Time for some perspective…
… at the one-year anniversary of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into Russia’s messing with our 2016 election.
President Donald Trump sent out a Twitter message celebrating the milestone: “Congratulations America, we are now into the second year of the greatest Witch Hunt in American History…”
Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Fox News (sic) viewers, “It’s about time to get the darn thing over with. It’s about time to say, ‘Enough. We’ve tortured this president enough.’”
Vice-President Mike Pence said, “And in the interest of the country, I think it’s time to wrap it up. I would very respectfully encourage the special counsel and his team to bring their work to completion.”
The Washington Post gave us some benchmarks for measuring what is a reasonable length of time for such an investigation:
Iran-contra [a real scandal]: 6 years, 8 months (1986-1993)- Samuel Pierce, HUD corruption: 9 years (1990-1999)
- George H.W. Bush administration, improper search of passport records: 3 years (1992-1995)
- Henry Cisneros, mistress payments: 11 years (1995-2006)
- Mike Espy, gifts from agriculture company: 6 years (1994-2001)
- Lewis “Scooter” Libby, CIA leak: 3½ years (2003-2007)
- Bill Clinton, Whitewater and Bill’s sexual peccadillos: 6 years 8 months (1994-2000)
- Hillary Clinton, Benghazi & e-mails: 5 years (2012-no end in sight)
So far, Mueller’s activities have cost taxpayers close to $10 million. Kenneth Starr’s lengthy investigation that led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment (and Starr’s prurient report) cost $70 million – about $100 million in today’s dollars.
And Ken Starr? He was recently removed as president of Baylor University after the lack of response to six reports of rape and sexual assault committed by a football player at the school.
