#UPDATE: I LIED. I immediately tried to find out and the answer is: unclear

[tenthhdoctor]

I started re-watching Evilive, so here's something that I looked into a year ago, didn't write down anywhere, and then forgot about until now.

So Han Dong Soo got suspended for three years, right? And we find out why in Episode 4:

So. I'm like 99% certain this is referencing this specific part of Article 91 of the Attorney At Law Act, which states:

'(2) The grounds for disciplinary actions provided for in subparagraphs 2 through 5 of Article 90 shall be as follows:

3.Cases where an attorney-at-law engages in conduct which damages his or her dignity as an attorney-at-law, regardless of whether such conduct is committed on or off duty.

[Source. Alternative source at 4.4.1.1. Also see page 10 here.]

And what is Article 90? Well, Article 90 states: 'Types of disciplinary actions against attorneys-at-law shall be classified into the following five categories:

1.Permanent disbarment; 2.Disbarment; 3.Suspension from practicing for not longer than three years; 4.Administrative fine not exceeding 30 million won; 5.Censure.' [emphasis added]

[Source.]

So, like, Han Dong Soo didn't have to be suspended for three years. He may not have even needed to be suspended at all, possibly he could have just been reprimanded (if Moon Sang Guk's involvement hadn't made the entire situation a farce to begin with).

No wonder Han Dong Soo was so angry. I'd be pissed too!

[Sidenote: It looks like the Attorney At Law Act has been amended a LOT over the years, but I can't figure out if articles 90 & 91 were around when Han Dong Soo was going through his disciplinary proceedings in 2005. I think so, but it looks like they were amended in 2008? Idk lol]

[toloveawarlord]

Ch. 5

Pairing: Iris x Edgar

A/N: This was supposed to come out in December but I failed miserably. Iris is one of my favorites to write. She was my first Ikerev OC and I cannot believe it took me so long to update this XD Enjoy some Iris and Edgar!

Time passed quickly. Sweltering heat cooling off into chilly temperatures. Leaves turning from lush green to brilliant shades of red and orange. As the season changed, the animosity towards me began to fade away. I was just another soldier.

Training became second nature, but I consistently found myself growing bored with it. Unlike the others under the Jack of hearts command, I had a higher goal than simply being in the army, and that was to take my rightful place as the ten of Hearts, regardless of their rules on women.

Until then, the only place I could truly relax was my quarters. Even here in the barracks bathroom, taking a bath brought stress to me. The doors don’t lock. The men crass enough to walk in on each other and laugh. When the hour grew late and Sean stood guard outside, I had to rush to stay unnoticed by the other soldiers.

It had been some time since I’d actually soaked in a bath. Perhaps once I had my quarters in the main building...

Swiping my hand across the mirror to catch a glimpse of my reflection, one of the only times I got to see my real face without magic, I gave a long sigh. What I wouldn’t give for better soap and some moisturizer. “It’ll be worth it.”

“What will be worth it?”

Through the mirror, I could clearly see those jade green eyes gleaming with exhilaration at the discovery he’d made. Blaming Sean would be ridiculous. He couldn’t turn away the third highest ranking officer. It wouldn’t have ended well for him. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

“Consider this a surprise inspection,” Edgar replied, gaze falling down to my body clad only in a towel. His lips tugged up into an amused smirk. “This is quite the curious situation, isn’t it?”

No more a secret that I’m a woman, not man. Without the crystals to hide my feminine features or the wrapping around my torso, that much was clear. “What are you even doing in here?” Something had brought him here, and it wouldn’t hurt to ask. I’d soon be thrown out or arrested. Impersonating a soldier would yield a harsh punishment.

Edgar leaned back against the wall, humming softly to himself. “It’s my duty to inquire about strange occurrences and you, dear Iris, have been a strange occurrence since the moment you arrived. Am I correct to assume you’re Iris Adley, Ian’s sister?” The question rhetorical. He’d likely done research on my family.

