Advertisement

Read key excerpts from Robert Mueller's report

By UPI Staff
The first page of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
The first page of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

April 18 (UPI) -- Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's  report on his Russia investigation on Thursday.

Here are some key passages from the 448-page document, which can be read in full here

Advertisement

On Russian meddling: 

"The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion. Evidence of Russian government operations began to surface in mid-2016. In June, the Democratic National Committee and its cyber response team publicly announced that Russian hackers had compromised its computer network. Releases of hacked materials -- hacks that public reporting soon attributed to the Russian government -- began that same month. Additional releases followed in June through the organization WikiLeaks, with further releases in October and November." (Vol. I, page 1)

On Trump campaign collusion:

Advertisement

"Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a [Donald] Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." (Vol. 1, pages 1-2)

"While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges. Among other things, the evidence was not sufficient to charge any campaign official as an unregistered agent of the Russian government or other Russian principal." (Vol. I, page 9)

Trump's reaction to appointment of special counsel:

"The president reacted to news that a special counsel had been appointed by telling advisors that it was 'the end of his presidency' and demanding that [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions resign. Sessions submitted his resignation, but the president ultimately did not accept it." (Vol. II, page 4)

On pursuing obstruction charges against Trump:

"Several features of the conduct we investigated distinguished it from typical obstruction-of-justice cases. First, the investigation concerned the president, and some of his actions, such as firing the FBI director, involved facially lawful acts within his Article II authority, which raises constitutional issues discussed below. At the same time, the president's position as head of the executive branch provided him with unique and powerful means of influencing official proceedings, subordinate officers and potential witnesses -- all of which is relevant to potential obstruction-of-justice analysis. Second, unlike cases in which a subject engages in obstruction of justice to cover up a crime, the evidence we obtained did not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference."  (Vol. II, page 7)

Advertisement

On not exonerating Trump of obstruction:

"If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the president's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." (Vol. II, page 2)

On White House press secretary Sarah Sanders lying to the media about FBI employees being happy with Director James Comey's firing:

"Sanders told this office that her reference to hearing from 'countless members of the FBI' was a 'slip of the tongue.' She also recalled that her statement in a separate press interview that rank-and-file FBI agents had lost confidence in Comey was a comment she made 'in the heat of the moment' that was not founded on anything." (Vol. II, page 72)

Latest Headlines