Deadline: Yesterday, but if that’s impossible, NOW NOW NOW –
Mueller has spoken, and though his May 29 statement was brief, we’ll paraphrase and boil it down to the main takeaways:
- The Special Counsel’s Office investigated efforts to interfere in our political system and, subsequently, to obstruct our investigation.
- Volume 1 of the Report details numerous efforts by Russia to influence our election, and the Trump campaign’s response, as well as the Special Counsel’s conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy.
- Volume 2 describes the results and analysis of our investigation that the president obstructed justice.
- Because of the Department of Justice policy that a sitting president can’t be charged with a federal crime, we did not make a determination whether Trump committed a crime.
- However, “if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”
- And “the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrong doing.” (In other words: Congress — I did my job, now you do yours.)
- Finally: “And I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments — that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American.
This article boils it down to ten easy points written in plain english with zero legalese.
Now that Mueller has spoken, it’s clear that his words reinforce what we’ve asked you to do over the past month:
- On May 1, we asked you to tell your Members of Congress to use every possible tool to investigate the administration’s criminality and abuses of power
- On May 9, we asked you to read the Mueller Report
- On May 22, we asked you to urge the House to begin an impeachment inquiry
We’re closing out this years-long month of May by asking you to mashup these intertwined actions! Click on the links above to our prior articles for more info and a wide range of actions you can take for each. But if you’ve already read them and want to get going, we’ll channel taciturn Robert Mueller and cut to the chase.
What you must do NOW:
1. Read the Mueller Report! How to get it for free:
- Read the updated version of the Report, revised in response to Buzzfeed’s Freedom of Information Act lawsuit
- Read Indivisible East Bay’s text searchable version of the Report
- Listen to Audible’s free audio-recording of the Report. If you don’t want to sign up (it’s free) for Audible, listen to this free audio-recorded podcast.
- No time to read or listen to the full Report? Read Lawfareblog’s excellent notes about the Report
2. Urge your Representative to continue to investigate and to initiate an impeachment inquiry.
What to say:
My name is ____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Please use the full extent of your oversight and investigative powers to get to the truth and hold Trump accountable, including opening an impeachment inquiry. As Mueller said in his statement, only Congress can accuse a sitting president.
[If your Rep. is Mark DeSaulnier or Eric Swalwell, also say: Please do your job and cosponsor House Resolution 257].
[If your Rep. is Barbara Lee, also say: Thank you for cosponsoring House Resolution 257].
- Rep. Mark DeSaulnier: (email); (510) 620-1000 • DC: (202) 225-2095
- Rep. Barbara Lee: (email); (510) 763-0370 • DC: (202) 225-2661
- Rep. Eric Swalwell: (email); (510) 370-3322 • DC: (202) 225-5065
Mueller has spoken. Now it’s YOUR turn to speak out!
excellent…. Question: how is it that a “policy” is does not allow for prosecution. How is “policy” not superceeded by law?
Good question. There is no law on that point. There is debate about whether the Office of Legal Counsel memo should have been followed, but obviously Mueller determined that it was binding. https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/memo-limited-mueller-points-congress Experts do disagree… https://www.justsecurity.org/60423/options-prosecuting-presidents-offences-plus-wildcard/