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| Mueller insists in testimony Trump was not exonerated by his report | Mueller insists in testimony Trump was not exonerated by his report |
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| The former US special counsel Robert Mueller insisted on Wednesday that Donald Trump was not exonerated by his report into Russian interference in the 2016 US election, but offered little new ammunition to boost the case for the president’s impeachment. | The former US special counsel Robert Mueller insisted on Wednesday that Donald Trump was not exonerated by his report into Russian interference in the 2016 US election, but offered little new ammunition to boost the case for the president’s impeachment. |
| Testifying at the first of two hearings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Mueller confirmed his finding that Russia launched a “sweeping and systematic” attack on America’s democracy and that Trump engaged in 10 instances of obstruction of justice. | Testifying at the first of two hearings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Mueller confirmed his finding that Russia launched a “sweeping and systematic” attack on America’s democracy and that Trump engaged in 10 instances of obstruction of justice. |
| Mueller testimony: key takeaways on the Trump-Russia investigation | Mueller testimony: key takeaways on the Trump-Russia investigation |
| Asked by House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler if his report exonerates Trump – as the president has frequently claimed – Mueller answered: “No … It is not what the report said.” | Asked by House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler if his report exonerates Trump – as the president has frequently claimed – Mueller answered: “No … It is not what the report said.” |
| The report did not reach a conclusion on obstruction of justice, he added, and “the president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed”. | The report did not reach a conclusion on obstruction of justice, he added, and “the president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed”. |
| In the latest TV set piece of the Trump presidency, and the latest sign of growing partisanship in Washington, Democrats repeatedly pressed the point that no one is above the law while Republicans attacked Mueller’s credibility and accused his team of political bias. | In the latest TV set piece of the Trump presidency, and the latest sign of growing partisanship in Washington, Democrats repeatedly pressed the point that no one is above the law while Republicans attacked Mueller’s credibility and accused his team of political bias. |
| Mueller was questioned why he did not bring criminal charges against the president. The congressman Ted Lieu of Hawaii asked: “‘The reason, again, that you did not indict Donald Trump is because of OLC [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion stating that you cannot indict a sitting president, correct?” Mueller replied: “That is correct.” | Mueller was questioned why he did not bring criminal charges against the president. The congressman Ted Lieu of Hawaii asked: “‘The reason, again, that you did not indict Donald Trump is because of OLC [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion stating that you cannot indict a sitting president, correct?” Mueller replied: “That is correct.” |
| It was a telling moment, but later on Wednesday, Mueller said he wished to correct the record, backing away from the notion that the OLC advice was necessarily the only reason he did not indict Trump. Even so, his assertion directly contradicts a past claim by Trump’s attorney general, William Barr, who had argued the OLC guidelines played no part in Mueller’s thinking. | It was a telling moment, but later on Wednesday, Mueller said he wished to correct the record, backing away from the notion that the OLC advice was necessarily the only reason he did not indict Trump. Even so, his assertion directly contradicts a past claim by Trump’s attorney general, William Barr, who had argued the OLC guidelines played no part in Mueller’s thinking. |
| Mueller 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. Mueller also acknowledged that a president can be prosecuted after he leaves office. | Mueller 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. Mueller also acknowledged that a president can be prosecuted after he leaves office. |
| The Republican congressman Ken Buck asked: “You believe that he committed … you could charge the president of the United States with obstruction of justice after he left office?” | The Republican congressman Ken Buck asked: “You believe that he committed … you could charge the president of the United States with obstruction of justice after he left office?” |
| In a characteristic one-word answer, Mueller replied: “Yes.” | In a characteristic one-word answer, Mueller replied: “Yes.” |
| Democrats sought to highlight links between the Trump campaign and Russia. The congresswoman Zoe Lofgren asked: “Did your investigation find that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from one of the candidates winning?” Mueller replied: “Yes.” | Democrats sought to highlight links between the Trump campaign and Russia. The congresswoman Zoe Lofgren asked: “Did your investigation find that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from one of the candidates winning?” Mueller replied: “Yes.” |
| Robert Mueller: who is the Trump-Russia investigation's special counsel? | Robert Mueller: who is the Trump-Russia investigation's special counsel? |
| Lofgren followed up: “And which candidate would that be?” Mueller answered: “Well, it would be Trump. The president.” | Lofgren followed up: “And which candidate would that be?” Mueller answered: “Well, it would be Trump. The president.” |
| Questioned by the congresswoman Val Demings, Mueller said he would “generally agree” that his investigation was “impeded” by lying by Trump campaign and White House officials. He added: “I think there are probably a spectrum of witnesses in terms of those who are not telling the full truth or those who are outright liars.” | Questioned by the congresswoman Val Demings, Mueller said he would “generally agree” that his investigation was “impeded” by lying by Trump campaign and White House officials. He added: “I think there are probably a spectrum of witnesses in terms of those who are not telling the full truth or those who are outright liars.” |
| Mueller spent 22 months investigating Russian interference and published his redacted report in April. | Mueller spent 22 months investigating Russian interference and published his redacted report in April. |
