Comments by "Voix de la raison" (@voixdelaraison593) on "Roger Stone found guilty on all counts in federal trial" video.
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thebes1 (Now Lie to me and tell me Barr is not controlled by Treasonous Trump)
Continued from previous post.
âThere was no evidence of Trump campaign collusion with the Russian governmentâs hacking,â Barr said, later adding, âThere was, in fact, no collusion.â
But the very beginning of Muellerâs report makes it clear the special counsel did not evaluate whether there was collusion, because âcollusionâ is not a federal crime or a commonly used legal term.
Instead, the report evaluates whether there was âconspiracyâ â a criminal act â or âcoordination,â which it defined as an agreement between the Trump campaign and Russia on Russian interference in the elections. (The report did state that the investigation did not establish coordination.)
The passage reads:
In evaluating whether evidence about collective action of multiple individuals constituted a crime, we applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of âcollusion.â In so doing, the Office recognized that the word âcollud[e]â was used in communications with the Acting Attorney General confirming certain aspects of the investigationâs scope and that the term has frequently been invoked in public reporting about the investigation. But collusion is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law. For those reasons, the Officeâs focus in analyzing questions of joint criminal liability was on conspiracy as defined in federal law.
In another instance, Barrâs language on obstruction doesnât fully capture Muellerâs determination on the issue. Mueller wrote: âIf 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, however, we are unable to reach that judgment.â
Barr told the public that Mueller was neutral on the question: âThe Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion â one way or the other â as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction.â
Barr also shaded Trumpâs cooperation in the investigation in a more favorable light than Mueller. âThe White House fully cooperated with the special counselâs investigation,â Barr said Thursday, âproviding unfettered access to campaign and White House documents, directing senior aides to testify freely and asserting no privilege claims. At the same time the president took no act that, in fact, deprived the special counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation.â
But Mueller points out that Trump himself did not cooperate. âWe also sought a voluntary interview with the President. After more discussion, the President declined to be interviewed.â
And the report implicated Trump in pressuring a witness, Michael Flynn, Trumpâs former national security adviser. âWhen Flynnâs counsel reiterated that Flynn could no longer share information pursuant to a joint defense agreement, the Presidentâs personal counsel said he would make sure that the President knew that Flynnâs actions reflected âhostilityâ towards the President.â
Barrâs summaries of Muellerâs findings, it turns out, didnât just tighten up the findings. They misrepresented key points.
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