A 20-hour live reading of the Mueller Report sponsored by the City of West Hollywood and the Hollywood Chapter of the National Organization for Women began at 9 a.m. today at the West Hollywood City Council Chambers. As of early this afternoon, there were only one or two people in the audience other than speakers waiting their turn to read. The City of West Hollywood
The 448-page report, officially titled “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election,” documents Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings after an investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The investigation looked into allegations of conspiracy or coordination between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia, the results of which are contained in Volume 1. Volume 2 contains the results of Mueller’s investigation of allegations of obstruction of justice by Trump and those associated with him.
An audio version of the report, narrated by the Pulitzer Prize-winning staff of the Washington Post, has been available online since shortly after a redacted version of it was released on April 18. It can be downloaded for free. Councilmember John Heilman, who is a law professor, has prepared a 16-page summary of the Mueller Report, which can be accessed by clicking on the “download” button below.
On July 15, the City Council approved a request from Council members Heilman and Lindsey Horvath to allocate $4,500 for costs associated with technical assistance and closed captioning for the video streaming of the reading along with event insurance. It also agreed to waive fees that could have been charged for use of the space and parking for those participating in it, which was valued at $3,151. Mayor John D’Amico voted against the proposal to fund the event and Councilmember Lauren Meister abstained. However, D’Amico and Meister are on the list of more than 150 people who have agreed to appear from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow to read portions of the report. Councilmembers John Heilman, John Duran, and Horvath also are on the list of readers. Those interested in attending can park in the five-story structure behind the City Council Chambers and obtain a validated parking ticket at the event that makes parking free.
In a message to WEHOville explaining his participation, D’Amico said: “the Mueller report is an official city event. It is important to me, as the current Mayor, to be supportive of all of the efforts of the city. Our ability to stay focused is more important than any opinions I might have about individual projects and events.”
John Erickson, a former deputy to former City Councilmember Abbe Land (also on the list of readers) and the head of the Hollywood chapter of the National Organization for Women, proposed the reading event. Erickson is closely aligned with Land, Heilman, and Horvath and is rumored to be a candidate in the November 2020 City Council election.
Links to the recorded live streams from Saturday and Sunday. Part I – Saturday – Volume I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p1BJNyBH6M Part II – Sunday – Volume II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZji6eaAekw&t=6362s As just one of the many participants in the reading, I accept Vigilant’s critique of the reading & apologize for mispronouncing certain names & for seemingly challenged at reading the English language aloud. To my & other readers’ defense however, this was a live performance w/ readers picking up from where the previous reader’s 5 minute time period left off, making it very difficult to review reading passages in advance. As for the audience… Read more »
Josh, you were definitely more conscientious than most. It would have been good for one of the organizers to draw up a list of the cast of characters along with their phonetic pronunciation just in case a Russian name were to appear in their passages and would have been a stretch for the readers to learn them. Many of the speakers announced their affiliations as actors, writers and aspiring candidates so it’s back to the training wheels. Reading/speaking skills are important as they define one’s competence in many ways, in addition to how someone presents themselves. Always amazed at how… Read more »
Vigilant, thank you for that. The organizers actually did do as you mention with the phonetic pronunciation of Russian names – about 30 of them I’d guess (many more than we’ve heard in the two years of news coverage of the report) – and placed them on a wall for all of us to review before. I spent a few minutes at the wall going over each, as did others, but when it came to my turn to read, I’ll admit, that wall of names was the last thing on my mind.
Glad to hear that Josh. I guess if everyone had a list they could have been rehearsing the names, instead of chit chatting, just in case. Had I been a reader, the last thing I would have wanted is to garble someone’s name. Always amazed at how fluent the news folks are on PBS, NPR, BBC, DW and CBS (there you have my news sources) never missing multiple names of many nationalities. After all, we do have a large Russian community in West Hollywood so it could come in handy.
This has already been done with amazing actors who give the report color and allow the listener to digest the information in a way they may not have grasped by reading it themselves. I highly suggest watching this one night!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeGZ-xL6FNU&t=1212s
This may have been a well intended idea but unfortunately was poorly executed. For a community that advocates fairness, the reading of a supposed impartial document was tantamount to an editorialized version of a serious report through inflection and gestures. It would be horrifying to consider that any of these folks might sit on a jury of supposed peers, to adjudicate one’s fate. The substance, as in most legal documents is often found in nuance which was obscured by this behavior. Many readers were improperly dressed and too many used the occasion to announce their resumes including requests to follow… Read more »
Why are our comments bejng censored?
Comments that include attacks on other comments, untruths and profanity are not applowed
Not applowed? Probably not allowed either
Somebody needs to make a movie of the Mueller report!!!! People watch Tv and will absorb visually much easier
Couldn’t they get Marill Strip, Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, WhoopI Goldberg, Charlize Theron (for sure) and all other neighbors-board members of the local HMAs donate an hour of their time each to read Muller Report? That would have then be a freely nationally televised event from which (on ads), and from tix sales, they could raise good money for their local chapter and national DNC. This is the least these guys could do educate their fans using their platform and celebrity. Somebody call Tom Hanks to exec produce it, make a few calls. Robert DiNero would be happy to come… Read more »
If I’d known..I would have listened.
From a July 16, 2019 WEHOville article, “The Council also instructed the city’s Communications Department to use all appropriate tools to promote the event.” Other than in the pages of WEHOville, I saw nothing. I think the only other promotion was the desperate social media imploring that happened on the days of the event by the organizers.
Mueller’s report is hearsay, no one in her right mind will sit for anytime to listen to hearsay
This is a waste of taxpayers’ money. But apparently West Hollywood taxpayers enjoy wasing othet peoples’ money
Was it video taped, more people should have been told about the reading. Maybe even given a spot on tv so people could watch it. Or stream it being read. Is it on you tube!!!!
Maybe in half hour segments so the people can listen to it, or watch it on the bus or train, as they go to work. Maybe a pod cast…
This is 2019… Come on man….
Lol The left keeps reading the damn Mueller report hoping deep between the lines an encoded message is going to jump out and say Donald Trump is Vladimir’s secret lover. Democrats have spun off into another dimension of insanity. They have half the country believing that Russia elected Donald Trump. Well check it out ,the other half of us are seathing, you have no idea how deep our anger is and how dearly it is going to cost the Media and Left for dragging our President and country through endless lies and fake news. We believe Treason has been committed… Read more »
I have read the report. The conclusions are in the hands of the Republicans. Pointing the finger at the Russians does not matter. Who lies does not matter. Muller presented the facts –protect the nation…bottom line. Darkness will come into the light in its own time –give it time. Some say it has been enough times too many storytelling to know where to pick up from. Already handcuffs to show for the actions of the so called, “few Good Men,” However, I believe it is important to stick with the facts of the Muller investigation and support those who are… Read more »
I whole-heartedly agree.
Just wanted to say, I’m in East Texas and if the Reading of the Meuller Report was being done here in Livingston or Cleveland Texas my husband and I would be attending.
I looked if it would be on One of TV Stations here, but couldn’t get anything here. just need to say… thanks
Duh. This website reported that you can download a reading by the Washington Post for free! Even in East Texas! Just google it