OPINION:
It was more than two-and-a half years ago that the cries of Trump/Russia collusion began to ring out from Democrats and liberal American media alike. Despite no evidence other than the incessant repeating of its very possibility, the FBI began to investigate. In fact, we would later learn, they had been investigating the possibility of Donald Trump being connected with the Russians since the middle of his 2016 presidential campaign.
The investigation started as a result of what is now known as the Christopher Steele dossier. Christopher Steele was a former British spy engaged by Fusion GPS to dig up dirt on candidate Trump. Fusion GPS was being paid by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democrat National Committee to get this information.
The salacious dossier alleged all kinds of unsavory things involving Trump, prostitutes, urinating and other outrageous acts. It also alleged Team Trump was connected to the Russians in the Donald’s quest for the White House. The dossier was introduced to the FBI by more than one source.
Bruce Ohr, an associate attorney general with the U.S. Department of Justice, conveniently happened to be married to someone at Fusion GPS. A FISA memo released to the public on February 2, 2018 alleges that his wife Nellie Ohr was assisting “in the cultivation of” opposition research against Trump. Thus you have FBI entry point number one for the dossier. In a stroke of genius, the team also shared the file with avowed Trump hater and long time Republican Senator John McCain. An elderly and spiteful McCain needed very little prodding to take the file to the FBI himself.
To summarize, a file assembled by a foreign agent with information allegedly from the Russians, paid for by Trump opposition, was delivered to the FBI by even more Trump opposition for the purpose of showing that Trump was colluding with the very Russians who allegedly provided the damning information on him.
This illogical and highly suspect series of events led to a Justice Department investigation, the downfall of FBI Director James Comey and ultimately to the appointment of Robert Mueller as Special Counsel for the purpose of getting factual information.
In the world of politics of course, facts are seldom black and white.
Throughout the nearly two years that Mueller’s team investigated, Democrat after Democrat appeared on television and in print talking about the “mountains of evidence” that Trump and his campaign had colluded with the Russians. As it turned out, Mueller’s hundreds of witness interviews, thousands of documents and millions of dollars found there was no evidence at all.
Disappointed by the fact that the very report they had been championing and eagerly awaiting for two years did not provide the evidence they had promised, House Democrats changed tactics.
First they complained that it took Attorney General William Barr three weeks to read the 448 page report and determine page by page, line by line, what items required redaction. There had been no concerns on their part about the length of time it took Mueller’s team to compile the report, but the fact Barr wanted to comply with various laws on confidentiality enraged the left.
Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary committee decided not to read the redacted Mueller report, nor the less redacted version later issued, nor the nearly un-redacted version provided to members of Congress. Instead he opted to produce the ultimate dog and pony show.
Ladies and gentlemen, this week at the Political Theater, one day only, please welcome, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
It was with breathless anticipation that the Washington elite and the American media awaited the appearance of Robert Mueller before not one, but two Congressional Committees. Long advertised as a pillar of steady, focused discipline, expectations were high for Mueller to provide insight and clarity to his team’s work.
The initial Justice Department probe has been expected by many on the left to unearth a smoking gun. It did not.
Mueller’s appointment as Special Counsel and his ensuing 22 month investigation was repeatedly advertised by talking heads on major news networks as the end of the Trump Presidency. The public was told daily that it would prove conclusively the President colluded with the Russians. 448 pages later, it did not.
A Congressional hearing however is different. Surely once a man as revered and respected as Robert Mueller, with total command of the facts and of the room, laid out the case against Trump, the American people would see what Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler had been telling us all along.
Mueller did none of the above.
Sadly Mueller was anything but in command during the hearings. Several news outlets referred to him as frail. One headline screamed “Dazed and Confused”. Mueller had trouble following the questions from the Members of the Committee. He claimed he didn’t know who Fusion GPS was. By the count of both NBC news and The Washington Times he deflected or refused to answer nearly 200 times.
The Democrats on both committees had clearly scripted their plan in anticipation of a knockout performance from the former Special Counsel. Virtually every one of them concluded their comments with some variation of “…and no one, not even the President, is above the law.”
Largely overlooked by the mainstream media was the number of Democrats who used their questions and remarks as an opportunity to tee up impeachment hearings. One concluded her questioning by saying to Mueller, “Thank you. You laid the foundation for our investigation.”
The next Democrat to speak thanked Mueller for his report and its clear indication of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” He then said “The only appropriate reaction is Congressional action.” Translation: Impeach.
A third Member of the majority party spoke up next, saying “The report leaves Congress to do its duty and we will not shrink from that duty… The Constitutional process is impeachment.”
The Justice Department inquiry was to be the last word. When if floundered the Special Counsel was appointed, ostensibly to be the last “last word” on the matter, but this is Congress. If you don’t like the last word, simply create a new investigation. Thus the reference to the Mueller report being the foundation for a Congressional investigation.
It may sound cynical but does anyone actually believe that a Congressional investigation will yield new, better or more accurate information than a two year Special Counsel effort? Of course not. Does anyone actually believe the President will be removed from office? In a word, no.
After muddying the political waters since day one of the Trump presidency with the fictional collusion story, his opponents now wish to spend the next year continuing to paint him as the great Satan. Trump may be brash. His style may be offensive to some but despite exhaustive attempts there is quite literally zero evidence that he or his campaign engaged with the Russians for the purpose of winning the Presidency (Ironically there is evidence that the Clinton campaign did exactly that, but apparently that’s wasn’t in Mueller’s purview).
America was promised the Mueller report would provide clarity. It has. Unfortunately what has become crystal clear is that Trump’s opponents don’t care what the facts say. They simply want a circus to entertain their constituents, grease the fundraising machine and cast doubt on the occupant of the White House.
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