Per Barr, the report finds no collusion by any American with the Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. With respect to obstruction of justice, Barr writes:
The Special Counsel states: "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."Barr goes on to make a salient point. If there was no collusion, then the President had no motive to obstruct justice and his actions, taken within the purview of the President's normal powers, cannot be adjudged to obstruct anything since he had nothing to fear from "justice" being done.
The Special Counsel's decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.
After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.
Barr adds there are matters in the report which existing law prohibits him from disclosing, meaning he cannot simply hand over the intact Mueller report. I'm certain there are Democrats who will dispute these last two claims.
