Trump news: President celebrates Mueller report ending as new probes ramp up against White House
At least 17 other entities are still probing the president
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has held a joint press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a proclamation formally recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as the fallout from the Mueller report continues.
Attorney-general William Barr, a Trump ally handpicked by the president, came to the conclusion Mr Trump had not colluded with Russia to win the 2016 president election after reading FBI special counsel Robert Mueller's report, submitted following the conclusion of a 22-month investigation into the allegation.
In a four-page letter to Congress, Mr Barr quoted Mr Mueller in conceding: “While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
“A number of actions” carried out by Mr Trump could raise obstruction of justice concerns, Mr Mueller thought, but Mr Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, decided these actions did not reveal “corrupt intent”.
A jubilant Mr Trump was quick to hail the verdict as a “complete and total exoneration”, repeating his long-running attack on the “witch hunt” as “an illegal takedown that failed” - to the delight of Trump loyalists - while Democrats called for the Mueller report’s full release.
The summary by Mr Barr notes the special counsel's office did not “draw a conclusion — one way or the other — as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction,” but rather set out evidence for both sides, leaving the question unanswered.
The attorney general wrote in the summary that ultimately he decided that the evidence developed by Mr Mueller was “not sufficient” to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Mr Trump committed obstruction of justice
Mr Barr’s summary also notes that Mr Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. To prove a crime, the special counsel's office must generally meet a standard of proving an offence beyond a reasonable doubt.
The summary did not clear the president of improper behaviour regarding Russia but did not establish that “he was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference,” Mr Mueller said in a passage from the report quoted by the attorney general.
The four-page summary signed by Mr Barr gave the bottom line only as he and Mr Rosenstein saw it. Mr Mueller’s detailed findings remain confidential at least for now.
Additional reporting by AP. Read The Independent's live coverage on the White House from Monday below.
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Apparently "Woke Lindsey Graham" is now a thing among Trump supporters.
They're loving having him on side but don't forget he once considered the president a "jackass" and was branded "not as bright as Rick Perry" for his trouble. His current toadying is pure ambition over principle.
Only last August, Mr Graham said it "p*sses him off no end" when the Donald insulted his old friend John McCain, making his reluctance to read the president the riot act last week when he repeatedly denigrated the late war hero all the more pitiful.
Here's Benjamin Netanyahu arriving at the White House.
He and President Trump are now holding a joint press conference on the sovereignty of the Golan Heights, flanked by Mikes Pompeo and Pence.
PM Netanyahu says Israel has "never had a better friend" than Donald Trump - thanking him for his actions regarding the Iran nuclear deal, relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem and now for recognising the Golan Heights.
The territory was won by Israel in 1967 but is considered occupied by much of the international community.
Donald Trump refuses to answer questions on any other subjects as he signs his Golan Heights proclamation.
Mr Netanyahu declares he has brought the president a case of the "finest wine" from the region (very Withnail) but, since Mr Trump doesn't drink, he'll have to give it to his staff. "Hope they don't open an investigation on us!"
Democratic presidential hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand has given her first campaign speech - right outside of Trump Tower in New York!
"We don't build walls that are emblems of racism and fear. We build bridges, communities and hope - because our unity of purpose lifts us higher than any tower".
Here's Andrew Buncombe on the president's Golan heights proclamation.
Trump's good day continues. Michael Avenatti, the former lawyer for Stormy Daniels, has been charged with extortion "for attempting to extract more than $20m in payments from a publicly traded company by threatening to use his ability to garner publicity to inflict substantial financial and reputational harm on the company if his demands were not met."
Donald Trump and his associates have been running a victory lap today after his attorney general released a four-page summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. But there are at least 17 different investigations still surrounding the president. Those are:
Senate Intel
SDNY
Eastern District of Virginia
Washington DC Attorney’s Office
Department of Justice, Public Integrity Section
State Attorneys General in DC and New Jersey
Four probes across New York, including tax department investigation
House Intel
House Financial Services
House Oversight
House Judiciary
House Ways and Means
House Foreign Affairs
Attorneys General in DC and Maryland lawsuit of potential emoluments clause violations
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