Trump told Sessions his presidency was ‘f*cked’ when the special counsel was appointed — and 10 more stunning revelations from the redacted Mueller report
Attorney General William Barr on Thursday released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. These are 11 major takeaways from that document. You can access a searchable version of the report here.
On collusion:
1. Mueller couldn’t determine the facts surrounding a meeting between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon that preceded Prince's Seychelles meeting with a Russian hedge fund manager. “Text messages on both their phones have disappeared.”
Mueller's investigators can't resolve "conflicting accounts" by Bannon + Erik Prince of the mysterious Seychelles m… https://t.co/ZcH7uK28FH— Joshua Green (@Joshua Green) 1555601414
2. By summer 2016, the Trump campaign was planning a communications strategy around the release of Hillary Clinton’s emails.
Rick Gates told Mueller that by late summer 2016 the Trump campaign was planning a press/communications strategy ba… https://t.co/5FhDgqGSnZ— John Harwood (@John Harwood) 1555601650
3. The Russians did not have connection with Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
The Russians had connections to the Trump campaign but not the Clinton campaign https://t.co/ESK5NSqtH8— Emily C. Singer (@Emily C. Singer) 1555601679
PRO-RUSSIAN PLAN TO CONTROL EASTERN UKRAINE: "All that is required to start the process is a very minor 'wink' (or… https://t.co/ni1hJS2Wvi— Kenneth P. Vogel (@Kenneth P. Vogel) 1555601554
On obstruction:
5. Former White House counsel Don McGahn refused a request from Donald Trump to deny reports he tried to fire Mueller.
Trump ordered McGahn to deny Trump tried to fire Mueller. McGahn wouldn’t. https://t.co/zkmu4J9fii— Jennifer Jacobs (@Jennifer Jacobs) 1555601174
6. Trump lied when he denied demanding loyalty from former FBI director James Comey.
Whoa! Mueller report sides with Comey's account of the demand for "loyalty" dinner, saying there's "substantial evi… https://t.co/TRa0xbc1ae— Greg Sargent (@Greg Sargent) 1555601888
7. Trump’s efforts to obstruct justice were foiled, in large part, “because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests.”
Mueller: “The President’s efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely beca… https://t.co/HcPkBlaBi7— Igor Bobic (@Igor Bobic) 1555601158
On the investigation:
8. Former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos’ claim that the Russian government told the Trump campaign they had damaging information on Clinton is what began the probe — not the Christopher Steele dossier.
The Steele Dossier did not start the FBI investigation: https://t.co/2nL5G8MGtZ— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1555601424
9. Trump was terrified to learn a special counsel had been appointed.
From Mueller report: After Sessions told Trump that a Special Counsel was appointed, Trump said: "Oh my God. This i… https://t.co/UeaQoBEhNg— Axios (@Axios) 1555601320
10: Mueller says it’s up to Congress to decide if Trump obstructed justice.
MUELLER LEAVES OBSTRUCTION Q TO CONGRESS: “The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the pres… https://t.co/yWKgtkQrKl— Andrew Desiderio (@Andrew Desiderio) 1555601376
11. On the obstruction front, Trump is far from exonerated.
So this seems important. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clea… https://t.co/CMgImc6iD0— Jennifer Bendery (@Jennifer Bendery) 1555601708
