President Trump’s recent attacks on the Mueller investigation have drawn the ire of Democrats, legal scholars, and the like, with many fearing that Trump may soon try to ax the investigation. As far as President Trump’s guilt or innocence, the jury’s not just out; it hasn’t even been called into court. So while critics are ready to put Trump before the proverbial firing squad, stepping back and taking a deep breath is prudent. That includes Mr. President.
It’s possible that the Mueller investigation really is nothing more than a witch hunt. If so, the best course of action is still to let the investigation play out, scrutinize the findings, and ensure that the truth comes to light. And yes, President Trump and his proponents have every right to scrutinize Mueller, his team, and his findings. If the investigation is not being conducted in a fair and impartial manner, then the public does have a right to know.
Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2018
Thus far, there is no evidence of wrongdoing on Mueller’s part. Mueller is respected by both Democrats and Republicans but has generally been more closely tied with the GOP, having been first appointed as the director of the FBI by George W. Bush. However, some FBI officials in the investigation have demonstrated a bias and have thus been removed from the case. Hopefully, every partial investigator has been removed.
Regardless, only one thing matters concerning the Mueller investigation: the truth. This truth is far greater than our partisan divide or even the office of the president. If President Trump is found to not have colluded or elsewise committed any crimes, the Democratic Party and other critics need to respect and embrace that.
A total WITCH HUNT with massive conflicts of interest!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 19, 2018
If collusion or other activities did occur and can be proven with sound and conclusive evidence, then Congress and/or other relevant parties need to consider the issue further and impartially. The office of the president and indeed the country of the United States are both far larger than any one man, including larger-than-life Donald Trump.
Firing Mueller will cast a bad light on the president, especially if Trump is innocent. If the president is not guilty of any crimes, then he should not fear an investigation. This shouldn’t be construed to say that Trump’s recent comments hint at fear. The remarks may have been the result of annoyance or anger. If innocent, President Trump still has every reason to be angry and annoyed.
Regardless, the president should not act upon his anger or annoyance by firing Mueller or otherwise interfering with the investigation. At this point, the best ending for the president himself would be to be found innocent of the allegations. Such innocence, especially resulting from an investigation that he may feel is slanted, would put him fully and well into the clear.
Of course, the Mueller investigation may turn up evidence or result in allegations of collusion. For the American people, these findings would be more important than the office of the president, even if they support this particular president. For Trump, bringing allegations to light would provide him and his legal team with the ability to critically examine and refute them.
If Trump goes ahead and fires Mueller, don’t be surprised if evidence and allegations are leaked regardless. It will be harder for the president to defend himself from such whispers, just as it has been difficult for him to fend-off ongoing rumors and leaks already.
President Trump claims that he has nothing to hide. Let’s take his word on this; after all, he’s perhaps the most in-the-know. Since the president has nothing to hide, then allowing the investigation to finish up should vindicate him and allow the country to move on.
