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| Mueller Warns of Russian Sabotage and Rejects Trump’s ‘Witch Hunt’ Claims | Mueller Warns of Russian Sabotage and Rejects Trump’s ‘Witch Hunt’ Claims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Robert S. Mueller III warned lawmakers on Wednesday that Russia was again trying to sabotage American democracy before next year’s presidential election, defended his investigation’s conclusions about Moscow’s sweeping interference campaign in 2016 and publicly rejected President Trump’s criticism that he had conducted a “witch hunt.” | WASHINGTON — Robert S. Mueller III warned lawmakers on Wednesday that Russia was again trying to sabotage American democracy before next year’s presidential election, defended his investigation’s conclusions about Moscow’s sweeping interference campaign in 2016 and publicly rejected President Trump’s criticism that he had conducted a “witch hunt.” |
| The partisan war over Mr. Mueller’s inquiry reached a heated climax during nearly seven hours of his long-awaited testimony before two congressional committees. Lawmakers hunted for viral sound bites and tried to score political points, but Mr. Mueller consistently refused to accommodate them, returning over and over in a sometimes halting delivery to his damning and voluminous report. | The partisan war over Mr. Mueller’s inquiry reached a heated climax during nearly seven hours of his long-awaited testimony before two congressional committees. Lawmakers hunted for viral sound bites and tried to score political points, but Mr. Mueller consistently refused to accommodate them, returning over and over in a sometimes halting delivery to his damning and voluminous report. |
| Mr. Mueller remained a spectral presence in Washington over the past two years as the president and his allies subjected the special counsel and his team of lawyers to withering attacks. Speaking in detail for the first time about his conclusions produced occasionally dramatic moments in which he ventured beyond his report to offer insights about Mr. Trump’s behavior. | Mr. Mueller remained a spectral presence in Washington over the past two years as the president and his allies subjected the special counsel and his team of lawyers to withering attacks. Speaking in detail for the first time about his conclusions produced occasionally dramatic moments in which he ventured beyond his report to offer insights about Mr. Trump’s behavior. |
| When asked whether Mr. Trump “wasn’t always being truthful” in his written answers to the special counsel’s questions, Mr. Mueller responded, “I would say generally.” He called Mr. Trump’s praise of WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign “problematic” and said it “gave a boost to what is and should be illegal activity.” | When asked whether Mr. Trump “wasn’t always being truthful” in his written answers to the special counsel’s questions, Mr. Mueller responded, “I would say generally.” He called Mr. Trump’s praise of WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign “problematic” and said it “gave a boost to what is and should be illegal activity.” |
| He said that he and his team chose not to subpoena Mr. Trump out of concern that a battle over a presidential interview might needlessly prolong the investigation, and said that Mr. Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after he leaves office. | He said that he and his team chose not to subpoena Mr. Trump out of concern that a battle over a presidential interview might needlessly prolong the investigation, and said that Mr. Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after he leaves office. |
| Mr. Mueller also acknowledged that his investigators had explicitly declined to exonerate the president’s efforts to impede the inquiry. “The finding indicates that the president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” Mr. Mueller said. | Mr. Mueller also acknowledged that his investigators had explicitly declined to exonerate the president’s efforts to impede the inquiry. “The finding indicates that the president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” Mr. Mueller said. |
| [What we learned from Mr. Mueller’s testimony.] | [What we learned from Mr. Mueller’s testimony.] |
| Democratic lawmakers had hoped that Mr. Mueller’s nationally televised testimony would provide a yearslong saga with a dramatic culmination: the special counsel translating the dense jargon of his 448-page report into a bleak portrait of the Russian interference operation and the president’s behavior since winning the election. The testimony would, in their minds, make the report both more authoritative and more vivid for Americans who had skipped reading it. | Democratic lawmakers had hoped that Mr. Mueller’s nationally televised testimony would provide a yearslong saga with a dramatic culmination: the special counsel translating the dense jargon of his 448-page report into a bleak portrait of the Russian interference operation and the president’s behavior since winning the election. The testimony would, in their minds, make the report both more authoritative and more vivid for Americans who had skipped reading it. |
| Some television pundits built up the drama by comparing Mr. Mueller’s appearance to some of the most galvanizing moments of the Watergate era. | Some television pundits built up the drama by comparing Mr. Mueller’s appearance to some of the most galvanizing moments of the Watergate era. |
| For the most part, Mr. Mueller did not play along. He gave clipped answers to lengthy questions and forced lawmakers to give their own dramatic readings from his report rather than reciting the conclusions himself. He sometimes gave a forceful defense of his investigation and his team in the face of the Republican fusillade, but his answers were at times faltering. Throughout, he was careful to avoid straying from his report’s conclusions. | For the most part, Mr. Mueller did not play along. He gave clipped answers to lengthy questions and forced lawmakers to give their own dramatic readings from his report rather than reciting the conclusions himself. He sometimes gave a forceful defense of his investigation and his team in the face of the Republican fusillade, but his answers were at times faltering. Throughout, he was careful to avoid straying from his report’s conclusions. |