| He made clear in a press conference in late May that, if required to testify on Capitol Hill, he would not go beyond the content of his 448-page report and he was as good as his word. | He made clear in a press conference in late May that, if required to testify on Capitol Hill, he would not go beyond the content of his 448-page report and he was as good as his word. |
| A somewhat reluctant witness in back-to-back sessions before the House judiciary and intelligence committees, Mueller refused to read directly from the report during his appearance before the judiciary committee, robbing Democrats of some made-for-TV moments. Instead, Democrats read chunks of the report to Mueller, who often gave monosyllabic responses such as “Yes”, “No” or “Correct”. | A somewhat reluctant witness in back-to-back sessions before the House judiciary and intelligence committees, Mueller refused to read directly from the report during his appearance before the judiciary committee, robbing Democrats of some made-for-TV moments. Instead, Democrats read chunks of the report to Mueller, who often gave monosyllabic responses such as “Yes”, “No” or “Correct”. |
| Despite appearing before congressional committees 88 times before, the famously slow and methodical former FBI director struggled to keep up as questions rapidly pinballed between members. Several times he had to ask for them to be repeated and he seemed less familiar with his report than many of the questioners. | Despite appearing before congressional committees 88 times before, the famously slow and methodical former FBI director struggled to keep up as questions rapidly pinballed between members. Several times he had to ask for them to be repeated and he seemed less familiar with his report than many of the questioners. |
| Sometimes Democrats found him frustratingly evasive. Asked about a letter he wrote complaining about the way Barr had mischaracterised his findings, Mueller repeatedly declined to comment beyond the letter itself. “I’m not going to get into that,” he said, a phrase he repeated often. | Sometimes Democrats found him frustratingly evasive. Asked about a letter he wrote complaining about the way Barr had mischaracterised his findings, Mueller repeatedly declined to comment beyond the letter itself. “I’m not going to get into that,” he said, a phrase he repeated often. |
| Republicans, meanwhile, criticised him and sought to chip away at his credibility, echoing Trump’s claim that the investigation was a hoax and witch-hunt. They argued that Mueller’s team was made up of Democrats who had donated to his opponent, Hillary Clinton. | Republicans, meanwhile, criticised him and sought to chip away at his credibility, echoing Trump’s claim that the investigation was a hoax and witch-hunt. They argued that Mueller’s team was made up of Democrats who had donated to his opponent, Hillary Clinton. |
| The Republican Louie Gohmert angrily told Mueller “you perpetuated injustice” while colleague Guy Reschenthaler called the manner in which the inquiry was conducted “un-American”. The Republican Mike Johnson asked Mueller if his report recommended impeachment. He replied: “I’m not going to talk about that issue.” | The Republican Louie Gohmert angrily told Mueller “you perpetuated injustice” while colleague Guy Reschenthaler called the manner in which the inquiry was conducted “un-American”. The Republican Mike Johnson asked Mueller if his report recommended impeachment. He replied: “I’m not going to talk about that issue.” |
| Mueller said his investigation was conducted in “a fair and independent manner” and that members of the special counsel’s team “were of the highest integrity”. | Mueller said his investigation was conducted in “a fair and independent manner” and that members of the special counsel’s team “were of the highest integrity”. |
| It appears that Trump himself was following the day’s events closely. He tweeted allegations of bias of Mueller and his investigators, accusing the special counsel of seeking revenge after being turned down in his job application for director of the FBI. | It appears that Trump himself was following the day’s events closely. He tweeted allegations of bias of Mueller and his investigators, accusing the special counsel of seeking revenge after being turned down in his job application for director of the FBI. |
| During the hearing, Mueller denied that he had applied for another spell as FBI director and been rejected. He said he discussed the FBI job with Trump, but “not as a candidate”. | During the hearing, Mueller denied that he had applied for another spell as FBI director and been rejected. He said he discussed the FBI job with Trump, but “not as a candidate”. |
| Halfway through the first hearing, Trump tweeted a comment from Fox News host Chris Wallace: “This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller.” | Halfway through the first hearing, Trump tweeted a comment from Fox News host Chris Wallace: “This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller.” |
| Pete Williams, a journalist at NBC television, said: “This is not the same Robert Mueller we saw in his 88 appearances before Congress in the past. I think it’s fair to say, the years have clearly taken a toll on the Bob Mueller we used to see, and I think that’s affected his ability to, perhaps, be as facile with answering the questions, as perhaps both sides wanted him to be.” | |
| The House intelligence committee hearing got under way in the afternoon. The chairman, Adam Schiff, said: “Your report laid out multiple offers of Russian help to the Trump campaign, the campaign’s acceptance of that help, and overt acts in furtherance of Russian help. To most Americans, that is the very definition of collusion, whether it is a crime or not.” | The House intelligence committee hearing got under way in the afternoon. The chairman, Adam Schiff, said: “Your report laid out multiple offers of Russian help to the Trump campaign, the campaign’s acceptance of that help, and overt acts in furtherance of Russian help. To most Americans, that is the very definition of collusion, whether it is a crime or not.” |
| Trump tweeted in response: “I would like to thank the Democrats for holding this morning’s hearing. Now, after three hours, Robert Mueller has to subject himself to #ShiftySchiff – an Embarrassment to our Country!” | |
| Robert Mueller | Robert Mueller |
| House of Representatives | House of Representatives |
| Trump-Russia investigation | Trump-Russia investigation |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Democrats | Democrats |
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