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. Your games don’t amuse me, Edgar,” I replied with a frown. What’s he waiting for? He could drag me to Lancelot’s office and turn me in. He could arrest me himself, lock me in the dungeon. So why is he just standing there?

Silence lingered between us, waiting for the other to make the first move. Drops from my wet hair fell down onto my bare skin, rolling down between the swell of my chest and disappearing beneath the towel. The steam from the hot bath beginning to settle in his brown locks as well.

Edgar lifted his hand to brush it back, leaving it messier than usual. “This is quite the predicament. Allow me a chat over tea in my chambers.” An invitation posed as a command, as my superior officer. His gaze pierced into me, like he could read my hesitation. “I promise to be nice.”

That is not my main problem, but he knew that. He’s messing with me. I narrowed my eyes. It would be a pain to resist and have him use force that would result in a fight and ultimately end up with me arrested for either murder or my original crime of impersonating my brother. That doesn’t mean I want to. “I don’t know if you have a nice bone in your body, Edgar.”

“Ah, you wound me, Iris. I’m not going to spill your secret,” he replied, flashing a charming smile. One that said, not yet, at least. Of what use it would be to him...

Darkness fell over us, signaling lights out as the crystals in their fixtures went out. The small window fixed up high in the bathroom left a strip of moonlight illuminating the Jack of Hearts with an otherworldly glow. Perhaps he was a demon after all, I had yet to determine that. “I don’t have much of a choice, as you’re blackmailing me.”

Edgar chuckled, jade eyes glinting in the light. “Blackmail? I have no need to blackmail you. You see, I admire your resolve. You may have failed in the eyes of all the other officers in your fight with my dear protege, but I was undoubtedly impressed. Why would I have taken you on in my unit if I hadn’t found you most intriguing?”

Looking back now, it must be even more admirable that I made a draw of the spar with Zero. “You were ridiculously bored and wanted a new puzzle to solve.” Rumors of him circulated through the barracks often, especially through his unit. Highly respected for his skills but known to be eccentric and unusual.

“I haven’t solved you yet, have I?” Edgar tilted his head, sliding his tongue over his lips in anticipation of unlocking more secrets from me. He had been incredibly bored until this.

I slid my pants on under the towel, letting them hang loosely around my hips. “Maybe you never will.” The shirt stuck to my skin as I slipped my arms in and began to button the first few. Once decently covered, the towel pulled away and crumpled on the floor. The last few buttons easily done.

“I do so enjoy a challenge.”

Throwing an irritated glare at him, I swiped my earrings and wrap from the counter. The halls were empty, all in their rooms like good little soldiers. Sean had even disappeared, dismissed by Edgar. Should anyone else see us, it would be over.

Our steps silent, moving nearly in sync down the carpeted hallway of the main building. Passing the ten of hearts personal chambers, empty of its rightful occupant, I took a quiet breath. If he didn’t tell my secret, then it’s still in the cards for me.

The door closed with a resounding thud, followed by the click of the heavy lock turning. None could disturb without prior warning. Edgar motioned to the sitting area, moving to the cabinet to retrieve a tea set. With the use of magic crystals, heating the water an easy task. “Pumpkin tea is very popular in Central Quarter right now. I’m delighted to have someone to share it with.”

I sat in the chair to keep the distance between us. No matter where he chose to sit, it would be a good length away. “What is it that you want from me?” His motive unclear, and I would get a real answer out of him before I left.

“You excel at every turn. Tactical, strategy, swordplay, hand to hand. More so than any I’ve had the pleasure of training. It’s almost as if you don’t even need me.” Edgar elegantly poured the steaming tea into a delicate cup, not a single drop spilling, as if showing off his own skills.

“That’s not true. I haven’t beaten you in a sword fight yet,” I answered with a shrug. His skill shined through with how he wielded a sword. Since watching him, I’d adjusted how I held my sword, finding the perfect balance to have as graceful and clean a swing as him.

