Vermont’s congressional delegation on Thursday rejected U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s defense of President Donald Trump
as “spin” and vowed to continue congressional investigations into the findings of the newly released Mueller report.
Statements by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) made it clear that while the Special Counsel Robert Mueller may be finished with his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Congress is just getting warmed up.
“Nothing can hide that this report amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration,” Leahy wrote in a statement. “Members of the Trump campaign were not simply useful pawns in Russia’s attack on our elections. They were eager, unapologetic beneficiaries of Russia’s interference.”
Leahy was in Vietnam Thursday. Welch was in Colombia, and Sanders was campaigning for president, according to their spokespeople. All issued written statements about the redacted version of Mueller’s report.
Mueller found insufficient evidence to prove members of the Trump campaign conspired with Russians to interfere with the election, and Barr claimed there was “no collusion.” Barr concluded that none of the 10 actions by Trump that Mueller investigated for possible obstruction of justice amounted to a crime.
Leahy took a dimmer view of their import. Leahy took Trump to task for trying to “manipulate and delegitimize” the investigation, including by firing FBI director James Comey, and said the efforts “demean his office and demean the rule of law.”
Welch blasted as “biased and incomplete” Barr’s characterization of the 448-page report, and stressed that Congress should hold hearings to “reach independent conclusions about President Trump’s conduct and how best to hold him accountable.”
Welch said he found the documented contacts Trump’s campaign had with Russians to be troubling.
“The multitude of contacts between campaign and Russian operatives before and after the election is reprehensible and marks a break from the longstanding practice of shunning foreign influence in American elections,” Welch wrote.
Welch has long said he needed to see the full report before he could opine on whether Trump committed obstruction or should face impeachment.
Now that he’s seen it, Welch said that, contrary to Barr’s characterization, it
outlines “detailed and substantial evidence” that Trump and his campaign “did everything they could to obstruct and undermine the investigation.”
Welch said Congress should obtain an unredacted copy of the report and hold hearings into whether obstruction of justice in fact occurred. Barr said during a press conference that he was planning to release an unredacted copy to certain members of Congress and had no objection to Mueller testifying.
Welch concluded: “As Congress begins the next phase of this sordid chapter in American history, it is vital that we work to restore the norms of our democracy so essential to our future: respect for the rule of law, respect for our institutions, respect for the truth, and respect for the right of American voters to elect their president free from foreign interference.”
Sanders, who was campaigning in South Carolina, issued the briefest and most general statement of the three.
Sanders said Congress must continue its investigation “into Trump’s conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election” and called upon Trump and Republicans to “stop obstructing the necessary work to protect our democracy.”
Asked about the report Thursday afternoon, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said he hadn’t seen it yet.
“We have a balanced approach in Congress at this point: the Republican Senate and the Democratic House,” Scott said. “I hope we stick to the facts rather than getting into partisan battles.”
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Hey Seven Days, you know you called Sanders Trump in your headline? Made my day!
Proof that Seven Days is still put out by humans!
In Seven Days defense, they are both angry old white men who yell that the media is lying.
The democrats can keep pushing Russian conspiracy and maybe uncover something by Trumps seventh year in office or they can turn the page and win the 2020 election.
Philo = not a Democrat. We dont take direction from Democrat hating, woman hating, misogynistic Bernie Bros.
“respect for the right of American voters to elect their president free from foreign interference.” ?? How about free from political party and electoral college interference? End gerrymandering, abolish the electoral college, and let the voters elect their president directly.
Excuse me, Mr. K. Y. Assumptions,
This comment:
“Philo = not a Democrat. We dont take direction from Democrat hating, woman hating, misogynistic Bernie Bros.”
is ridiculous. One reason is that you don’t address the article. Reason two is that you try to say that the other comment comes from an imaginary group who identifies as “Bernie Bros”. The third reason is that a comment is not a Directive, and does not tell the reading audience what to do. Oh yes – it also says that you (Mr. Assumptions) represent the reading audience. [By the way, misogynistic = woman-hating.]
In future, could you discuss the article in question, rather than complain about another person’s comment?
7Days guidelines dictate that we not fight each other here. Voice your opinion on the article.
Sanders, Welch and Leahy (2018),”Republicans must accept Mueller’s findings.”
Sanders, Welch and Leahy (2019),”We do not accept Mueller’s findings.”
*In future could you discuss the article in question rather than complain about another persons comment.*
Huh?
You ROUTINELY do this yourself. We can find countless examples of where you respond to, i.e., criticize, another person*s comments on an article.
Have a good day.
Guess these 3 bald old amigos think they are dictators. They DEMAND to hear from Mueller asap. They vowed to continue congressional investigations So I guess these 3 will pay for this investigation out of their own pockets. ?? Very doubtful. We hard working American taxpayers has already dished out millions on this fake hoax already. We will not waste our money again. This investigation was just a” coup” to get President Trump out of office because lying Hillary didn’t win. They also hate him because he gives his paychecks to the wounded soldiers, homeless and many other charities Do these 3 do that? N.O.P.E Heaven forbid if any of these 3 would give their whole paychecks away and all 3 can well afford it too. The 3 politicians of Vermont are nothing but big jokes. Why was Leahy was in Vietnam Thursday and Welch was in Colombia??? looking for votes..??? Sanders running around the country playing big shot. Why aren’t they in Vermont doing their job that we pay them for !!
Hi there old buddy,
I do respond to other people’s posts, yes. But, I don’t call them names or try to make them look foolish. I disagree with them in a civil way. If you have an example of my insulting some other comment person, I’d like to see it.
You have yourself a nice night.
Good God all of you entrenched, liberal wingnut career pols, your hypocrisy knows no bounds. Mueller was your poster child until he did not play nice and give you more lies and deceit. It is time for the AG to open an investigation into the Democrats’ collusion and obstruction. It’s called leveling the playing field.
I’m not sure this is an honest account of the facts
Pardon me, but why did a letter deploring “all of you entrenched, liberal wingnut career pols” get 34 “likes”?
I have a feeling this forum is infested with entrenched conservative wingnut career pols (whatever that means).
Let’s see if three dozen folks dislike this one. Do you need to dominate the comment section?
Let’s have a civil discussion.
Is Sasha around?