VOA慢速英语--穆勒详细描述了特朗普试图干扰调查的企图

Mueller Details Trump¹'s Attempts to Interfere² with Investigation³

The United States Attorney General William Barr released most of a special government report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election Thursday.

The report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller said that “while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate⁴ him” on the issue of obstruction⁵ of justice.

The report also found there were many contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia. But, it said, “…the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges.”

During the Thursday morning event with wounded military veterans, President Donald Trump said, “I’m having a good day.” He declared, “It’s called no collusion, no obstruction.”

The Mueller report said the president’s efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, “largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede⁶ to his requests.”

Barr read a statement and answered questions from reporters shortly before he ordered the release of the 448-page, redacted report Thursday. He said the “redactions” are needed to protect grand jury information, intelligence secrets, ongoing⁷ investigations⁸ and the privacy rights of others. The attorney general added that a report with fewer redactions will be made available to a small group of Congressional leaders.

Democratic Congressman⁹ Jerry Nadler of New York is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He called Barr’s decision to withhold¹⁰ the full report “regrettable.”

Nadler said in a statement, “The report concluded there was ‘substantial evidence’ that President Trump attempted to prevent an investigation into his campaign and his own conduct.” He then asked for Mueller to testify before Congress by May 23.

Robert Mueller was named special counsel on May 17, 2017 to investigate “Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 election and related matters.” The appointment came after Trump had dismissed Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey and told Russian officials that the pressure had been “taken off.”

Obstruction of justice

The report said that, when Trump learned of the appointment, he said, “This is the end of my Presidency¹¹.”

The report examined 11 actions by the president related to the obstruction of justice investigation.

Trump was said to be concern that the Russian interference investigation might lead the public to question the legitimacy¹² of his election.

It said the president directed White House lawyer Don McGahn to dismiss Mueller but he refused. The president then pressured McGahn to deny news reports about it.

News reports of a meeting at Trump Tower in New York City on June 2016 became known in the summer of 2017. The report said that, when the report became known, Trump directed his staff to say the meeting was about adoptions¹³ of Russian children. The meeting, attended by his son and top campaign officials, was to receive damaging information about the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton.

Trump declined to answer questions from the special counsel in person. Instead, he provided written answers in November 2018. The report said, “…the President stated on more than 30 occasions that he ‘does not recall’ or ‘remember’ or have an ‘independent recollection’ of information called for by the questions.”

Trump denied any knowledge of the Trump Tower meeting before it took place. He said his claim that he hoped Russia would find missing Clinton emails was not serious.

The president’s lawyers have also claimed that the president is not subject to obstruction of justice laws because of his constitutional position as head of the Executive branch.

Mueller, however, said in the report that “Congress has authority to prohibit a President’s corrupt¹⁴ use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.”

Attorney General Barr has already agreed to appear before Congressional committees to talk about the report.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

exonerate –v. to prove that someone is not guilty of something

obstruction –n. the act of blocking something

collusion –n. a secret cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose

accede –v. to agree to a demand

redact –v. to edit or prepare writing so it is ready for the public

legitimacy –n. permitted or acceptable under the law

occasion –n. a special event, time or instance

authority –n. the power to give orders or make decisions

integrity –n. the quality of being honest and fair

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 exonerate   

v.免除责任，确定无罪

参考例句：

• Nothing can exonerate her from that.任何解释都难辞其咎。
• There is no reason to exonerate him from the ordinary duties of a citizen.没有理由免除他做公民应尽的义务。

5 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。

6 accede   

v.应允，同意

参考例句：

• They are ready to accede to our request for further information.我们要是还需要资料，他们乐于随时提供。
• In a word,he will not accede to your proposal in the meeting.总而言之，他不会在会中赞成你的提议。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

10 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

11 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

12 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

13 adoptions   

n.采用，收养( adoption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Adoption agencies are always so open to alternative family adoptions. 领养中介机构永远都对领养家庭敞开。 来自电影对白
• The number of adoptions has grown in the past year. 去年，收养子女的数字增加了。 来自互联网

14 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。