Edgar sat on the couch nearest me, holding his teacup up but never taking a sip from it. “I’ll wager you’d put up a better fight as Iris rather than Ian. You hold back. At first, I imagined it was due to fear of failing, but the more I watched you, the more purposeful I found your movements. Precision to keep from winning against your opponent.” 

He’d been watching me that closely?

“Ian has never been good at swordplay. He sucks at literally everything, even the poetry he desperately tried to win that idiot girl’s heart with.” If he’d had even an ounce of skill, I could have already worked my way up to being at least half as good as I am. The sweet steam of the tea wafted up from the cup. “Sean knew my brother well enough to tell a difference, so I had to be extra careful. Apparently, not careful enough.” A frustrating thought. My brows pulled together in anger.

Edgar took a long sip of the tea, happily satisfied with sweetness. “You’ve got the entire army fooled. I’ve even heard Jonah speaking a little praise of how well you adjusted and your skill.”

I studied his features, not a hint of his true intentions showing. That rumor stood true. None could fool the Jack of Hearts but gleaning his real self a near impossible feat. “If you aren’t going to expose me, then what is it that you want? People don’t keep secrets without a reason.”

“It’s simple. I want to see how long you can keep up this charade and what will happen once you’re found out. I can make predictions, but nothing will be as satisfying as observing it unfold.” No lies were laced in those words. Edgar found this a game, one that he could cure his own boredom.

The teacup hit the saucer with a loud clink. I stood from the chair, brushing my damp hair back. “It’s late. Unless you have any more questions, I’m returning to the barracks.” Not waiting for a response, I crossed the room to the door. Casting a glance over my shoulder, I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t trust you.”

Edgar laughed, rising gracefully from his seat. Pulling the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door for me to leave. “One last thing, you’ll be starting as my apprentice effective immediately. Outside of unit training, you’ll spend all your time at my side.” He was enjoying this a little too much, knowing that I couldn’t say no.

“Better watch out, or I’ll end up punching you one day.” The perks of being an apprentice were incredibly clear. It would jump start my knowledge on how the inner workings of the Chosen Thirteen operated. It seemed as though he was helping me. For what it gained him, I couldn’t puzzle out yet.

“I’d love for you to try, Iris.”

With the door opened, I slipped out into the hallway after checking for any guards. Returning to the barracks uncaught would prove easy. Even as I walked away, his gaze never left me. Sleep would be near impossible. The thoughts swirling around in my head.

What could Edgar Bright really gain from having me as his apprentice? Was it a spur of the moment decision to keep me close? Being that close to him would put me under the scrutiny of King Lancelot and Queen Jonah. If either discovered my secret, it would be game over. That was not an option. Whatever game Edgar desired to play; I would be the victor.

[jaaswolfen]

Format Ch3

Hey everyone! Wolfn here with the new update. Once again, apologies for the time it took, and hope you enjoy it!

As always, thanks to @yuukazuto for inspiring this piece of work, and everyone else who work in fanart, fanfic, and the such to keep this ship alive. 

Read it in AO3

The door to the med bay cracked as Sombra regained her senses. Exhaustion hit her like a truck, but the information she received in the past couple of hours kept her sleep light, and her dreams dark. Only now that she heard a sound did she open her eyes. The Doctor, the blonde one told her it would be locked for all of their safeties, or something like that. Her back hurt the most, so she had no option but to lie on her side, which hurt only slightly less than the burning sensation on her back. From behind the curtain light came out, and as a shadow entered the light disappeared once again. Her eyes did her best to focus to the lack of illumination, but were blinded once again when the curtains were torn down to show the figure behind them.

A huge woman, probably in her late 20s, stared menacingly down the hacker. Her biceps were twice the size of the bedridden, and she was positive she could crack her head apart with the palm of her hands. A scar decorated the scowl that she wore in her features. The only thing that perhaps didn’t scream “I will crush you” was the bright pink hair which was cut short on her head. The tone reminded her of the younger girl who came to visit her before. What was her name again?

