Proof is strong obstruction occurred and was intended
By Michael Gerson
The Washington Post
Donald Trump’s claim of vindication by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report depends on some creative thinking. The president, it seems, is not guilty of conspiracy with the Russians to influence the 2016 election. He is only guilty of wishing really, really hard for Russian help and having his fondest desire miraculously granted. On July 27, 2016, Trump made a public plea to the Russians to find Hillary Clinton’s missing emails. “Within approximately five hours of Trump’s statement,” the Mueller report reveals, “GRU [Russian intelligence] officers targeted for the first time Clinton’s personal office.”
This, evidently, doesn’t qualify as conspiracy. But can it really be a coincidence? Maybe it was the hand of Providence. Or an answer to Franklin Graham’s prayers. Whatever the non-collusive reason, Trump is clearly a lucky, lucky man.
What is less clear is how we are to accept a detailed, damning, 448-page moral and political indictment as good news for Trump and his administration. “The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion,” according to the report. This included a “social media campaign that favored presidential candidate Donald J. Trump” and “computer-intrusion operations” against the Clinton campaign. While Trump campaign officials didn’t directly coordinate with Russian intelligence activities, they welcomed and rooted for them. More than ever, the 2016 presidential election deserves an asterisk, indicating a serious chance it was won with foreign help.
Recall that Trump, during his campaign and well into his presidency, dismissed this influence as a myth. He said it might be the Chinese at work. Or it “could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds.” Trump, it turns out, is perfectly willing to minimize a national security threat for political reasons. But that isn’t conspiracy either. Just friends helping friends.
The Mueller report documents an atmosphere of routine, rewarded deception at the White House. In one case, after ordering then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn to fire Robert Mueller, Trump ordered McGahn to publicly deny that the request to fire Mueller was ever made. (McGahn, to his credit, refused both orders.) In another case, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied about the extent of opposition within the FBI to former Director James Comey. Looking at the tape of her statement, it is remarkable how smoothly she dissembles. Obviously a valued skill in Trump’s orbit.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/gerson-proof-is-strong-obstruction-occurred-and-was-intended/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=68efb01423-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-68efb01423-228635337
= new reply since forum marked as read