| Mr. Trump has spent months characterizing the special counsel’s report as a “total exoneration,” though Mr. Mueller was careful to state that he and his team had drawn no such conclusion. The report, released in April, laid bare that Mr. Trump was elected with the help of a foreign power, and on Wednesday, Mr. Mueller was most impassioned when describing the contours of the Russian sabotage playbook. | Mr. Trump has spent months characterizing the special counsel’s report as a “total exoneration,” though Mr. Mueller was careful to state that he and his team had drawn no such conclusion. The report, released in April, laid bare that Mr. Trump was elected with the help of a foreign power, and on Wednesday, Mr. Mueller was most impassioned when describing the contours of the Russian sabotage playbook. |
| “They’re doing it as we sit here,” he said of Russia’s continual interference in American elections. | “They’re doing it as we sit here,” he said of Russia’s continual interference in American elections. |
| Looming over the hearing was the question of whether Mr. Mueller’s testimony might shift the ground in Congress and propel more lawmakers to push for Mr. Trump’s impeachment. Only one new call for impeachment hearings emerged by late Wednesday, from Representative Lori Trahan, Democrat of Massachusetts, and lawmakers will soon depart Washington for a summer recess. | |
| It was too soon to say whether the spectacle would change Americans’ opinions about Mr. Mueller and his work that have only hardened over time, and whether Democrats would return to their districts and encounter more vigorous calls for Mr. Trump’s removal. | It was too soon to say whether the spectacle would change Americans’ opinions about Mr. Mueller and his work that have only hardened over time, and whether Democrats would return to their districts and encounter more vigorous calls for Mr. Trump’s removal. |
| Beating back criticism that they had made a tactical error in forcing Mr. Mueller to testify, Democratic leaders declared the hearings a success. They also said that a private debate within the caucus was intensifying about whether to move aggressively toward opening impeachment proceedings. | Beating back criticism that they had made a tactical error in forcing Mr. Mueller to testify, Democratic leaders declared the hearings a success. They also said that a private debate within the caucus was intensifying about whether to move aggressively toward opening impeachment proceedings. |
| “It is a crossing of a threshold in terms of the public awareness of what happened and how it conforms to the law — or not,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said of Mr. Mueller’s testimony. “I do believe that what we saw today was a very strong manifestation — in fact, some would even say indictment — of this administration’s cone of silence and their cover-up.” | “It is a crossing of a threshold in terms of the public awareness of what happened and how it conforms to the law — or not,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said of Mr. Mueller’s testimony. “I do believe that what we saw today was a very strong manifestation — in fact, some would even say indictment — of this administration’s cone of silence and their cover-up.” |
| She still did not favor opening an impeachment inquiry, she said during a news conference on Capitol Hill, but suggested it might only be a matter of time before that would change. | She still did not favor opening an impeachment inquiry, she said during a news conference on Capitol Hill, but suggested it might only be a matter of time before that would change. |
| “My position has always been whatever decision we made in that regard would have to be done with our strongest possible hand, and we still have some outstanding matters in the courts,” Ms. Pelosi said. | “My position has always been whatever decision we made in that regard would have to be done with our strongest possible hand, and we still have some outstanding matters in the courts,” Ms. Pelosi said. |
| Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said those matters would go forward as soon as Thursday. That is when the House would move to compel the release of secret grand jury material that undergirded Mr. Mueller’s report and enforce his panel’s subpoena of Donald F. McGahn II, the former White House counsel who was a critical witness in the Mueller investigation. | Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said those matters would go forward as soon as Thursday. That is when the House would move to compel the release of secret grand jury material that undergirded Mr. Mueller’s report and enforce his panel’s subpoena of Donald F. McGahn II, the former White House counsel who was a critical witness in the Mueller investigation. |
| Unsurprisingly, the president offered a contradictory analysis about the day’s events. “This was a very big day for the Republican Party. And you could say it was a great day for me,” he told reporters outside the White House, then went on to praise his allies in Congress for their forceful attacks on Mr. Mueller and his investigation. | Unsurprisingly, the president offered a contradictory analysis about the day’s events. “This was a very big day for the Republican Party. And you could say it was a great day for me,” he told reporters outside the White House, then went on to praise his allies in Congress for their forceful attacks on Mr. Mueller and his investigation. |
| “I very much appreciate those incredible warriors that you watched today on television, Republicans that defended something and defended something very powerful, very important because they were really defending our country,” he said. | “I very much appreciate those incredible warriors that you watched today on television, Republicans that defended something and defended something very powerful, very important because they were really defending our country,” he said. |
| The questioning at the hearings reflected a bitter philosophical divide, both on the committees and in the country as a whole: whether it was Mr. Trump or those investigating him who committed crimes. Throughout the day, the Democrats hit the high points from Mr. Mueller’s report: the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, the efforts by Mr. Trump to fire Mr. Mueller, the talks between Michael T. Flynn and a Russian ambassador about Obama-era sanctions, the strategy by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to sow chaos before the election. | |
