Woodward: No Evidence Of Trump-Russia Collusion, I Searched For Two Years

Remember the nature of Woodward's research: He interviewed White House insiders at length (the deep background method). Unless one of them were to confess to Woodward that they were colluding with the Russians, he would not be likely to discover that in his research.

 

That's the way Woodward is, a deep state operative and decades-old FBI informant. He does know how to write well, however, and this a twist on Bob's usual m. o. Never believed Casey was in any shape to give that deathbed interview, either.

He found no evidence of collusion doesn't mean there wasn't any evidence of collusion, true, but collusion isn't a crime anyways and you know Bob turned over every stone to find something on this and failed to do so. No Mark Felt in this one.

 

Reporters do not have the power to subpoena or indict someone and depend on people to volunteer information.

Woodward's investigation was focused on Trump in the White House. If there were any collusion, it would have occurred before the election, would not have happened in the White House or involved any White House staff other than his most trusted circle.

Even if you believe Trump is not the sharpest tool in the shed, you would expect him to be smart enough not to collude with the Russians directly while in the White House where most of his staff is loyal to the US before they are loyal to him.

 

This whole "collusion is not a crime" mantra is an incredibly foolish thing to say. Of course, it is supposed to be a talking point for the President's defenders -- something to be mindlessly repeated, not actually thought about in any sort of meaningful way.

It's like saying "stealing is not a crime."

You won't find a law against "stealing" in the criminal code, but you will find laws against theft, burglary, robbery, and embezzlement, which describe various ways of stealing, according to method and personal physical danger to the victims. Each type of stealing has its own legal consequences.

While you won't find a criminal statute against "collusion" (except in anti-trust legislation) there are certainly many laws against illegal campaign contributions by foreign governments/citizens, criminal conspiracies to hamper fair elections, computer hacking and dissemination of private data, public corruption, election rigging, etc. Collusion is simply a shorthand term for all of the crimes that could be involved in this kind of activity.

 

There's more evidence of Obama's foreign birth than of Russia collusion.

 

It seems there are those who are very hopeful (against hope BTW) for a Trump-Putin "collusion" to be found and would cartwheel down the BB halls saying "I TOLD YOU SO!".

Collusion is not a crime especially when even talking to a Russian at a global international dinner has been contorted into "collusion".

Collusion would probably sound something like this

“This is my last election," O***a said. "After my election I have more flexibility.”
“I understand," M******v said. "I will transmit this information to V******r."

 

Ironic? these statements were meant to be known only to these 3 people in the quoted sentences.

But now is known to anyone with an electronic communicating device : TV, PC, Laptop, Tablet, Smartphone, android, etc, etc... Probably several billion people.

However there is a question no one has asked or is asking

FLEXIBLITY ABOUT WHAT!?

 

Also I have had a change of thought.

There may very well be "evidence" of a Donald-Vladimir 2016 presidential election collusion that will be "discovered" when Manafort regurgitates his guts just before the midterm .

However it will be of the Dianne Feinstein quality.

 

Wonder if shopping a dossier filled with Russian gossip is "collusion"?

their word, not mine

What Is Collusion? Is It Even a Crime?

Okay, have it your way - Woodward found no evidence of illegal campaign contributions by foreign governments/citizens, criminal conspiracies to hamper fair elections, computer hacking and dissemination of private data, public corruption, election rigging, etc on the part of the Trump campaign.

 

He did as well as the FBI and Mueller have done.