If Mueller had "earth-shaking" information, would he tell leaders of the House and Senate??

[kentuck]

I would think that he would want to inform them if there was a huge development or something of national security importance?

I wonder if there aren't 3 or 4 Democrat and Republican leaders that know where this investigation is headed?

What if there is "Top Secret" information that is known only to Mueller and a few others?

What if the information shows deep "criminal" involvement?

What then?

[PJMcK]

1. Good questions

What do you think, kentuck?

[kentuck]

3. I think they may already have the information...

..just judging from the reactions of the Republicans this week? Just an unproven observation.

[PJMcK]

22. I agree

There are probably a lot of people in D.C. who know all kinds of things about Trump and his campaign.

Republicans know they have a limited amount of time before Trump becomes a lame-duck due to his legal problems. They want to get their goodies as quickly as possible.

[lagomorph777]

2. He knows they're part of the plot; they are targets of the probe.

So, no, he won't tip off the targets prematurely.

When the bombshell hits, they will be in the blast zone.

[Ligyron]

5. THIS

[greytdemocrat]

4. What if?!?!?!?!?!

[atreides1]

6. No!

He is under no obligation to inform either the House or Senate leadership of any information he has or receives!

Besides, if the information shows criminal involvement, why provide a warning to some who may be a part of that criminal activity?

[kentuck]

8. If he hasn't informed them...

...that may be the reason? You may be right?

[TexasProgresive]

7. Only if he want's it to leak- no looser lips than congresscritters r or d or I

[kentuck]

9. But there has to be a political resolution, is that correct?

And wouldn't the House and Senate Leaders need the information gathered, in order to resolve the issue?

[TexasProgresive]

13. When the special prosecutor has a case to make he will.

Showing his hand to the congress will just give those who want to thwart the case will use portions to discredit. It has to be iron clad or nothing. I don't know if congress will have to resolve this if hE is indicted and convicted in criminal court. It will be a slam dunk to impeach and convict. The orange menace will probably do a nIXON and resign with guarantees of pardons by pENCE.

I'm probably wrong but that is how I see it.

[kentuck]

16. Why do you think he would be " indicted and convicted in criminal court"?

Unless the crimes are extremely bad, they would probably reach some sort of political resolution, either impeachment or 25th Amendment?

Unless there is nothing there? And few expect that to be the case, not even Republicans.

[Historic NY]

10. Ah no........

[kentuck]

11. Who does he turn his information over to?

Is it Rosenstein? That would make sense.

Then Rosenstein decides what to do with the information?

What is the proper channel for the results of the investigation to go?

[Historic NY]

14. Yes....remember its a criminal investigation.

[Orrex]

12. To what possible benefit?

Republicans would simply (and certainly) convey that information to Trump, it would subsequently be leaked, and we would see a media firestorm preemptively discrediting Mueller in a obvious effort to muddy the proceedings.

That will have no effect upon the veracity of Mueller's findings, but it will provide cover for Republicans who decline to act, because their rabid base will be absolutely convinced that Trump is the innocent victim of a partisan witch hunt.

[kentuck]

15. I think it would depend on how much longer Mueller expects investigation to go?

If he has almost finished his investigation, then eventually, the Leaders of the House and Senate must be informed, otherwise, how could they ever impeach?

Why would they not convey that information to Trump? Some Senators marched over to the White House and informed Richard Nixon during the Watergate crisis. Why would this be any different? Unless they are still investigating other matters?

[Orrex]

19. Your second paragraph underscores the question

How much lead time are you imagining? Five minutes? Twenty-four hours? I can think of no benefit in doing so.

Knowing that the dutiful GOP toadies will immediately scurry over to the White House with that information, why on Earth would Mueller provide that information in advance? How would it strengthen his case or improve efforts to expose the truth?

[kentuck]

20. Maybe he wants them to scurry over to the White House?

And let Trump know what is ahead for him?

He can then be given his options: resign from the Presidency, or recommendation to impeach, or accept the subpoena for the grand jury?

[Orrex]

21. Hmm.... Now that's an interesting thought.

You're looking at a sort of meta-strategy, whereas I was thinking only of the straight-up revelation of findings.

In that light, maybe Mueller would go that route.


Hmm...

[Sophia4]

30. There will be trials and convictions of people around Trump before there is a referral

to the Congress, I should think.

Manafort and Gates first. It is going to take a lot of time. The focus is probably not so much on Trump himself at this time but on proving beyond reasonable doubt the cases about people who were around Trump.

[brooklynite]

17. He wouldn't, because it's not his job...his job is to investigate possible crimes and prosecute.

[kentuck]

18. Here are the powers of the Special Counsel:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/robert-mueller-legal-authority-special-counsel-article-1.3736014

<snip>
1. The special counsel can file charges

Mueller has the right to convene a grand jury, issue subpoenas, interview witnesses and file criminal charges that could be presented at a federal trial. His job is similar to that of a U.S. attorney only that he’s not under the supervision of the Justice Department.
2. The counsel can obtain resources from the FBI

The FBI can provide the special counsel with the adequate resources for their investigation and have a staff consisting of lawyers. They can seek additional resources should their investigation require them.

3. The counsel has no obligation to reveal his/her findings publicly

“The special really has no obligation to speak other than through official acts meaning the return of an indictment in the trial of a case,” Richard Ben-Veniste, former Watergate Counsel, told MSNBC in May.

4. The special counsel can seek an impeachment

President Trump has called Mueller’s probe a “witch hunt” and has a certain amount of legal immunity. He has called on Mueller to treat him fairly, but the special counsel could choose to seek an indictment against the President if he finds incriminating evidence, according to CNN.

...more at article

[dewsgirl]

23. 10 years from now this whole awful mess is going to make a great movie, if we are still here.

[marylandblue]

24. This is a grand jury investigation, which are secret

So no, Mueller has not provided any bombshells to Congress. Most of what you have heard about the investigation has probably come from witnesses or targets who found out what Mueller has based on the questions they were asked.

In some case Mueller may have asked Congress to back off on certain witnesses or lines of inquiry to avoid compromising the investigation.

[kentuck]

25. But the Special Counsel has the power to call before the grand jury or not?

As in the planned interview, they are negotiating whether to subpoena before grand jury or to interview in a more relaxed environment, like at the White House.

[marylandblue]

26. Even when interviewing in an office rather than at the grand jury

It is still information that may come before a grand jury and therefore secret. Also it is DOJ policy not to say anything about ongoing investigations, and Mueller is bound by that policy. He knows he needs to play this straight down the middle. Any real or imagined error would be used as an excuse for his dismissal.

[kentuck]

27. I think you are probably right about the grand jury?

And they would have access to whatever information Mueller may receive during any interview with Trump.

[Abouttime]

28. Mueller will take down the repuke leadership

Trump couldn’t pull off the theft of the election alone. We are looking at hundreds if not thousands of co-conspirators involved at the national, state and local levels. This is by far the largest crime in our nations history.

[Golden Raisin]

29. Given his seemingly iron-clad silence and

no leaks policy so far I can't imagine he will reveal anything until he has all the cards in the deck. Whether there's a shocking and cataclysmic grand slam, something more moderate, or nothing will not be known until he is ready. I STILL want to know what went down in the March 15, 2017 Trump-Russia briefing when Senators Feinstein and Grassley exited grim, ashen and silent, looking like they had both seen ghosts.

[Abouttime]

31. Grassley will go down with the ship

There’s nothing more I’d like to see than that evil old farmer spend the rest of his days behind bars.