 The sound of the curtains being slammed on the floor brought her back to reality, as the woman in front of her snatched a nearby chair without any delicacy, and proceeded to sit down in front of the bed. Arms crossed protectively over her chest, she never took her eyes off hers. Her muscles shifted visibly, as she tensed with every passing second. Like if she was waiting for something to happen. For her to do something.

Unable to handle the tension in the room, the Mexican attempted to speak up. “Um… Do I-” she swallowed loudly. “Do I know you from somewhere...?”

The woman sneered, and in a thick Russian accent answered. Her voice loud and clear. And as cold as the Siberian tundra. “I do not trust you, Sombra.” She said.

Ok. So we do know each other. I can work with this. She thought to herself. “You know me, but I don’t remember you.” She thought about it for a second. “Actually, I don’t remember anything.” She left a small chuckle. This only seemed to irritate the woman before her.

“So I’ve been told.” She answered as she uncrossed her arms. Her huge fingers gripped the railing at the end of the bed, and she leaned closer to the hacker. “I still don’t trust you.” She repeated. Sombra tried to make space in between the two of them, but decided against letting her back touch the bed again. “But my babushka always reminded me of my manners. So at least one of us will have them in this room.” Oye, I get it, you don’t like me. The woman thought. “My name is Alexandra Zaryanova. But you already knew that, don’t you? Hacker.” She called.

“Right. Hacker.” She repeated beneath her breath. Obviously, the Russian weightlifter had heard her, because her grip on the railing hardened. “I’m guessing I did something to you?” she asked carefully.

Zarya did her best to subside the temper that rose with every passing moment. A firm nod was followed with the following statement. “You have. You also told me you knew things I did not.”

“I did?” Asked Sombra immediately. And just as fast the Russian answered back.

“You did. You will also stay silent until I finish talking.” Corrected the Russian. She closed her eyes and only for a second she remembered the incident with Volskaya. Katya had been brief about what had happened. But ever since then she had been unable to cope with it, her mind asking questions and going nowhere. Then the damn monk came, and the Bastion unit. And the horse. She couldn’t even train anymore without a tin can appearing out of nowhere. Volskaya never asked for her help again, and the defense units started in mass production. Yet she refused to ever share the battlefield with one of them. She could never know when the damn thing would turn on her people again. But what if she was wrong? What if everything she had done was another lie? If her people died for nothing? She needed answers. To the Omnics, to Volskaya, to herself. And still, she had none.

But now she had someone who did.

“You are not welcome in this place. I should kill you where you stand.” She started. And as the Mexican woman’s eyes grew the size of dinner plates, she continued her train of thought. “You know something I need to now. If you are not lying then you can stay here until you remember.” She said. Zarya may be harsh, but she was fair. A beaten opponent was no opponent at all. “If you try anything, I will stop you. These are good people and you do not deserve the help they are giving you.” Sombra’s fear disappeared for a second in change of sadness. The Russian did not care. “But if you are lying…” She closed in on the hacker, she leaned back as much as her body could handle. But it didn’t stop the Russian’s whisper in her her.

“I will break you.”

And with that, Sombra gave in, falling back on the bed. The reaction was immediate, the burning sensation coming back to her and arching her body backwards. She chocked on a cry as she gaped in the bed. By the time she managed to regain her composure, the athlete was gone, but the bent made on the railing was proof of her visit. And her message. Sombra scrambled on her bed, managing to grasp the control on the bed spamming for healing. Instead, a body less voice came to the room.

“Talon Agent Sombra, is something the matter?” Asked Athena. Sombra took short, sharp breaths. In between them, she managed to form a coherent sentence.

“My back stings like hell.” She managed to let out.

“I see. Dr. Ziegler was very clear when she told you to be careful. It is your own fault.” Answered the voice.

Sombra managed to roll her eyes in between the pain. “Con una ching-I’m guessing I did something to you too?!” She asked exasperated.

“Perhaps.” The voice answered.  “If that is all, my systems are needed elsewhere.” She finished. It was a weird occasion when the AI lied. But the countless attempts from the hacker into her systems became monotonous after a while. And as while they appeared harmless, they were annoying all the same. To be completely honest with herself, if not for the favor agent Song had asked of her, she would have been all too happy to expose the hacker. Or at least her systems approved of the hypothetical situation. But she and Agent Song were friends. And friends trusted each other, as she recalled from her database.

