Mueller Report released: Reactions from around the Commonwealth

By Keya Vakil

April 18, 2019

The Department of Justice finally released the 448-page Mueller Report on Thursday morning and arguably raised more questions than answers.

The report found “insufficient evidence” to establish President Trump or his campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia during the 2016 election, though the Special Counsel did identify several contacts between the campaign and Russians affiliated with the government. The report also details Trump’s repeated efforts to derail the Special Counsel’s investigation, and seems to indicate that President Trump was repeatedly saved from more serious legal issues by his own staff, who refused to carry out controversial orders.

The Special Counsel ultimately decided to make no judgment on whether the President obstructed justice, but the report also does not exonerate him as it relates to obstruction of justice.

Attorney General William P. Barr, however, stepped into that void to decide that President Trump did not obstruct justice.

President Trump reacted swiftly, declaring that it was a good day for him.

"I’m having a good day, too! It was called no collusion, no obstruction," President Trump says following the release of the Mueller report.

In the report, Mueller says he did not clear President Trump on obstruction of justice: https://t.co/9CUqEgarur pic.twitter.com/EPQZHQcRkf
— ABC 13 News – WSET (@ABC13News) April 18, 2019

Reactions also poured in from around the Commonwealth.

While reviewing the redacted Mueller Report, as a former prosecutor, I’m extremely concerned that AG Barr is demonstrating a pattern of behavior consistent with that of the president’s defense attorney rather than the nation’s top law enforcement official. pic.twitter.com/KK81ROqxiF
— Rep. Jennifer Wexton (@RepWexton) April 18, 2019

If repeatedly asking your subordinates to commit crimes on your behalf doesn’t constitute an impeachable offense, nothing does.
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) April 18, 2019

Key point: the Mueller report reiterates that the President *refused* to answer questions under oath in an interview.

Everything his lawyers say in rebuttal, all the spin from his politicized Attorney General… Trump could have said any of these things under oath, but didn't. pic.twitter.com/swytlj5G1x
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) April 18, 2019

My statement on the Special Counsel’s report: pic.twitter.com/wBNBz2GMhi
— Morgan Griffith (@RepMGriffith) April 18, 2019

Told you so. Sarah Huckabee-Sanders admitted to Mueller investigators she made up this claim and lied from her official White House perch to the press and public. WE pay her salary. https://t.co/LBmApl2yzm
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) April 18, 2019

https://twitter.com/A_N_Rohr/status/1118930695978659840

Campaign slogan for 2020 👉 “just embarrassing and immoral”

With friends like these? https://t.co/nWjTvpmkxE
— Schuyler VanValkenburg (@ScVanValkenburg) April 18, 2019

JUST IN: @MarkWarner responds to redacted Mueller report:

"…the Attorney General fundamentally mischaracterized the Special Counsel’s findings in his pre-emptive press conference this morning."
FULL REPORT: https://t.co/9CUqEgarur pic.twitter.com/gql3KlxGDj
— ABC 13 News – WSET (@ABC13News) April 18, 2019

Here's what I'll say about the redacted Mueller report. It is clear that AG Barr fundamentally mischaracterized its findings this morning. Congress needs to see the full, unredacted report, with all materials underlying its findings, and hear directly from the Special Counsel.
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) April 18, 2019

Keya Vakil

Keya Vakil is the deputy political editor at COURIER. He previously worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.

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