Redacted Mueller Report Publicly Released
April 23, 2019
The investigation into Russian collusion in the 2016 elections being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded, with attorney general William Barr releasing a four page public summary of the report, and the redecated report being released on April 18.
After it was announced the investigation concluded March 22, Barr released a summary to Congress on March 24. In the letter, Barr cleared President Donald Trump and his campaign of charges of collusion, although it did also make clear there was limited interference in the 2016 election on the part of Russia.
“[Trump did not collude,] because there has been an entire investigation that led to nothing. It’s not a belief issue. It’s whether he did or did not, and there is no evidence showing that he did,” senior Dan Nisbet said.
The summary did not conclude definitely on obstruction of justice on the part of Trump after he took office. According to the letter, Mueller laid out the arguments for obstruction of justice charges in the report, but did not make any definitive conclusions on whether or not Trump committed a crime.
“Trump never did anything wrong with Russia. The Mueller investigation was just a … waste of time and money,” freshman Carson Nuernberger said.
After the release of the summary, Trump tweeted he had been totally exonerated. The tweet raised backlash from numerous democratic lawmakers, who argue the report’s summary did not totally exonerate him. Rather, democrats argue that the summary was not accurate of what the report said.
“There is no actual evidence of Trump doing anything related to collusion, it’s just liberal propaganda to try and turn republicans and democrats more against each other, and further divide our country,” freshman Drew Chiodi said.
A redacted version of the report was released on April 18 by the Department of Justice. The report listed 10 possible occasions where Trump obstructed justice, although the report stated there was not enough evidence to prove a conspiracy between Trump and Russia. The report left the question of whether or not Trump committed obstruction of justice for Congress to decide. Mueller, in the report, declined to bring charges.