Trump defenders are trying to spin the Mueller Report about its not having indictments. But in nine ways, the investigations will go forward.
The pro-Trump spin machine is out on the airwaves, touting that the just-completed Mueller Report recommends no new indictments.
For ten briefly-stated reasons, the Mueller action marks more of a beginning, than an end, to the search for wrongdoing in the Russia scandal.
First, there are very active continuing investigations. When special counsels complete their reports of their principal findings, that does not end the inquiries. Instead, the tasks for prosecutors and investigators are turned over to the continuing active investigations. In this instance, the U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has brought prosecutions already, like Michael Cohen’s, to build on. Matters within that U. S. Attorney’s broad jurisdiction will continue forward.
Second, it is pure spin to make the issue whether new indictments are in the report. Mueller may well think that the report should give an account of his findings. New indictments are not to be expected in a report on findings. Indictments come, when ready, from the grand jury, not in reports. Rather, indictments that are moving toward readiness would come out in the other investigations, like that of the SDNY.
Third, there is particular reason to expect evidence to come out about Trump and Russia. The former National Security Adviser, Michael T. Flynn, has pled to Mueller’s charges. But nothing further of what he knows has become public before now. There is every reason to expect that whatever limited Flynn evidence is revealed via Mueller’s report, there will be further evidence at the highest level as Flynn becomes a witness for more forums.
Fourth, there are a host of witnesses whose cooperation can be expected from the pressures built up from the investigations. An example is Allen Weisselberg, the corporate finance officer who carried out Trump’s instructions within the Trump Organization. In the immediate aftermath of Cohen’s testimony, it was clear than Weisselberg has not been cooperating, and that he knows an enormous amount of the wrongful things Trump ordered. The report by Mueller hardly marks an end for the pressure on Weisselberg to cooperate. That pressure will build both from prosecutors and from Congress.
Fifth, Barr has announced he will brief Congressional figures about the conclusions of the Mueller Report. But, if the Democratic leaders have any sense (and they do), they will ask for documents, not just briefings, be provided to their investigating committees. Barr will create some fog and confusion by providing relatively empty briefings. But, the press wants documents, and so indirectly does the public. Barr’s briefings will briefly stall the controversies but not forestall demands for hard evidence.
Sixth, House Democratic committees will pick up the relay baton at this point. The situation is radically different than last year, when House Republicans worked openly with the Trump White House.
