The U.S Capitol is seen at sunrise, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington. The special counsel鈥檚 report on how the Russians tried to influence the 2016 presidential election and any involvement with the Trump campaign is being boiled down to a summary of key findings. That summary is expected to be released to Congress and the public sometime Sunday. (AP)
WASHINGTON 鈥� For many Democrats, Robert Mueller鈥檚 investigation has long stood as their best, last chance to take down President Donald Trump before the next election. But what if the big reveal doesn鈥檛 reveal much new?
The imminent release of the special counsel鈥檚 report marks a moment of reckoning that may deflate Trump critics鈥� sky-high expectations.
On Capitol Hill at least, Democratic leaders in recent weeks have worked to convince restless liberals across the country that Mueller鈥檚 probe of Russian interference into the 2016 campaign was the beginning, rather than the end, of the inquiries. They are mounting far-reaching congressional investigations into Trump鈥檚 White House and business dealings, threatening to subpoena Mueller鈥檚 testimony and promising an onslaught of high-drama hearings.
It鈥檚 unclear whether that鈥檚 enough to satisfy the base of the Democratic Party, which has already waited two years for an explosive report, which they鈥檙e now told is unlikely to include any more criminal indictments. Liberal activists are already preparing for nationwide protests should the Trump administration not release the full report or appear to be hiding key evidence.
鈥淭here is an enormous amount of energy behind this,鈥� said Democratic strategist Zac Petkanas. 鈥淎nd I think people should not underestimate what a White House cover up will unleash if they decide to hide one word of the report or underlying evidence. We are at the beginning of a long fight to ensure that there鈥檚 not a cover up.鈥�
Despite the intense scrutiny on the report, polling suggests that most voters鈥� have hardened views of Trump and allegations of corruption, which won鈥檛 change regardless of what Mueller has uncovered. The bigger question becomes, politically at least, how each side will use the investigation to mobilize its voters heading into the 2020 election.
Democrats dominated elections for Congress and statehouses across the country last year, but there鈥檚 no guarantee that the anti-Trump energy that fueled their success won鈥檛 fade in the coming months. In the Democratic presidential campaign over the weekend, Mueller鈥檚 report didn鈥檛 surface much as the candidates trying to unseat Trump talked instead about health care, climate change, the economy, gay marriage and slavery reparations.
For Democrats in Congress, pursuing the investigations on their own now is a risky strategy.
In Mueller they had a truth-teller beyond reproach, whose credentials and bipartisan backing gave the questions swirling around Trump more than an air of credibility. Democrats put him 鈥渞ight next to Jesus,鈥� cracked Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio on Sunday. Republicans, for the most part, backed Mueller鈥檚 work. As Democrats go it alone, they lose that stamp of impartiality, and expose themselves to Trump鈥檚 constant cries of 鈥減residential harassment鈥� or 鈥渨itch hunt.鈥�
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democrats over the weekend Americans 鈥渄eserve the truth.鈥�
But Republicans, feeling vindicated that Mueller鈥檚 report will show no further indictments, are ready to turn. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas tweeted that while the special counsel conducted a criminal investigation, 鈥渨hat will now follow is mainly political harassment leading to, perhaps, a futile impeachment exercise.鈥�
Billionaire liberal activist Tom Steyer, who has been running ads calling for Trump鈥檚 impeachment, noted that many Republicans are already suggesting that Mueller鈥檚 report clears Trump, even before the details are known. Even if there鈥檚 not a new smoking gun involving collusion with the Russians, Steyer said, there鈥檚 already more than enough evidence of wrongdoing in other areas to justify removing Trump from office.
鈥淲e鈥檝e never agreed with the Democrats who said, 鈥榃ait for Mueller report, everything else doesn鈥檛 matter,'鈥� Steyer said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e always said this is a broad web of criminality that has been going on before Mr. Trump became president, during his inauguration, and after he became president.鈥�
So far, the Democratic Party鈥檚 2020 presidential field has largely avoided talking about the Mueller report, sidestepping questions about impeachment and calling simply for the report鈥檚 full release when asked. Former Texas Rep. Beto O鈥橰ourke had been the only presidential contender to have called openly for impeachment, but he, too, backed off in recent days, saying instead the matter was up to Congress and the public.
Calls for openness, instead of impeachment, are likely to intensify should the Trump administration release a summary of key findings instead of the full report.
Two years ago, when Mueller first set up shop, his arrival provided a semblance of order after Trump鈥檚 surprise election night victory and the questions raised by the intelligence community鈥檚 January 2017 findings that Russia interfered with the election in hopes of tilting the outcome to Trump.
Over and over again, when Democrats 鈥� and Republicans 鈥� were asked about potential wrongdoing or collusion by Trump, they could stand behind Mueller鈥檚 eventual report.
Democratic officials, in particular, relied on the special counsel鈥檚 work to tamp down their left flank鈥檚 calls for impeachment as they waited to learn more about the Trump campaign鈥檚 possible collusion with Russia. While the months passed, lawmakers could avoid making tough decisions. Now that shield is being stripped away, without much certainty over what they鈥檝e actually found out and what comes next.
鈥淔or many members of Congress the Mueller report has been a way to bid time before taking action,鈥� said Alexandra Flores-Quilty, a spokeswoman for the activist group By the People, which favors impeachment.
鈥淭he Mueller investigation has shown us what the American people already know and that鈥檚 that Trump and his inner circle are corrupt,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur group and many people in the public believe we already have enough information without the Mueller investigation and the Mueller report that we should pursue impeachment now.鈥�
Pelosi has drawn criticism from some in the party for her reluctance to pursue impeachment, but she鈥檚 been here before. The speaker views impeachment as politically fraught unless Democrats have the groundswell of public opinion behind them. Front of mind is her experience during the Republican drive to impeach President Bill Clinton, which voters saw as overly partisan, especially once the independent counsel鈥檚 report was released, and contributed to GOP electoral losses.
Instead, Pelosi frames the investigations ahead as Congress exerting its constitutional duty to the necessary checks and balances on the executive that voters want. Democrats are sweeping beyond the Russia probe into the president鈥檚 potential conflicts 鈥� his tax returns, financial dealings, Trump Hotel 鈥� in the tangled intersection of business and politics.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., a member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said this is perhaps an 鈥渦nparalleled鈥� moment in the country鈥檚 history and Mueller鈥檚 work is just the start.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 a risk of overreach when you talk about criminal acts 鈥� multiple criminal acts 鈥� conducted by the top people around the president of the United States,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have to lay it out for ourselves and lay it for the people and see where it leads us.鈥