Our view: Mueller probe is so serious, hope for quick findings
The chorus emanating from the White House says Robert Mueller has worn out his welcome: Following last week’s one-year anniversary of his special-prosecutor appointment to oversee the Russian investigation, Mueller should just wrap things up.
President Trump tied an angry bow around the sentiment last week, tweeting a sarcastic “congratulations” to America for entering the second year of a “unwarranted witch hunt.” And on Sunday, Trump tweeted that he would demand a probe into whether the FBI “infiltrated” his 2016 campaign.
His is the leading voice for a possé of political types who, for months, have conducted a smear campaign against Mueller, a Republican and a former FBI director of impeccable credentials.
Just the same, eight out of 10 Republicans now say the Mueller investigation should end, so it’s fair to ask, why hasn’t it?
First, it’s important to remember his mandate — it was hardly narrow. In addition to Russian interference in the
2016 presidential election and any collusion between the Trump campaign effort and Moscow, Mueller must examine “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.”
Anyone who hasn’t been living in a cave the past 12 months knows that has become a target-rich environment, particularly with regard to whether Trump engaged in obstruction of justice through a number of actions, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey last year for his pursuit of the Russia probe.
A thicket of other issues and allegation has sprouted:
❚ Russian cash flowing into American politics.
❚ Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner mixing personal business with foreign policy.
❚ Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s financial irregularities.
❚ Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen selling access to the Oval Office.
❚ Kushner and national security adviser Michael Flynn’s questionable post-election dealings with Russia.
And Mueller’s efforts have already borne fruit: 19 people and three compa- nies have been indicted. Among five defendants who have pleaded guilty are three former Trump campaign or administration officials cooperating with Mueller’s investigation.
Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani says Mueller wants to wrap up his investigation of the obstruction issue by Sept. 1. It would expedite matters if Trump agreed to an interview with Mueller, something he should do if he wants to quickly end the part of the investigation that most directly threatens him.
Given the complexity and size of Mueller’s task, it’s unreasonable to expect him to finish in the short term. However, the clock is ticking.
Mueller’s defenders will argue that other independent or special prosecutors have taken years to finish their work. But this investigation, in so many ways, is far more serious. Mueller is charged with resolving whether the president conspired with an adversarial government to undermine a U.S. election. Beyond that considerable claim lie almost unthinkable suspicions that America’s chief executive is financially or otherwise compromised by his personal dealings with Moscow.
Those are terrible things to contemplate, much less believe, about a president who has been leading us for 15 months. Mueller has an obligation to shed light sooner rather than later.