Figures implicated in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation are celebrating the end of the probe, taking it as a sign that they will not be indicted on charges…
Figures implicated in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation are celebrating the end of the probe, taking it as a sign that they will not be indicted on charges tied to Russian collusion.
Big names like Donald Trump Jr. and witnesses like conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi viewed a Justice Department statement that no further indictments will be coming from the special counsel’s office as clearing their names in the Russia investigation.
But those individuals aren’t necessarily out of the woods: Mueller’s report is still hidden from public view, and it’s unknown what conclusions he reached or evidence he found, even if it didn’t result in charges.
Legal experts also told The Hill that it’s possible that investigations that began under Mueller could have been referred to other branches of the Justice Department, and charges could eventually emerge from those related probes.
At the same time, they said Friday’s developments are welcome news for figures on the periphery of the probe, even if they should not entirely let their guard down.
Speculation over what could be included in Mueller’s report continued to grow on Saturday, as Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein were spotted at the Justice Department.
A source told The Hill Saturday that Congress did not expect to be briefed on the report’s findings on Saturday. Barr had said in his letter Friday notifying congressional leaders of the end of Mueller’s probe that they could expect to be briefed on the report’s conclusions as soon as this weekend.
In the hours after the report was delivered Barr, Trump Jr. took to Twitter to deride “#CollusionTruthers” who spent the duration of Mueller’s 22 month-long probe speculating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
A source close to Trump Jr. also said the president’s son viewed the end of the probe as proving that he didn’t collude with Russia, and nor did he lie under oath to Congress.Trump Jr. faced intense scrutiny over a 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign officials and several Russians. He also testified before the House Intelligence Committee in 2017 as part of the panel’s Russia probe, and the committee voted earlier this year to hand over all of its interview transcripts to Mueller.
