Special counsel Robert Mueller handed his report off to Attorney General William Barr on Friday, just over four months after President Donald Trump fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
When Sessions was fired, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was quick to claim that the president’s underlying motive was to get to Mueller — possibly even to prematurely terminate the investigation.
It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions’ firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) November 7, 2018
And Pelosi was far from alone in her claim. (RELATED: Pelosi, Ocasio-Cortez Join Forces To Threaten Dems Who Dare To Vote With GOP)
Here’s the big picture on obstruction of justice: @realDonaldTrump fired Jeff Sessions because he refused to protect Trump, and then the President hired Whitaker as Acting AG to interfere with the Mueller Investigation. We must #ProtectMueller.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) November 24, 2018
Trump has fired Sessions, installed his puppet AG, and now he will fire Mueller and Rosenstein next – unless we tell our Senators to #ProtectMueller now! https://t.co/Ptq9uLIfYV #TrumpRussia
— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) November 12, 2018
Trump set up Acosta… why?
He got his ass handed to him on election night.
Lost the House.
GOP lost cuz of him.
Dems won cuz of him.
Fired Sessions.
Wants to move on Mueller.
Needs a distraction.BTW… what happened to his invading caravan? pic.twitter.com/eymZDLprt3
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) November 8, 2018
President Trump fired Jeff Sessions for one reason: to undermine the Mueller investigation.
Congress must act to protect Mueller and allow the investigation to be completed. https://t.co/qv7vU7xAWR
— Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) November 7, 2018
To the folks saying the House Dems should slow their roll and ease into investigations, realize that Tang FIRED Sessions less than 12 hours after the election results. He’s coming for Mueller TODAY. The dems need to come for him just as swiftly! Get him Nance & Max!
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) November 7, 2018
Some also argued that it was an intentional move to appoint Barr, who they also feared would put a stop to the investigation.
As Barr hearing begins, note this: President Trump fired his previous Attorney General Jeff Sessions for failing to rein in the Mueller probe and is now – likely – replacing him with someone who called a central part of that investigation “fatally misconceived.”
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) January 15, 2019
The #TreasonSummit was concrete evidence that Trump’s loyalties lie with the Kremlin.
Not to mention mocking the fired FBI director to Russian operatives in the Oval Office.
Having multiple calls/meetings with Putin.
Obstructing #Mueller‘s probe by firing Comey and Sessions.
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) January 12, 2019
After all that, it appears that despite the warnings that came raining down, Mueller was allowed to complete his investigation on his own terms and in his own time.
Barr has suggested that preliminary conclusions could be announced publicly as early as the weekend.