The Verdict on Trump and Collusion: Evidence and Misconceptions

With the continuous revelation of how far Republicans go to cover up, the discussion has once again centered on Donald Trump and the collusion allegations surrounding his 2016 presidential campaign. Supporters of Trump often claim he has been "cleared" of any wrongdoing, but these claims are fundamentally flawed and misleading.

The Office of Special Counsel Report and Collusion

The Office of Special Counsel Report did not find any evidence of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals, which would have violated campaign finance laws. 'Collusion' is included in this term.

According to the Office of Special Counsel Report, there was ample evidence of foreplay, but the act of collusion was not consummated. While proving a negative is often challenging, the lack of concrete evidence does lend weight to the absence of collusion.

The report implies that Trump and his team were on the wrong side of the law. Hence, while one cannot definitively say Trump has been entirely cleared, the evidence suggests he and his team were involved in facilitating illegal collaboration with Russian agents. The affirmative findings in this report are significant and oblige a sober re-evaluation of the available evidence and conclusions.

The Mueller Report and Obstruction of Justice

The Mueller Report, however, did not exonerate Donald Trump on the obstruction of justice charge. The report itself is a detailed and comprehensive examination of the conduct and activities of the Trump campaign. While it may not have found enough evidence to charge Trump and his team with conspiracy, the report's findings still implicate significant collaborative efforts between Trump and Russian agents.

Providing a clearer definition of collusion is essential to debunking these misconceptions. Collusion involves more than just communication and cooperation; it includes a mutual understanding and agreement to perform illegal actions. Key examples include:

Trump publicly asking Russia to find Hillary Clinton's emails Meetings between Trump Jr., Manafort, and Jared with a Russian agent promising dirt on Hillary Clinton, followed by a subsequent cover-up effort Manafort sharing polling data with a Russian agent to target their influence campaign Roger Stone orchestrating the release of stolen campaign emails and lying about it Flynn's contact with Russian agents before Trump took office regarding sanctions

These examples clearly demonstrate a pattern of illegal cooperation and communication between Trump's team and Russian operatives.

The Limitations in Finding Conspiratorial Evidence

It is crucial to understand that the Mueller Report never interviewed Trump, Trump Jr., or many of his key staff members under oath. Additionally, Mueller was restrictioned in his investigations by not being able to review Trump's past financial documents to assess potential financial obligations or ties to Russia that could have compromised Trump and introduced necessary context.

Moreover, while the investigation concluded that Russia working to help elect Trump and Trump and his staff welcoming their efforts, the Senate investigation also found that there were attempts to cooperate.

It's essential to recognize that the absence of formal conspiracy charges does not mean a clearance. The lack of evidence to support conspiracy charges does not mean that collusion did not occur. The evidence of collaborative efforts is clear, and the implications are serious.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the available evidence strongly suggests that Donald Trump and his team were involved in collusion with Russia. While the Mueller Report did not find sufficient evidence to charge him with conspiracy, the findings from the Office of Special Counsel and other investigations indicate a pattern of legal transgressions. It is imperative for the public and lawmakers to critically evaluate the evidence and understand that the absence of a specific charge does not equate to a full clearance.