“Wait!” Sombra called. She gave up on trying to lie down, and instead sat at the edge of the table. Raising her head, she attempted to ask the rooftop. “Where is she?” Athena immediately answered.

“If you are referring to Agent Zaryanova she is on her way to her quarters. I’ll make sure to notify Winston of what happened today.” ETA: 24 hours. She initiated the timer in one of her subroutines.

“No, Not her. The small girl. The one with the pink cheeks.” She cleared. The humming of the AI indicated her that she was still present in the room, but seemed as she was trying to decide the best course of action. Quickly, Athena confirmed that Agent Song was indeed in her quarters. And while the privacy blockers impeded her from looking inside her room, the amount of people outside it was growing. And their expressions all indicated some level of emotional distress. She only theorized that this was but a fraction of what the young agent was experiencing herself.

“Her current situation is unclear, but I expect her emotional well-being to improve exponentially with your vital signs.” The AI finally said. And as she did, she picked up the enemy’s heartrate rise a considerable amount before returning back to the normal levels. Her expression resembled something like relief, yet she did not understand why. Perhaps it was time to inform someone that she had woken up. Before she had the time to do so, Sombra interjected once again.

Athena was being cooperative, and she would rather have someone to talk to, even if it was a disembodied voice on the ceiling. So she asked anything and everything she managed to think of. How did the two of them met? How did she and Athena met? What was the deal between Overwatch and Talon? What about before? She kept asking and asking, and Athena did her best in answering their questions.

 She knew she was a Hacker now, but she didn’t remember how to hack, much to Athena’s pleasure. Strangely enough, when the AI stared rambling on technical babble, Sombra felt the words way too familiar. After a while, she was able to connect a few dots herself. It seemed she hadn’t forgot how to hack after all, at least not completely. But without her hardware, there was really nothing she could do. She stopped that thought right there, no need to give the omnipresent AI the wrong idea. She remembered her home in Dorado. She remembered Mexico, the warmth of the sun kissing her skin, and the smell of the ocean in the town. She also remembered Alejandra, and the bakery. The best churros she could ever find. She remembered her mother, who always did seem a bit wary. Either for her of from her. And the bread, it was delicious. After all, she always liked a good concha.

But then why did she remember that, and not Talon? Nor her time at Los Muertos. Not even when she started to hack. She remembered the war, and the smell of death. She remembered the foster care. She remembered running away. Yet she didn’t remember anything regarding her job. Did someone do that to her? Or was it just another coincidence? A sharp pain shook her head, and decided that this was not the time to think about that.

Her first meeting with Athena was rocky at best. As always, Sombra peeked her head where she shouldn’t, and ended up meeting with the AI on a transatlantic technological warfare way, way before she had been asked by Talon to do so. After a while, it became routine. Return to home, change into something fresh, bandage up, grab Señor Osito and get to work. And as soon as she did, three more things happened, she opened up D.va’s stream, she unencrypted the current work file, and she attempted to hack Athena. It became a personal project of hers, rather than actual work. Not that she remembered any of this, sadly.

 But Athena did. She remembered just how annoying was to have to deviate her subroutines to someone who wasn’t even trying seriously. She believed that it was the equivalent of a mosquito buzzing around in the middle of the night. If that mosquito could give you and your loved ones malaria, that is. And now she was willingly answering her questions. Why? She wasn’t sure, and it would probably rise some concerns on Winston, but at least she was sure that Agent Song would be pleased by her actions. But as soon as she mentioned her, Sombra’s expression changed once again .

“Oye…” She kept silent for a second. “Do you know more about what happened?” She asked.

Athena’s interest piqued. This behavior was unseen on the hacker. The risen heart rate, the body temperature. She suspected that the Hacker was referring to the events prior to the mission. But had made no comment or shown interest in the subject until now. The computer took note of the unforeseen development, and answered nonetheless.

