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BIG: Mueller and his team concluded that Congress has authority to police obstruction of justice.
MUELLER: “[W]e concluded that Congress has the authority to prohibit a president’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice."
MUELLER: “[W]e concluded that Congress has the authority to prohibit a president’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice."
MORE MUELLER: "The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President’s corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law.”
MUELLER credit Comey's version of the "loyalty" pledge dinner. "[S]ubstantial evidence corroborates Comey’s account of the dinner.”
MUELLER indicates that he interviewed Rosenstein on May 23, 2017 -- underscoring concerns raised by legal experts about whether Rosenstein could credibly oversee the probe while also being a witness.
MUELLER references the Cohen-hush money payments and says the evidence doesn't establish Trump fired Comey for anything to do with that issue potentially coming to light.
In the section on Trump directing McGahn to fire Mueller, Mueller seems to indicate that the president met all three prongs of obstruction: Taking an obstructive act, intent and nexus to an official proceeding. (p. 88-89 Vol 2)
It's not explained why Mueller made no finding here
It's not explained why Mueller made no finding here
In the appendix, MUELLER lists *twelve* fully redacted ongoing matters that his investigation spawned that he referred to other prosecutors.
NADLER in a new statement says he is issuing his subpoena for the full report because DOJ hasn't yet contacted Congress about providing it.
In multiple instances, Mueller appeared to describe Trump as meeting the three prongs necessary to prove obstruction and offers no alternative, mitigating explanation.
But Mueller had already determined he wouldn't "draw ultimate conclusions" because of OLC restriction.
But Mueller had already determined he wouldn't "draw ultimate conclusions" because of OLC restriction.
IN SUM:
-Mueller set out not to make a decision on obstruction because he couldn't formally charge and Trump would have no legal recourse to clear his name.
-But he demonstrated multiple episodes in which Trump met the criteria for obstruction. Said Congress is ultimate arbiter.
-Mueller set out not to make a decision on obstruction because he couldn't formally charge and Trump would have no legal recourse to clear his name.
-But he demonstrated multiple episodes in which Trump met the criteria for obstruction. Said Congress is ultimate arbiter.
This section of the report makes clear that concluding the president obstructed justice was never on the table for Mueller, no matter what the facts might have proven in court. 
In the portion of Barr's letter on obstruction, the words "in our judgment" deserve new scrutiny. Mueller identified multiple instances in which Trump met the three prongs of obstruction.
