2020 will be killer.

As an aside, if I were innocent, I would let the whole report about me out.

[Dalak]

Mueller did not seek charges for attempted obstruction or other lesser charges.

That's up to the DOJ.

Mueller was not tasked with that. That is up to the DOJ and later, Congress.

You also cannot indict a sitting POTUS, that is what Congress is for.

We've seen 2 modern impeachments play out on lesser charges that come from an initially blacked out report.

We will probably see the same thing happen, right around election time. If I were the POTUS, I would get this out in the open NOW because an impeachment hearing in 2020 will be killer.

As an aside, if I were innocent, I would let the whole report about me out.

That would put Gilbert Gottfried out of work again!

[Rob Allen]

The glaring omission from the Mueller report is that there is no mention of financial matters. There's still plenty to investigate there.

[Kirby101]

The glaring omission from the Mueller report is that there is no mention of financial matters. There's still plenty to investigate there.

I think that was passed on to the 17 other ongoing investigation.

[numberthirty]

Exactly. If you shoot someone in the head, but the person is rushed to the hospital and the doctors manage to save the person's life, you're still going to be charged with attempted murder. It will carry a lesser penalty than murder, but it's still a crime.

Honestly, none of these scenarios really work.

Seeing as any "Obstruction" evidence came out as a part of a very narrow investigation of something that didn't really have anything to do with obstruction that didn't lead to charges on the actual focus of the initial investigation, it doesn't really jibe.

It's a weird scenario where you wouldn't be taking part in anything like obstruction if you were not being investigated on something that apparently didn't happen.

[4saken1]

Why investigate obstruction when we can deflect and talk about the Steele Dossier instead?

[Kirby101]

Honestly, none of these scenarios really work.

Seeing as any "Obstruction" evidence came out as a part of a very narrow investigation of something that didn't really have anything to do with obstruction that didn't lead to charges on the actual focus of the initial investigation, it doesn't really jibe.

It's a weird scenario where you wouldn't be taking part in anything like obstruction if you were not being investigated on something that apparently didn't happen.

That is when obstruction happens. When you are being investigated.

And what didn't happen? The Trump Campaign coordinating with the Russians? Cause that did.

[Kirby101]

Why investigate obstruction when we can deflect and talk about the Steele Dossier instead?

What about it?

[worstblogever]

His campaign met with the Russians to influence the election. He repeatedly tried to stop the investigation.
Crimes were obviously committed. they just won't be prosecuted.

Mueller's report is, effectively, "If this isn't obstruction of justice, I don't know what is. But the DoJ says you can't indict a sitting president, so Congress has to investigate further and impeach the motherf***er, or y'all gotta vote him out in 2020 before he goes to jail. (Let's be real, as long as he keeps rubber-stamping the judges the GOP want, they're not invoking the 25th Amendment.)"

[worstblogever]

The glaring omission from the Mueller report is that there is no mention of financial matters. There's still plenty to investigate there.

Also the illegal payoffs to porn stars and beauty queens that, based on precedent with John Edwards, constitute a felony offense violation of election law.

[Elmo]

Yes, Only if President Clinton was impeached first, yes.

He was impeached. Impeach means to charge a president with a crime, and he was charged with a crime, despite being acquitted

[numberthirty]

That is when obstruction happens. When you are being investigated.

And what didn't happen? The Trump Campaign coordinating with the Russians? Cause that did.

If the current President isn't being indicted, "That Did..." is a little more greasy than you are saying. If there is a "Black"/"White" instance of criminal coordination, I haven't heard about that being in the report. Even Don Jr.(where I thought there might actually be enough to just suggest an indictment) didn't wind up happening.

As for "When You Are Being Investigated...", it doesn't work in the "Shoot At..." example because there would have to be evidence to base it on. No one could go to a judge with "Dude X" might have stolen a car and we need to just investigate a whole bunch of stuff.

[Kirby101]

Okay, you don't like theshhot at analogy.It's still obstruction. As Mueller clearly says.

[numberthirty]

Also the illegal payoffs to porn stars and beauty queens that, based on precedent with John Edwards, constitute a felony offense violation of election law.

Up for debate. I'd agree with "Something You Can Try To Get A Conviction On..." This certainly doen't look like it constituted a clear felony offense.

https://www.politico.com/story/2012/...edwards-077398

Justice Dept. won't retry Edwards

The formal dismissal of charges was filed in federal court in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday. The decision came less than two weeks after Edwards’s trial on the campaign finance-related charges ended when a jury deadlocked on five felony counts and voted to acquit him on one charge.

Edit:

Another piece from the time...

https://www.politico.com/story/2012/...tumbled-076942

How Edwards prosecution stumbled

“The failure to get a criminal conviction on any count raises a serious question about whether it should have been brought as a criminal case,” said Hampton Dellinger, a former North Carolina deputy attorney general who sat through the trial as a legal analyst for NBC News. “It’s just hard to see how they could have a better opportunity for conviction than they had. … I do think it’s a huge setback for the government.”

So, yeah. It seems like there is a precedent for that you can take a run a getting a felony conviction on this sort of thing.

On the other hand, the results in court don't exactly spell out "These Things Are Felony Violations..." clearly.

[numberthirty]

Okay, you don't like theshhot at analogy.It's still obstruction. As Mueller clearly says.

Exactly.

In the pretty narrow example of "Special Circumstances Federal Investigation...", it may very well be the case.

In any normal example, nothing like that would happen.