Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Take Your Pick

According to the Washington Post’s recent poll, Americans view Robert Mueller as more credible than Trump.

Fifty-six percent to 33 percent, more say they trust Mueller’s version of the facts than Trump’s. And by nearly as wide a margin, more believe Mueller is mainly interested in “finding out the truth” than trying to “hurt Trump politically.”

Nearly two years into his investigation, Mueller has charged 34 people and secured guilty pleas from some of Trump’s closest advisers, including his former campaign chairman, deputy campaign chairman, national security adviser and personal lawyer. The special counsel has alleged 25 Russians, including 12 military officers, conspired to hack Democrats’ emails and wage a social media influence campaign to sway the outcome of the 2016 election, and described in astonishing detail how they did so.

Notably, though, Mueller has not brought criminal charges against any members of the Trump campaign for coordinating in that effort. He has charged several with lying to his investigators or to Congress — adding most recently to that list Roger Stone, a friend of Trump’s for decades whom Mueller has accused of trying to thwart lawmakers’ effort to investigate Russian interference in the election.

It should be noted that other than a brief statement concerning a report in Buzzfeed that they deemed “inaccurate,” neither Robert Mueller nor anyone connected directly or indirectly with his probe has uttered so much as a howdy-do to the press other than what they’ve presented in court.  So earning the public trust on this matter has been done solely on the work they’ve done while Trump has carried on as if his home was in a tree.

On the other hand, giving the people the choice between Mueller and Trump is like offering either pancakes and coffee or anthrax and ebola for breakfast.