XPost: alt.politics.obama, alt.politics.usa, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: alt.connecticut   
   From: deplorable.redneck@nytimes.com   
      
   No collusion.   
      
   Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation has   
   concluded, and he has now submitted his long-awaited report on   
   the findings of that probe to Attorney General William Barr, as   
   required by the special counsel law.   
      
   A senior Justice Department official has told CBS News that   
   Mueller is not recommending any further indictments. The Justice   
   Department also confirmed that the "principal conclusions" of   
   the report will be made public.   
      
   Barr will now summarize Mueller's report for lawmakers, also in   
   accordance with the law. It is not clear whether the report or   
   any part of it will be made public -- that's left to Barr's   
   discretion. In a letter to top lawmakers on the judiciary   
   committees, Barr said he anticipated that he might be able to   
   advise them of Mueller's principal conclusions "as soon as this   
   weekend."   
      
   Special counsel spokesperson Peter Carr said in a statement that   
   Mueller will be concluding his service in the coming days. A   
   small number of staff will remain to assist in closing the   
   operations of the office for a period of time.   
      
   A White House official confirmed that White House attorneys   
   Emmet Flood and Pat Cipollone are with President Trump at his   
   Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.   
      
   Clare Hymes contributed to this report.   
      
   2020 Democrats weigh in   
   Democratic presidential candidates are saying that Mueller's   
   report must be made public. He submitted his report to Barr on   
   Friday, and it is now up to Barr to decide how much of it sees   
   the light of day.   
      
   The packed field of presidential contenders sounded off after   
   the news broke that Barr received the report.   
      
   "Release the Mueller report to the American people," former   
   Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke tweeted.   
      
   "Special counsel Mueller's report should be made public without   
   any delay. The American people have a right to know its   
   findings," tweeted New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.   
      
   That sentiment was echoed by California Sen. Kamala Harris,   
   who's campaigning in Dallas tonight. She also called for the   
   underlying evidence supporting the report to be released.   
      
   Sen. Elizabeth Warren took the development as a fundraising   
   opportunity -- directing supporters to add their name to a   
   petition demanding the public release of the report. Upon   
   signing, supporters are then directed to a donation page for the   
   Warren campaign.   
      
   Why the Mueller report could be good news for Trump   
      
   CBS News' Major Garrett reports the President Trump's attorneys   
   have an "expectation" that special counsel Robert Mueller's   
   final report will be good for the president.   
      
   "They feel in the end this will not have new indictments. The   
   report is done. The special counsel's office is essentially   
   shuttered and they believe not only legally, but importantly   
   politically, the president will be found to be largely, if not   
   completely in the clear," Garrett said.   
      
   One reason why the final report could be good news for Mr. Trump   
   is because the special counsel didn't press for a face-to-face   
   interview. Instead, Mr. Trump submitted a series of written   
   answers to the special counsel. In addition, White House lawyers   
   provided more than 20,000 documents and several advisers were   
   interviewed.   
      
   "The question now becomes can Congress get any farther -- if   
   there is somewhere to go that Mueller was not able -- [and   
   would]...have more powers than Robert Mueller had? Probably   
   not," Garrett said.   
      
   Attorney General William Barr sends letter to Congress   
   Barr has sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of   
   the Senate and House Judiciary Committees informing them of the   
   conclusion of Mueller's investigation.   
      
   "The special counsel has submitted to me today a 'confidential   
   report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions' he   
   has reached," Barr said in the letter. "I am reviewing the   
   report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you   
   of the special counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this   
   weekend."   
      
   mueller-letter.jpg   
      
   Barr also wrote that he would consult with Deputy Attorney   
      
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