Here’s what happens to Robert Mueller’s investigation if Donald Trump shuts down the government
Donald Trump is now just two days away from indefinitely shutting down the federal government, a fitting climax now that Trump has spent the past year bringing the American system of democratic government to its knees. Some have suggested that Trump may be trying to shut down the government in the hope of derailing or delaying Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into his Russia scandal. So what would actually happen to Mueller and his probe if Trump shuts everything down?
As it turns out, Trump wouldn’t be able to shut everything down. Here’s how the Department of Justice has explained the matter: “All employees with the Special Counsel’s Office are considered exempt and would continue their operations in the case of a lapse in appropriations.” (link). In other words, Mueller and his entire team – from his high profile prosecutors to his lowest level researchers – will remain on the job. Now comes the question of whether Trump even understands this.
Anyone who has even so much as watched The West Wing is aware that a federal government “shutdown” only shuts down what are considered nonessential services. Some people remain on the job while others don’t. Some government doors close and others remain open. Is it possible that Trump is so ignorant, he thinks everything gets shut down and everyone goes home? Come to think of it, is he under the impression that even he has to go home? Is this all a ploy to play more golf?
It’s an increasingly dangerous game to try to guess what might be going on inside of Donald Trump’s increasingly fractured and failing mind. But we do know this: even if Trump does shut down the federal government at the end of this week, it won’t negatively impact Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation into Trump’s crimes.