“I was aware about your relationship with Agent Song, yes.” She said.

Sombra stayed silent once again debating on what, or even if she should ask more about it. Sombra had the general idea regarding her meeting with Hana, but hearing about it felt way too coincidental, as if she had planned it before. Like how everyone was in the right place at the right time, only leaving the two of the alone. It seemed like a fated meeting. Until D.va started to shoot, that is.

She kept thinking, until a dim glow captured her attention. One of the computers in Angela’s computer desks had turned on. On it, a still image appeared. She could make the figure of two women underneath the shadow of a building. She immediately recognized one of them as herself, and the other one as the girl-Hana, she remembered.

“I have recorded several instances of your rendezvous. Since you are part of them, I believe Agent Song wouldn’t be opposed to allowing you to see them.” She finally said. Wordless, she stood up, and careful not to disconnect anything, made her way to the desk. When she arrived, the recording started by itself. The media showed the two embraced. She was unable to make out what they said, but it stood out when the hacker took a single, gloved finger, and gently touched the smaller one’s nose. The reaction that came for her was adorable. The younger woman playfully swatted away the other’s hand while red blended with the marks on her cheeks. The Hacker now imitated the gesture on the screen, while she inspected her hand. The move felt natural, and she somehow knew that she needed to say something, but she wasn’t quite sure what.

“We looked so happy…” She commented. The AI decided against commenting anything back, and instead opted for analyzing the raw emotions in the Hacker’s face. A feeling unfamiliar in the AI rushed after a while. While she did not understand why the woman had started to shed tears, she kept changing the media as soon as one ended. At first out of precaution. She still didn’t want here near any hardware. But afterwards, she suspected that perhaps she was experiencing “guilt” for treating her as she did. Or “empathy” at the situation they were both in. Yet she had no way of distinguishing them, as neither had been recorded in her database before. She would need to talk to Winston about this unforeseen development.

Both of them ended up staying up until sunrise, Sombra’s attention absorbed in the images, and Athena’s sensors in Sombra. She was able to recognize several different expressions from her senses. How surprised she looked to hear her own voice. How puzzled she was when she saw fight the Korean. Jumping at the sounds of gunshots. And the confusion as why was she screaming at a giant, pink robot. How her tears dried as she cracked a smile at her own playfulness, and cringed at her own terrible one liners. Her heart pick up and pummel, and her tears dry on her cheeks and flow once again. She opted to take a seat in the Doctor’s chair as she spotted her homeland in the darkness. And as she fell asleep, the last image she managed to catch was the one of Hana and her, on a small coffee shop, laughing with the starry sky in the background. No big explosions, no gunshots, just the two of them. Together.

[marilynngmesalo]

Mueller ends Russia-Trump probe, delivers report

Mueller ends Russia-Trump probe, delivers report Mueller ends Russia-Trump probe, delivers report https://ift.tt/2USzutw

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump’s presidency, entangled Trump’s family and resulted in criminal charges against some of the president’s closest associates.

The comprehensive report, still confidential, marks the end of Mueller’s probe but sets the stage for big public fights to come. The next steps are up to Trump’s attorney general, to Congress and, in all likelihood, federal courts.

The Justice Department said the report was delivered by a security officer Friday afternoon to the office of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Word of the delivery triggered reactions across Washington. Shortly afterward, Attorney General William Barr released a letter noting his plans to write his own account of Mueller’s findings. The White House released a statement saying it had not seen or been briefed on the document.

A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, is shown Friday, March 22, 2019 in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Next steps are “up to Attorney General (William) Barr,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.

Barr said he could send his account to Congress quickly.

“I am reviewing the report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you of the special counsel’s principal conclusions as soon as this weekend,” Barr said in his letter the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary committees. He pledged a commitment to transparency.

He said the Justice Department had not denied any requested action by his office. Barr was required to disclose to Congress any instance in which Mueller asked to take an action during his investigation but was told no by the department.

