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Mueller tells House committee Trump-Russia investigation was 'not a witch hunt' – live | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Mueller also confirmed that Trump’s claims of Russian interference being a hoax were false. | |
“When the president said the Russian interference was a hoax, that was false wasn’t it?” Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the intelligence committee, asked. | |
Mueller replied, “True.” | |
Mueller confirmed that Russians meant to aid Trump with their election interference, which included the hacking of emails from the Democratic National Committee. | |
“Which presidential candidate was Russia’s hacking-and-dumping scheme intended to benefit?” asked representative Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut. | |
Mueller replied, “Mr. Trump.” | |
Under questioning from the chairman of the intelligence committee, Mueller contradicted Trump’s repeated claims that his investigation was a “witch hunt.” | |
“It is not a witch hunt,” the special counsel told Adam Schiff. | |
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): "When Donald Trump called your investigation a witch hunt, that was false?" Mueller: "Like to think so, yes." Schiff: "Your investigation is not a witch hunt?" Mueller: "It is not a witch hunt." https://t.co/EbzpQ0lnrr pic.twitter.com/UdnB6L8Xh0 | |
Mueller opened his appearance before the House intelligence committee by correcting his earlier comments to Democratic representative Ted Lieu. | |
While testfiying before the House judiciary committee this morning, Mueller seemed to imply that he would have charged Trump if he were not a sitting president. A longstanding policy from the Office of Legal Counsel warns against indicting sitting presidents. | |
Lieu asked Mueller this morning, “The reason you did not indict Donald Trump... is because of the OLC decision. Is that correct?” Mueller replied, “That is correct.” | |
But Mueller corrected himself before the intelligence committee. He said that the OLC policy in fact prevented him from making a determination on whether Trump should be charged. | |
That correction is sure to disappoint pro-impeachment Democrats, given that the moment was widely shared on social media and considered by many to be a boost to their cause. | |
Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, used his opening statement to accuse Trump’s campaign of “disloyalty to country.” | |
“Those are strong words, but how else are we to describe a presidential campaign which did not inform the authorities of a foreign offer of dirt on their opponent, which did not publicly shun it, or turn it away, but which instead invited it, encouraged it, and made full use of it?” Schiff said. | |
Schiff concluded by saying, “This is what is at stake. Our next election, and the one after that, for generations to come. Our democracy. This is why your work matters, Mr. Mueller. This is why our investigation matters. To bring these dangers to light.” | |
Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the panel, expressed hope in his opening statement that the hearing would bring about a permanent end to probes into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. He dismissed Mueller’s appearance as the “last gasp of the Russian collusion conspiracy theory.” | |
Trump has weighed in over Twitter once again on Mueller’s congressional testimony, thanking Democrats for inviting the special counsel to Capitol Hill. | Trump has weighed in over Twitter once again on Mueller’s congressional testimony, thanking Democrats for inviting the special counsel to Capitol Hill. |
I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing. Now, after 3 hours, Robert Mueller has to subject himself to #ShiftySchiff - an Embarrassment to our Country! | I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing. Now, after 3 hours, Robert Mueller has to subject himself to #ShiftySchiff - an Embarrassment to our Country! |
Echoing the statement from his press secretary, Trump dismissed the hearings as “an embarrassment.” | Echoing the statement from his press secretary, Trump dismissed the hearings as “an embarrassment.” |
The White House dismissed Mueller’s morning testimony before the House judiciary committee as an “epic embarrassment.” | The White House dismissed Mueller’s morning testimony before the House judiciary committee as an “epic embarrassment.” |
“The last three hours have been an epic embarrassment for the Democrats,” press secretary Stephanie Grisham said. “Expect more of the same in the second half.” | “The last three hours have been an epic embarrassment for the Democrats,” press secretary Stephanie Grisham said. “Expect more of the same in the second half.” |
Trump appears to be glued to the hearings, retweeting conservative commentary reiterating the president’s dubious claims of “no obstruction” and “no collusion.” | Trump appears to be glued to the hearings, retweeting conservative commentary reiterating the president’s dubious claims of “no obstruction” and “no collusion.” |
Bernard Madoff, who fleeced investors of billions of dollars in the largest Ponzi scheme in history, has filed a petition with the US justice department asking Donald Trump to reduce Madoff’s sentence. | Bernard Madoff, who fleeced investors of billions of dollars in the largest Ponzi scheme in history, has filed a petition with the US justice department asking Donald Trump to reduce Madoff’s sentence. |
Madoff, who pleaded guilty to running a $64.8bn Ponzi scheme in 2009, is not asking for a pardon from the president, but for a commutation of his 150-year prison sentence. | Madoff, who pleaded guilty to running a $64.8bn Ponzi scheme in 2009, is not asking for a pardon from the president, but for a commutation of his 150-year prison sentence. |
The Department of Justice website shows Madoff requested his sentence be commuted and lists the status of the request as “pending.” | The Department of Justice website shows Madoff requested his sentence be commuted and lists the status of the request as “pending.” |
It is not known whether Trump will consider the request. | It is not known whether Trump will consider the request. |
Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, has gaveled in the second hearing of Mueller’s appearance. | Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, has gaveled in the second hearing of Mueller’s appearance. |
The intelligence committee’s hearing with Mueller should soon get underway, and the panel’s questioning will ostensibly take a different focus than the judiciary committee’s. | The intelligence committee’s hearing with Mueller should soon get underway, and the panel’s questioning will ostensibly take a different focus than the judiciary committee’s. |
Members of the intelligence committee are expected to question the special counsel about the first volume of his report, which described Russian interference in the 2016 election. | Members of the intelligence committee are expected to question the special counsel about the first volume of his report, which described Russian interference in the 2016 election. |
Mueller’s team found that Trump’s team was repeatedly in contact with Russian entities, but the special counsel crucially concluded that there was not enough evidence to bring conspiracy charges. The Republicans on the panel will almost certainly try to find as many ways as possible to have Mueller reiterate that his office chose not to bring charges. | Mueller’s team found that Trump’s team was repeatedly in contact with Russian entities, but the special counsel crucially concluded that there was not enough evidence to bring conspiracy charges. The Republicans on the panel will almost certainly try to find as many ways as possible to have Mueller reiterate that his office chose not to bring charges. |
Democrats will likely focus on the contacts Mueller’s team uncovered between Russian intermediaries and Trump’s campaign. Stay tuned. | Democrats will likely focus on the contacts Mueller’s team uncovered between Russian intermediaries and Trump’s campaign. Stay tuned. |