Mueller is not under any obligation...

[LuckyCharms]

by either law or policy, to squash the release of any negative information concerning Trump's criminal activities, prior to the mid-terms.

Trump is not up for re-election in 2018.

We don't postpone trials for anyone else because they happen to be republicans.

[chillfactor]

1. Right on....

Manafort trial coming up in September.....unless Manafort pleads guilty...bad news for the orange turd is sure to come out.

[Garrett78]

2. Besides that, the whole 60-day 'policy' (that isn't actually a policy) is stupid.

If Person A is running for office and an investigation discovers evidence that strongly suggests Person A is unfit (or even dangerous), the public should be made aware of that information regardless of timing.

The problem with Comey's last minute announcement about Clinton was that it was a big nothing burger that was treated as big news. Meanwhile, there was no big announcement about how Trump was under investigation for high crimes. The whole 60-day thing is arbitrary nonsense.

[marylandblue]

3. There is no hard and fast 60-day rule but there are guidelines about

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/oct/30/robby-mook/clinton-campaign-says-comey-letter-violates-justic/

The guideline isn't just about a particular candidate, but about anything that is either actually intended to affect an election, or appears intended to. Since impeachment is an issue in this election, Mueller has to be careful about the timing of actions he takes. It's a judgement call.

He is unlikely to issue a report recommending impeachment a week before the election. He might indict Roger Stone less than 60-days out.

Comey flubbed it with Clinton. I don't think Mueller will make.the same mistake. It would be a political disaster for his investigation.

[RockRaven]

4. What is generally entirely ignored or unreported is the actual guideline is a double-edged sword

Firstly: you are not to attempt to use DOJ actions to influence an election. That one is pretty straight-forward. Don't abuse your position to sand-bag somebody.

Secondly, though, is a bit which cuts both ways: don't deviate from the normal course of DOJ business because there is an election going on. That can go either way. Don't take an action just b/c there is an election looming, but also don't hold back b/c there's an election looming.

The DOJ usually does not comment upon ongoing investigations until some major decision point is reached (indictment, guilty plea, investigation closed, etc), so silence is the norm. This is, obviously, where some people think Comey got out of his lane. He said something when people thought there was nothing which met the bar of deserving public comment.

But Mueller is being confronted with the flip-side: don't delay or withhold subpoenas, indictments, plea agreements, etc just because there is an election going on. Do your work, proceed as you normally would. Neither rush nor delay.

This is ESPECIALLY true because absent Nunes, Rohrabacher, and maybe a handful of others, the overwhelming majority of targets/subjects are not on the ballot.

[alwaysinasnit]

5. That is what makes Comey's actions so despicable.

[iluvtennis]

6. +++ agree. nt

[duforsure]

7. Mueller knows

He has the right to continue on without any regards to the upcoming elections . He can't be bullied , or intimidated . That's what has them so scared now.

[Scurrilous]

8. K&R

[dalton99a]

9. Yep.