Speaking out over two months after the release of the Special Counsel’s 22-month probe into Russian meddling and alleged Trump collusion into the 2016 presidential campaign, 74-year-old Robert Mueller announced his retirement from the Justice Department. Since releasing his final report March 22, Democrats demanded that Mueller answer questions under oath, something Mueller avoided, instead holding today’s announcement that he would not answer any more questions about the Special Counsel Report. Mueller announced that his final report stood as his testimony, refusing to take questions from the press or anyone else. Whether House Committees looking to impeach the president subpoena Mueller is anyone’s guess. But one thing’s for sure, Mueller had nothing left to say about the nearly two-year investigation alleging Trump conspired with the Russians.
Mueller’s statement conspicuously omitted anything about origins of the Special Counsel investigation, that fateful day May 17, 2017 when Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein appointed him Special Counsel in the wake of 72-year-old Donald Trump firing 58-year-old former FBI Director James Comey May 9, 2017. Mueller made an emphatic point that the Special Counsel report did not pass judgment on whether or not Trump obstructed the investigation, deferring that decision to Atty. Gen. William Barr who did not pursue charges. Jumping on Mueller’s statements, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.) insisted all options—including impeachment—were on the on table. “And nothing should be ruled out,” Nadler said, holding up the possibility of impeachment. But if Mueller found no criminal wrongdoing, what makes Nadler think that he will?
Nadler showed his anti-Trump bias drawing conclusions from Mueller’s brief statement, that he could not indict a sitting president. Mueller didn’t say that if it were not against DOJ policy, he would have charged Trump. “What Special Counsel Mueller said loud and clear today for the American people is that President Trump is lying when he say no collusion, no obstruction and that he was exonerated,” Nadler said. If prosecutors refuse to charge, it’s highly unusual to say he couldn’t reach a conclusion on what to do. Yet Nadler accuses Trump of “lying” because the Special Counsel passed on charging the president, regardless of whether or not it was Justice Department policy. Mueller said,“he would return to private life,” essentially telling Democrats continuing to investigate the president for collusion and obstruction he was not available for comment now or in the future.
Democrats interpreted Mueller’s words to mean that it’s up to Congress to take any further action against the president. Mueller didn’t advise Congress to take up impeachment, he simply said the Special Counsel investigation couldn’t reach a conclusion on obstruction. “What Robert Mueller basically did was an impeachment referral,” said Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.). “Now it is up to Congress to hold the president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It’s our constitutional obligation,” stretching Mueller’s words to the breaking point. Mueller didn’t say to impeach Trump, he only said his office could not decide the question of obstruction. But if Mueller cleared Trump on Russian collusion, what could he possibly cover up? If there’s no collusion, what’s the underlying crime Trump would be covering up? Democrats know they have no impeachment case.
Trump’s detractors on Capitol Hill, especially Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), called for impeachment. “Mueller’s statement makes clear what those that have read his report know: It’s is an impeachment referral, and it’s up to Congress to act. They should,” said Warren. Warren knows that if Mueller’s team of 23 prosecutors couldn’t conclude anything on obstruction neither will any Congressional committee. Nadler misstates Mueller’s remarks when he says the Special Counsel could not prosecute Trump due to longstanding DOJ policy. Mueller didn’t prosecute Trump because there’s was insufficient evidence for prosecutors to meet their burden of proof. “Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president because the Department of Justice policy prevents a sitting president from being prosecuted,” Nadler said, twisting Mueller’s statements.
Nadler jumped all over Mueller’s remarks to prove his point that Trump wasn’t prosecuted because of DOJ policy on charging a sitting president. Mueller also said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice. Mueller made no reference to the illegality of the Special Counsel’s probe, including whether former President Barack Obama’s DOJ, FBI and National Security Agency [NSA] went overboard investigating Trump campaign officials based on former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s paid opposition research AKA “the dossier.” Mueller made no comments on whether or not it was right for Rosenstein to appoint him Special Counsel in the first place, knowing Comey had no real probable cause to seek warrants to wiretap the Trump campaign from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act [FISA] Court. Mueller confined his remarks to only his final report.
