Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

1 Year In, Trump Claims the Mueller Probe Is a 'Witch Hunt,' But CNN Has the Receipts

1 Year In, Trump Claims the Mueller Probe Is a 'Witch Hunt,' But CNN Has the Receipts
(Photos by Win McNamee and Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Facts are stubborn things.

Last year, the United States Justice Department, headed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions decided to conduct a more thorough investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and any ties to the campaign of President Donald Trump. This move came after investigations led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and in the House and Senate and the high profile firing of the FBI director, James Comey, by the president.

Trump administration member AG Sessions recused himself from the investigation, turning it over to another Trump appointee, Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein decided to appoint former FBI director Robert Mueller as Special Counsel exactly one year ago today. All three men are lifelong Republicans.


Trump mocked and  ridiculed the investigation from the beginning and continues to do so, referring to it as a "witch hunt" or a "hoax" perpetrated by Democrats. The president marked the anniversary of Mueller's appointment with another series of mocking tweets.

The president made the same claim—greatest witch hunt in American history—one day after the special counsel appointment occurred.

But is it really a witch hunt or a hoax? Has the investigation bore no fruit? CNN doesn't think so and they've been kind enough to break it down, by the numbers, for us all.

19 is the number of individuals with charges brought against them because of the investigation. 3 companies also were subject to charges.

Among those charged? 1 White House adviser, 3 Trump campaign aides, 1 prominent Russian oligarch, and 12 internet trolls with ties to Putin's Kremlin.

75 is the number of criminal charges they face. Charges encompass bank fraud and tax violations, lying to FBI investigators, identity fraud and conspiracy against the United States.

5 defendants plead guilty. They include Trump campaign aide Rick Gates and former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Both chose to cooperate with Mueller's investigation.

1 person who plead guilty, Alex van der Zwaan, guilty of lying to the special counsel, is already serving a prison sentence for the crime.

1 person, Paul Manafort, chose to fight the Justice Department's charges in court. Manafort was chairman of the Trump 2016 presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, at least 40 people voluntarily spoke to the Office of the Special Counsel and at least 7 went before a grand jury.

Despite the mounting numbers of charges and indictments, the first occurring 5 months into the probe, Trump has used the phrase "witch hunt" to refer to the Russia investigation 39 times. Twitter users provided some feedback for him about that claim.

More from People/donald-trump

Kacey Musgraves
Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images

Kacey Musgraves Has Fans Cracking Up After Revealing She Accidentally Visited A Gay Sauna

You know how it is, we've all been there: You're wandering down the street in an unknown city and whoops! You've ended up in a gay sauna. Yes, THAT kind of gay sauna.

Okay, so maybe that doesn't happen to all of us, but it did happy to musician Kacey Musgraves during a recent visit to Sydney, Australia, and it has fans cackling.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie Taylor Greene; Donald Trump
Daniel Heuer/AFP via Getty Images; John McDonnell/Getty Images

GOP Rep. Claims MTG's Resignation Could Be The First Of Many In Eye-Opening Rant

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene—once the conspiracy theory-spewing, QAnon-embracing apple of MAGA's eye—announced on Friday her intent to resign and retire from Congress effective January 5.

In the wake of her almost 10-minute video announcement, an anonymous senior House Republican said many others in the party have also grown sick of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump and his incompetent, petty, glory-hogging administration. They cite Christian nationalist Speaker Mike Johnson as his primary enabler.

Keep ReadingShow less
An audience in a movie theater watching a movie
person watching movie

People Break Down Their Most Controversial Movie Takes

There really is nothing like a truly great movie.

Or, for that matter, a truly awful movie!

Keep ReadingShow less
A man standing across from a woman with her hands covering her eyes.
Man offers ring to surprised woman covering eyes
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

People Divulge Which Things Scream 'I Don't Love My Significant Other'

It's hard to ignore when we witness true love.

Generally speaking, it's when a couple can't keep their hands off one another, hangs on each other's every word, and oozes chemistry.

Keep ReadingShow less
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Donald Trump
Andres Kudaski/Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

AOC Lays Out Why 'We Should All Be Questioning' Trump's Mental Stability In Powerful Rant

In remarks to reporters, New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained why "we should all be questioning" President Donald Trump's mental stability after he called for the execution of Democratic members of Congress.

Last week, Senators Elissa Slotkin (Michigan) and Mark Kelly (Arizona) joined Representatives Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania), Maggie Goodlander (New Hampshire), and Jason Crow (Colorado)—all of whom are veterans—to issue a call to service members.

Keep ReadingShow less