CNN's Jake Tapper notes the obvious flaws in Donald Trump Jr.'s 'no actual crimes' argument


On Monday morning's Fox & Friends, Donald Trump Jr. dismissed Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into his father's campaign, arguing that Mueller and New York federal prosecutors have found "no actual crimes," but instead have put "incredible pressure" on "regular guys" with regular incomes to make them "slip up on say something incorrectly." CNN's Jake Tapper took issue with Trump's assertions, noting on his show Monday evening that, among other things, those "regular guys" include Michael Cohen, the president's longtime lawyer and fixer; former Trump campaign heads Paul Manafort and Rick Gates; and Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn.
"Just a bunch of regular guys," Tapper deadpanned. He ran through Mueller's stats: 199 criminal charges against 37 people and companies, four people sent to jail, and counting. And no actual crimes? "Well, lying to Congress is a crime, lying to the FBI is a crime, witness tampering is a crime, violating campaign finance laws is a crime," he said. "Criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States by interfering in the U.S. election — which Mueller is charging several Russians with having done — that's definitely a crime. Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, that's is a crime. Bank fraud, that's a crime. That's just some of them. And as far as we know, Mueller's not even done."
Despite setting up an iffy meeting with Russians, "Donald Trump Jr. has not been charged with anything, and he may make it through this entire Russia investigation without being charged with anything," justice reporter Laura Jarrett noted. "But all of the crimes that you just listed are real crimes — just ask Manafort and Gates and [George] Papadopolous and Flynn, who are all going to prison." Political correspondent Sara Murray ran through some of the crimes we may never know the details about. Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Book reviews: 'America, América: A New History of the New World' and 'Sister, Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson'
Feature A historian tells a new story of the Americas and the forgotten story of a pioneering preacher
-
Another messaging app used by the White House is in hot water
The Explainer TeleMessage was seen being used by former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz
-
AI hallucinations are getting worse
In the Spotlight And no one knows why it is happening
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year