President Donald Trump is attempting to discredit the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s efforts to sabotage the 2016 presidential election and related crimes. He wants to halt the investigation before it’s completed.

The president is very much in the minority. The most recent polls indicates that 59 percent of Americans support the investigation and want to see it completed. Seventy percent want Trump to testify and tell investigators what he knows.

Underway only since May 2017, the Mueller investigation has already resulted in felony convictions and guilty pleas from seven people, plus the indictment of 12 Russian agents, 13 other Russians and three Russian corporations. Among these is the underreported case of Californian Richard Pinedo, who sold stolen bank accounts to Russian agents.

We are still in the early stages of this investigation, and as in past special prosecutor investigations of possible governmental corruption and other crimes, much is likely yet to be discovered. Of nine similar investigations since Watergate that have resulted in indictments and convictions, seven have required more than three years to complete. Notable among these investigations were Iran-Contra, which led to the conviction of 12 Reagan administration officials for illegally selling arms to Iran, and the investigation of President Bill Clinton, which found he committed perjury and obstruction of justice, resulting in his impeachment by the House of Representatives.

This investigation will tell us who aided the Russians, how they did so, and whether any Americans betrayed their country. The findings will help prevent similar efforts to undermine our elections in the future.

If he truly hasn’t done anything illegal as he so frequently claims, President Trump should get on board with his fellow citizens, abide by his oath to uphold the laws of this country, and stop attempting to derail the FBI and Mueller’s investigation.

George Seel

Belgrade

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