Mueller report sees no Trump role in Russian meddling in US elections
25 Mar 2019
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An investigation report prepared by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections has cleared President Donald Trump of any collusion with Russian agencies to influence the elections, although it did not clear him of corrupt practices.
The Justice Department said Mueller has also declined to rule on whether evidence showed Trump obstructed justice, although the report does not exonerate him, according to a summary of Mueller`s findings released on Sunday.
"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Attorney General William Barr quoted Mueller as writing in his report on the issue of possible obstruction of justice.
After a 22-month-long investigation into the allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump defeat his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, Mueller also found no evidence that any member of Trump`s election campaign conspired with Russia during the election.
While Barr`s summary said Mueller found no evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, despite multiple offers from individuals associated with Russia, Mueller said he would leave it to the attorney general to decide whether a crime was committed.
For Trump, who has always denied collaborating with Moscow or obstructing justice, the report comes as a big relief. Opposition democrats, however, could ask for the full report before arriving at any conclusions. Trump would claim that the probe findings are a vindication of his assertion that he was a victim of a "witch hunt."
US intelligence agencies say there was active Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, but Russia says it did not interfere in the election.
The Department of Justice on Friday said Mueller had ended his investigation after bringing charges against 34 people, including Russian agents and former key allies of Trump, such as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
