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| Mueller contradicts Trump's false claim that he was 'totally exonerated' by report | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The former US special counsel Robert Mueller has said Donald Trump was not exonerated by Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign. | The former US special counsel Robert Mueller has said Donald Trump was not exonerated by Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign. |
| Minutes into testifying at a hearing at Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Mueller said – contrary to Trump’s claim – that the special counsel report did not provide the president with total exoneration. “It is not what the report said,” Mueller said. | Minutes into testifying at a hearing at Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Mueller said – contrary to Trump’s claim – that the special counsel report did not provide the president with total exoneration. “It is not what the report said,” Mueller said. |
| “The president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” Mueller said. | “The president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” Mueller said. |
| Mueller is testifying at a pair of televised hearings that carry high stakes for President Donald Trump and Democrats who are split between impeaching him or moving on to the 2020 election. | Mueller is testifying at a pair of televised hearings that carry high stakes for President Donald Trump and Democrats who are split between impeaching him or moving on to the 2020 election. |
| Mueller, whose inquiry detailed extensive contacts between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia at a time when Moscow was interfering in the 2016 election with hacking and propaganda, appeared first before the House of Representatives judiciary committee. | Mueller, whose inquiry detailed extensive contacts between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia at a time when Moscow was interfering in the 2016 election with hacking and propaganda, appeared first before the House of Representatives judiciary committee. |
| Opening his testimony, Mueller said his “extensive investigation” was conducted over two years. “Given my role as a prosecutor, there are reasons why my testimony will be limited,” he said. “The report is my testimony, and I will stay within that text.” | Opening his testimony, Mueller said his “extensive investigation” was conducted over two years. “Given my role as a prosecutor, there are reasons why my testimony will be limited,” he said. “The report is my testimony, and I will stay within that text.” |
| He confirmed that the president refused to be interviewed by Mueller and his team, despite more than a year of requests – contrary to Trump’s claims. | He confirmed that the president refused to be interviewed by Mueller and his team, despite more than a year of requests – contrary to Trump’s claims. |
| Wearing a dark suit and a blue patterned tie, Mueller sat solemnly as proceedings began. Opening the first hearing, the committee’s Democratic chairman, Jerrold Nadler, praised Mueller and said no one, including Trump, is “above the law.” | Wearing a dark suit and a blue patterned tie, Mueller sat solemnly as proceedings began. Opening the first hearing, the committee’s Democratic chairman, Jerrold Nadler, praised Mueller and said no one, including Trump, is “above the law.” |
| Democrats, who control the House, hope his testimony will rally public support behind their own ongoing investigations of the Republican president and his administration, even as they struggle with whether to launch the impeachment process set out in the US constitution for removing a president from office for “high crimes and misdemeanors”. | Democrats, who control the House, hope his testimony will rally public support behind their own ongoing investigations of the Republican president and his administration, even as they struggle with whether to launch the impeachment process set out in the US constitution for removing a president from office for “high crimes and misdemeanors”. |
| Robert Mueller: former special counsel testifies at hearing as Trump fumes – live | Robert Mueller: former special counsel testifies at hearing as Trump fumes – live |
| Mueller did not respond to questions from reporters as he arrived, then was flanked by security personnel as he made his way toward the committee’s hearing room. | Mueller did not respond to questions from reporters as he arrived, then was flanked by security personnel as he made his way toward the committee’s hearing room. |
| Mueller is not expected to deliver any new bombshells, according to Democratic aides, but rather stick to the contents of his 448-page investigation report about the 22-month-long investigation of Russian election meddling. Mueller plans to deliver an opening statement before taking questions. | Mueller is not expected to deliver any new bombshells, according to Democratic aides, but rather stick to the contents of his 448-page investigation report about the 22-month-long investigation of Russian election meddling. Mueller plans to deliver an opening statement before taking questions. |
| Nonetheless, one Democrat on the House judiciary committee told the Guardian Mueller’s testimony will prove “damning and explosive”. | Nonetheless, one Democrat on the House judiciary committee told the Guardian Mueller’s testimony will prove “damning and explosive”. |
| The highly anticipated appearance is expected to reinvigorate heated debate among Democrats over whether Trump should be impeached. | The highly anticipated appearance is expected to reinvigorate heated debate among Democrats over whether Trump should be impeached. |
| Republicans are expected to object to the presence of Aaron Zebley, the former deputy special counsel who had day-to-day oversight of investigations in the inquiry, who will accompany Mueller. | Republicans are expected to object to the presence of Aaron Zebley, the former deputy special counsel who had day-to-day oversight of investigations in the inquiry, who will accompany Mueller. |
| Zebley will be present at the judiciary hearing, according to Mueller’s spokesman Jim Popkin and a House judiciary staffer, and will be sworn in as a witness for the intelligence panel, according to an aide for that committee. | Zebley will be present at the judiciary hearing, according to Mueller’s spokesman Jim Popkin and a House judiciary staffer, and will be sworn in as a witness for the intelligence panel, according to an aide for that committee. |
| “This was specifically NOT agreed to,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday morning before the hearing was set to begin. | “This was specifically NOT agreed to,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday morning before the hearing was set to begin. |
| Democrats hope the 74-year-old former FBI director will give the American public a compelling account of Russia’s sweeping interference, the Trump campaign’s readiness to accept help from Moscow and Trump’s efforts to impede the Russia probe that Mueller investigated as potential obstruction of justice. | Democrats hope the 74-year-old former FBI director will give the American public a compelling account of Russia’s sweeping interference, the Trump campaign’s readiness to accept help from Moscow and Trump’s efforts to impede the Russia probe that Mueller investigated as potential obstruction of justice. |
| Trump, running for re-election in 2020, has blasted the Russia investigation as a “witch hunt” and has repeatedly assailed the investigators including Mueller. | Trump, running for re-election in 2020, has blasted the Russia investigation as a “witch hunt” and has repeatedly assailed the investigators including Mueller. |
| More to follow … | More to follow … |
| Robert Mueller | Robert Mueller |
| House of Representatives | House of Representatives |
| Trump-Russia investigation | Trump-Russia investigation |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Democrats | Democrats |
| news | news |
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