A politically disturbing fact in this story though, is that hidden behind this carefully worded and legalistic document which holds its punches and does not go ahead with what the investigators must have concluded, is a campaign that was politically dishonest. It benefited from Russian meddling in elections; used the material generated by the Russians to taint the opposition and undermine the opposing candidate’s credibility; sought business deals in that country looking for points of contact at the higher echelons of Russia’s power structure and consistently and relentlessly lied about many of these activities. And all this has taken place while Russian meddling in American elections became a matter of counterintelligence and possibly national security given the institutions, procedures and election hardware that had become compromised.
The reaction among the public to the findings of the Report was mainly a shrug. Ironically the reporting by Trump’s bête noir, the much-maligned mainstream media whose coverage of the case proved accurate probably dampened the shock effect of Mueller’s findings. If anything, the general public sees the entire exercise as nothing but a political power game, is not concerned with the constitutional issues at play and continues to be alienated from a political system that looks corrupt and insensitive.
Ultimately then, the resolution of the fundamental constitutional and legal issues will be left to the rough and tumble of the political process in a highly polarized country that has a President who does not care much for legalities, norms, comity or established rules. But the legacy of the Mueller investigation and Report lies within the possibility of proceeding with a legal case and prosecuting the crimes that were insinuated, when the times and circumstances are finally propitious for such an eventuality.
Copyright : JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP
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