Bucshon dodges actual findings in Mueller Report
In response to my concerns about the findings spelled out in the Mueller Report, Congressman Larry Bucshon (R-8th, Indiana) replied with a letter assuring me that, “You may be certain that I will keep your thoughts in mind should any legislation regarding the Mueller report or the special counsel’s investigation come before the full House of Representatives for a vote.”
As we all now know by now, the Mueller Report provides incontrovertible evidence that the Russians intervened in the 2016 elections. House bill HR 1 was passed partially in response to those findings. HR1 would provide states with more money to harden voting systems against possible foreign intrusion and mandate that the Department of Homeland Security develop a strategy for resisting such attacks.
Rep. Bucshon voted against HR 1.
In his letter, Mr. Bucshon feels required to comment on the “millions of taxpayer dollars spent” on the Mueller investigation. He fails to admit to the fact that the assets seized from the convicted felon Paul Manafort, former Republican Campaign Chair and Trump adviser, will total $22 million, possibly more. Attorney General Barr can use this to almost cover the cost of the entire investigation which is estimated to be $24.2 million. The Mueller team has indicted, convicted or gotten guilty pleas from 34 people and three companies, including top advisers to President Trump, Russian spies and hackers with ties to the Kremlin. Most would say this is good value for the money spent.
Mr. Bucshon didn’t feel any of this worth mentioning to me, his taxpaying constituent.
My letter also posed direct questions in regard to the redactions in the released copy of the Mueller Report. Bucshon has had nearly two months to read this report. I wanted to know how my congressman can do the important work of protecting our elections from foreign influence and determining if the President of the United States has obstructed justice without having the full Mueller Report to read and evaluate.
The congressman’s letter was silent on these concerns.
Actually, not entirely silent. There is this. We all know how Trump endlessly chants and tweets, “No collusion. No obstruction.” The first full paragraph of Bucshon’s letter includes three references to “collusion” and “no collusion.” (I quote: “without a doubt, there was no collusion with Russians by President Trump ...”) It seems the President’s bumper-sticker denials are being heard by my representative in Congress. But I ask, couldn’t Larry Bucshon at least read, or start reading, redactions and all, the Mueller Report? Had he, this is what he would find:
“... [In evaluating the evidence] we [the Mueller investigation team] applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of ‘collusion.’ ... collusion is not a specific offense or liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law.”
This clear as glass statement is not buried in a footnote. It appears on the second page of the Mueller Report. I guess our President isn’t the only non-reader in our government.
— Gary Daily, Terre Haute