What follows is a simplified* version of Part I of the Durham Report, “The Special Counsel’s Investigation.”
In 2017, the Department of Justice appointed Robert Mueller as Special Counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and any possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Mueller’s investigation lasted over two years and included interviews with hundreds of people and the review of millions of pages of documents.
In April 2019, Mueller submitted his report to the Attorney General.
- The report found that the Russian government interfered in the election in a “sweeping and systematic fashion” but did not find sufficient evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia.
- The report also did not find sufficient evidence to establish that President Trump obstructed justice, although it did find that he engaged in “numerous acts” that could be construed as obstruction.
The report’s findings have been met with mixed reactions, with some people believing that they exonerate President Trump and others believing that they raise serious questions about his conduct.
The Justice Department has adopted new policies in the aftermath of the Special Counsel’s investigation.
The new policies include:
- A requirement that the Department obtain approval from the Attorney General before opening an investigation into a political campaign.
- A requirement that the Department appoint a special counsel to investigate any allegations of wrongdoing by a political campaign.
- A requirement that the Department create a public record of all decisions made in connection with investigations of political campaigns.
The new policies are designed to protect the rule of law and to ensure that the Department is not used for political purposes.
*This simplified version of the text was generated with artificial intelligence and edited and organized by Dr. Blumenthal. All opinions are the author’s own.
Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal 