"'Russia Scandal' Trump Not Indicted" US DOJ Secret Document Released

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] It has been revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice created a confidential document stating that the president should not be indicted in connection with the special counsel investigation into the 'Russia scandal' during Donald Trump's presidency.

According to CNN and other outlets on the 4th (local time), Federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered the release of the related documents on the same day. This document, written in the form of an internal memo on March 24, 2019, was prepared by two senior advisors of the Department of Justice under Attorney General William Barr during the Trump administration, and it contained content that fundamentally excluded the possibility of President Trump being charged with obstruction of justice related to the Russia scandal.

Until now, U.S. civic groups have demanded the disclosure of internal documents related to the Department of Justice's decision-making at the time, but the Department of Justice had continuously refused. In response, the federal court judged that it was appropriate to disclose the related documents.

In the ruling, Judge Jackson stated, "It appears that William Barr, who was the Attorney General under the Trump administration, and his advisors had already decided not to indict the president," adding, "It was a foregone conclusion that (then-President Trump) would not be indicted."

The Russia scandal refers to allegations that during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russia intervened in the election process to help elect Trump, who was favorable to Russia, and that members of the Trump campaign were involved in this interference. After President Trump's inauguration, Congress and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began full-scale investigations into these allegations, and in May 2017, President Trump dismissed then-FBI Director James Comey, sparking controversy over obstruction of justice.

The Department of Justice appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel, but despite two years of investigation, the special counsel failed to establish collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and also deferred conclusions regarding Trump's obstruction of justice allegations.