With no details released at this point, it’s not known whether Mueller’s report answers the core questions of his investigation: Did Trump’s campaign collude with the Kremlin to sway the 2016 presidential election in favour of the celebrity businessman? Also, did Trump take steps later, including by firing his FBI director, to obstruct the probe?

But the delivery of the report does mean the investigation has concluded without any public charges of a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and Russia, or of obstruction by the president.

It’s unclear what steps Mueller will take if he uncovered what he believes to be criminal wrongdoing by Trump, in light of Justice Department legal opinions that have held that sitting presidents may not be indicted.

The mere delivery of a confidential report will set off immediate demands, including in the Democratic-led House, for full release of Mueller’s findings. Barr has said he wants to make as much public as possible, and any efforts to withhold details will prompt a tussle between the Justice Department and lawmakers who may subpoena Mueller and his investigators to testify before Congress. Such a move by Democrats would likely be vigorously contested by the Trump administration.

The conclusion of Mueller’s investigation does not remove legal peril for the president. Trump faces a separate Justice Department investigation in New York into hush money payments during the campaign to two women who say they had sex with him years before the election. He’s also been implicated in a potential campaign finance violation by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who says Trump asked him to arrange the transactions. Federal prosecutors, also in New York, have been investigating foreign contributions made to the president’s inaugural committee.

No matter the findings in Mueller’s report, the investigation has already illuminated Russia’s assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts. Over the 21-month investigation, Mueller has brought charges against 34 people, including six aides and advisers to the president, and three companies.

Trump says public should see 'ridiculous' Mueller report

The special counsel brought a sweeping indictment accusing Russian military intelligence officers of hacking Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign and other Democratic groups during the 2016 election. He charged another group of Russians with carrying out a large-scale social media disinformation campaign against the American political process that also sought to help Trump and hurt Clinton.

Closer to the president, Mueller secured convictions against a campaign chairman who cheated banks and dodged his taxes, a national security adviser who lied about his Russian contacts and a campaign aide who misled the FBI about his knowledge of stolen emails.

Cohen, the president’s former lawyer, pleaded guilty in New York to campaign finance violations arising from the hush money payments and in the Mueller probe to lying to Congress about a Moscow real estate deal. Another Trump confidant, Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied about his pursuit of Russian-hacked emails ultimately released by WikiLeaks. It’s unclear whether any of the aides who have been convicted, all of whom have pleaded guilty and co-operated with the investigators, might angle for a pardon. Trump has left open the idea of pardons.

Along the way, Trump lawyers and advisers repeatedly evolved their public defences to deal with the onslaught of allegations from the investigation. Where once Trump and his aides had maintained that there were no connections between the campaign and Russia, by the end of the probe Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was routinely making the argument that even if the two sides did collude, it wasn’t necessarily a crime. The goalpost shifting reflected the administration’s challenge in adopting a singular narrative to fend off allegations.

Equally central to Mueller’s work is his inquiry into whether the president tried to obstruct the investigation. Since the special counsel’s appointment in May 2017, Trump has increasingly tried to undermine the probe by calling it a “witch hunt” and repeatedly proclaiming there was “NO COLLUSION” with Russia. But Trump also took certain acts as president that caught Mueller’s attention and have been scrutinized for possible obstruction.

One week before Mueller’s appointment, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, later saying he was thinking of “this Russia thing” at the time.

He mercilessly harangued Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing from the Russia investigation two months before Mueller was named special counsel, a move that left the president without a perceived loyalist atop the probe. And he helped draft a misleading statement on Air Force One as a Trump Tower meeting between his eldest son and a Kremlin-connected lawyer was about to become public.

The meeting itself became part of Mueller’s investigation, entangling Donald Trump Jr. in the probe. Mueller’s team also interviewed the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, multiple times.

Even as Trump blasted Mueller’s team, his White House and campaign produced thousands of documents for the special counsel, and dozens of his aides were interviewed. The president submitted written answers to Mueller regarding the Russia investigation, but he refused to be interviewed

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