| The Mueller report cataloged numerous meetings between Mr. Trump’s advisers and Russians seeking to influence the campaign and the presidential transition team — encounters set up in pursuit of business deals, policy initiatives and political dirt about Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s 2016 Democratic opponent. | The Mueller report cataloged numerous meetings between Mr. Trump’s advisers and Russians seeking to influence the campaign and the presidential transition team — encounters set up in pursuit of business deals, policy initiatives and political dirt about Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump’s 2016 Democratic opponent. |
| Mr. Mueller concluded that there was “insufficient evidence” to determine that the president or his aides had engaged in a criminal conspiracy with the Russians, even though the Trump campaign welcomed the Kremlin sabotage effort and “expected it would benefit electorally” from the hackings and leaks of Democratic emails. | Mr. Mueller concluded that there was “insufficient evidence” to determine that the president or his aides had engaged in a criminal conspiracy with the Russians, even though the Trump campaign welcomed the Kremlin sabotage effort and “expected it would benefit electorally” from the hackings and leaks of Democratic emails. |
| On Wednesday, Mr. Mueller was asked about the Trump Tower meeting, WikiLeaks and the decision by Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, to share campaign information with a Russian oligarch, and whether such episodes were becoming typical for political campaigns. | On Wednesday, Mr. Mueller was asked about the Trump Tower meeting, WikiLeaks and the decision by Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, to share campaign information with a Russian oligarch, and whether such episodes were becoming typical for political campaigns. |
| “I hope this is not the new normal,” Mr. Mueller said, “but I fear it is.” | “I hope this is not the new normal,” Mr. Mueller said, “but I fear it is.” |
| Republicans tried to flip the lens, peppering Mr. Mueller with questions about what they have long argued, with little evidence: that the F.B.I. opened a politically motivated investigation in 2016 with the aim of preventing Mr. Trump from becoming president. | Republicans tried to flip the lens, peppering Mr. Mueller with questions about what they have long argued, with little evidence: that the F.B.I. opened a politically motivated investigation in 2016 with the aim of preventing Mr. Trump from becoming president. |
| They focused on the research firm that commissioned the dossier by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer. They focused on Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese academic identified by the special counsel as linked to Russian intelligence, and advanced unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Mifsud was actually under the sway of Western spy services. | They focused on the research firm that commissioned the dossier by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer. They focused on Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese academic identified by the special counsel as linked to Russian intelligence, and advanced unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Mifsud was actually under the sway of Western spy services. |
| Mr. Mueller mostly deflected those questions, saying the origins of the F.B.I. inquiry predated his time as special counsel and were outside his purview. | Mr. Mueller mostly deflected those questions, saying the origins of the F.B.I. inquiry predated his time as special counsel and were outside his purview. |
| Mr. Mueller was a reluctant witness and had tried to avoid the spectacle of a congressional hearing. In a brief public statement in May, he urged the public — and, by extension, members of Congress — to read his report, which he said “speaks for itself.” “The report is my testimony,” he said. | Mr. Mueller was a reluctant witness and had tried to avoid the spectacle of a congressional hearing. In a brief public statement in May, he urged the public — and, by extension, members of Congress — to read his report, which he said “speaks for itself.” “The report is my testimony,” he said. |
| House Democrats were unmoved and chose to take the aggressive step of compelling Mr. Mueller’s testimony under subpoena. | House Democrats were unmoved and chose to take the aggressive step of compelling Mr. Mueller’s testimony under subpoena. |
| Mr. Mueller has extensive experience testifying before Congress, appearing more than 80 times over his lengthy career. His performance on Wednesday — especially during the morning session — was tentative and at times shaky as he struggled to clarify different aspects of his complex report. | Mr. Mueller has extensive experience testifying before Congress, appearing more than 80 times over his lengthy career. His performance on Wednesday — especially during the morning session — was tentative and at times shaky as he struggled to clarify different aspects of his complex report. |
| The Mueller investigation began in May 2017, but its origins go back to an F.B.I. inquiry that began during the summer of 2016 as evidence of Russian election interference was gradually emerging. Determining the breadth of the Russian interference campaign was a cornerstone of the Mueller investigation and is very likely to be an enduring legacy of the special counsel’s work. | The Mueller investigation began in May 2017, but its origins go back to an F.B.I. inquiry that began during the summer of 2016 as evidence of Russian election interference was gradually emerging. Determining the breadth of the Russian interference campaign was a cornerstone of the Mueller investigation and is very likely to be an enduring legacy of the special counsel’s work. |
| On that front, the conclusions of Mr. Mueller and his team were perfectly clear: The Russian government orchestrated the effort, and many of Mr. Trump’s aides welcomed it, even if they did not actively coordinate with Moscow. | On that front, the conclusions of Mr. Mueller and his team were perfectly clear: The Russian government orchestrated the effort, and many of Mr. Trump’s aides welcomed it, even if they did not actively coordinate with Moscow. |