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Mueller says Trump was not exonerated by his investigation Robert Mueller breaks silence to insist he did not exonerate Trump
(about 1 hour later)
Robert Mueller has said he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging Donald Trump with a crime, but emphasized that his report detailing the findings of the Trump-Russia investigation did not exonerate the president. Robert Mueller, the special counsel, on Wednesday reignited demands for Donald Trump’s impeachment by breaking his two-year silence to deny that the US president is innocent of a crime.
“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” the special counsel said at an extraordinary press conference on Wednesday. “We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.” In a sudden and dramatic turn, Mueller, whose report on Russian election interference and Trump campaign links to Moscow was published last month, delivered a sombre nine-minute statement that many construed as a signal to Congress to act on his finding that Trump sought to obstruct justice.
Mueller broke his silence to make his first public statements since his appointment as special counsel two years ago, when he and his team began investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election, and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow. “If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that,” Mueller said from a podium at the justice department in his first public remarks since the investigation began. “We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.”
Mueller explained that the investigation was bound by longstanding Department of Justice policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted. He said it would have been “unfair” to accuse someone of a crime when that person would not have the opportunity to stand trial and defend themselves. 'We were guided by principles of fairness': Mueller's statement in full
In the highly anticipated and explosive report released with redactions last month, Mueller’s team described 11 instances in which Trump or his campaign engaged in potential obstruction of justice and suggested Congress might prosecute these acts as crimes. Mueller explained that his decision was based on longstanding justice department policy, rather than lack of evidence.
The statement on Wednesday came amid demands for Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings, and tension with the attorney general, William Barr. “A president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office,” he said. “That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view – that too is prohibited.”
Democrats seized on the disparity between Barr’s summaries of the Mueller report and what Mueller said today. The special counsel’s 448-page report did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump election campaign and Russia. It did identify 10 incidents in which the president attempted to obstruct justice, for example by firing the director of the FBI, though it stopped short of charging the president with a crime.
In his remarks, Mueller made it explicitly clear that the special counsel could not even “consider” filing criminal charges against a sitting president because of longstanding DoJ policy. Barr has said previously that the opinion was not a major factor in Mueller’s findings. His statement on Wednesday contradicted Trump’s claims that Mueller’s report awarded him “total exoneration” and also William Barr’s bald assertion last month that Mueller’s decision was not based on justice department policy.
The House judiciary committee chair, Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, said Mueller’s comments made clear that the responsibility now lies with Congress “to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump”. Mueller explained: “The special counsel’s office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.”
Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election also reiterated their calls for impeachment proceedings to begin: Less than half an hour later, Trump tweeted in response: “Nothing changes from the Mueller report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.”
Mueller leaves no doubt:1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes.2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act—and that's impeachment. If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that
What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable.We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation. But others interpreted Mueller’s intervention as a not-so-subtle message that, while his hands had been tied by department policy, Congress’s are not. Calls for Trump’s impeachment, circulating for weeks, rapidly turned into a clamour, with several Democratic candidates for president leading the way.
Mueller made clear this morning that his investigation now lays at the feet of Congress. No one is above the law—Congress should begin an impeachment inquiry. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey said: “We have one remaining path to ensure justice is served. It is our legal and moral obligation to hold those who have committed crimes accountable. It’s clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings. No one is above the law.”
Mueller did not rule out testifying before Congress but is serving notice that he does not intend to go beyond what has already been revealed in his report. Mueller said on Wednesday he and the special counsel team chose their words carefully in the report and “the work speaks for itself”. Senator Kamala Harris of California tweeted: “What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It’s our constitutional obligation.”
Trump, who has repeatedly called the investigation a “witch-hunt”, tweeted: “Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.” Mueller’s statement was “an impeachment referral, and it’s up to Congress to act,” Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts tweeted.
Mueller announced that the investigation has been formally closed and that he is resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life. And Beto O’Rourke, another Democratic presidential contender, added: “There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings.”
The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said in a statement: “The report was clear – there was no collusion, no conspiracy – and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction … After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same.” But first the burden lies with the House of Representatives, where the judiciary committee is leading oversight efforts. Its chairman, Democrat Jerry Nadler, stopped short of urging impeachment or calling for Mueller to testify.
More details soon … He said: “Given that Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump – and we will do so. No one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law.”
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has so far resisted calls for impeachment, a difficult strategic calculation. If passed by the Democratic majority in the House, it would almost certainly fail in the Republican-controlled Senate, leaving Trump in office and possibly strengthened going into next year’s presidential election.
Pelosi said on Wednesday: “The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth.”
For their part, Republicans were mostly silent, suggesting that Mueller’s intervention had changed nothing about their support for the president.
Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, said: “Today’s statement by Mr Mueller reinforces the findings of his report. And as for me, the case is over. Mr Mueller has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead.”
But one House Republican has recently defied the party line to emerge as an outspoken critic of the president. Justin Amash, from Michigan, tweeted: “The ball is in our court, Congress.”
Democrats in the House, whose subpoenas are being resisted by the White House, are pushing for Mueller to testify in person. On Wednesday Mueller made clear he has little desire to appear and, if obliged, he will have nothing to add to what is already stated in his report.
“We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself,” he said gravely. “The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.”
Mueller, who is closing his special counsel office, also defended the FBI and the integrity of the investigation, which have been under constant assault from the president and his rightwing allies.
Contempt or impeachment? Trump and Democrats locked in ultimate congressional battle
And he emphasised that the first volume of his report, which details Russia’s attack on American democracy, deserves urgent attention despite the Washington’s partisan firestorms and Trump’s repeated attempts to ignore it or play it down.
“There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election,” he said, “and that allegation deserves the attention of every American.”
Trump-Russia investigationTrump-Russia investigation
Robert MuellerRobert Mueller
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
US politicsUS politics
RussiaRussia
Trump administrationTrump administration
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