I bought this particular copy/edition because of the extra materials. There is a handy timeline, listing of people, glossary, the documents, and commentary (lots of it). All of it helpful and knowledgeable. This is split in 2 parts. Volume 1 focuses on Russia. Volume 2 is more about Trump and his actions.
My takeaway? From my paying attention to news reports while this was ongoing, to the indictments, interviews that were made public, this really didn't change the opinion I already had and what I already knew.
This will come as a shock to you if you've been paying attention to the news. I mean it! It will shock you! The Russian government interfered in the 2016 election. The scope and depth Russia went to was eye-opening. And they are poised to do (and are currently doing) the same thing in 2020. Are the GOP and the Trump administration taking this seriously? That would be a fuck no! Mitch McConnell (the Senate Majority leader for those that don't know) has refused to consider and has blocked bills to help make our elections safer from foreign interference. Making it harder for Americans to vote is always on the table (because of course it is). Regardless of your political persuasion, having an election free of foreign interference, and where every registered voter can vote (should they choose to), should be something every *patriotic* American wants and strives for. And you know what? If you don't agree with the prior sentence, you are not patriotic. You are a traitor. McConnell and many of the GOP have shown they really don't care. And that SHOULD MATTER!
"I'm fucked." That was Trump's reaction when he learned about the special counsel. That's exactly the reaction an innocent individual would have, right? It's very hard for me to believe in his innocence when he was surrounded by shady, horrible people. People he chose by the way. Then, there were his actions. From firing certain individuals, to asking government agencies to dispel the notion that there was an investigation going on, criticizing the investigation and Mueller at every opportunity, attempting to stop the investigation, his lawyers asking for a "heads up" in regards to developments, declining to be interviewed directly and in person, do I seriously need to keep going?
Trump never was interviewed in person and directly. There were numerous attempts to interview Trump. Many. It was even offered to limit the topics/questions. Instead he answered several written questions. In summary, many of his answers were something along the line of "I do not recall."
I think Mueller was very careful and concise in his investigation. The decision early on that a sitting president couldn't be indicated did play a huge roll in this investigation and the resultant outcome(s). I was almost done with this when Ukraine and the multitude of revelations made happened. This is still an ongoing news story.
I will end this with this quote from The Mueller Report:
"Because we determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement, we did not draw ultimate conclusions about the President's conduct. The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that would need to be resolved if we were making a traditional prosecutorial judgement. At the same time, if we had confidence after a thorough investigations of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstructions of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgement. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
Who still thinks Trump is a victim and innocent?