US Justice Dept. Recommended Not Charging Trump With Russia Probe Obstruction - Memo

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Justice Department recommended against charging former US President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice in regards to the probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into alleged collusion with Russia, according to a 2019 memo released on Wednesday.

“At your request, we have evaluated Volume II of the Special Counsel's Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election to determine whether the facts recited therein would support initiating or declining the prosecution of the President for obstruction of justice… the evidence described in Volume II of the Report is not, in our judgment, sufficient to support a conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that the President violated the obstruction-of-justice statutes,” the memo said.

The memorandum was ordered released by a US court at the request of a watchdog group. The memorandum was originally sent by Justice Department lawyers to officials that include then-US Attorney General William Barr.

The memorandum contends that investigators had no solid evidence or legal grounds to prosecute Trump for obstruction. Additionally, it would be rare for federal prosecutors to bring obstruction charges that did not arise out of a proceeding related to a separate crime, the memorandum said.

The investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of collusion between Trump and the Russian government began in 2017, ultimately finding no evidence of a criminal conspiracy or collusion.