Trump news: Mueller testimony says president could face criminal charges as Trump rails against 'disaster' hearing
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Robert Mueller, the former US special counsel who investigated the Russian interference into the 2016 presidential campaign and Donald Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, has testified on Capital Hill, where he was asked to explain the conclusions he reached in his report released earlier this year.
The whole world was watching, and Democrats skilfully laid out the various ways in which Mr Mueller's report shows the president obstructed justice by trying to end the Mueller report.
They said they had 10 to list, in all.
Mr Trump had repeatedly attempted to downplay or dismiss Mr Mueller’s reluctant appearance on Capitol Hill — which was forced through a subpoena — to discuss his 448-page report into the 2016 election and its aftermath, but has attacked Mr Mueller's testimony anyhow, and has claimed Mr Mueller may have been conflicted because he had interviewed for a job as FBI director just before getting his job as special counsel (Mr Mueller had done that job before, had been praised for his work in that job, and denied he had interviewed for that job as the president says).
During the first half of his testimony, Mr Mueller indicated that a major reason the president was not charged was that Justice Department rules prohibit it. Mr Mueller did note that he believes a president could be charged with a crime after leaving office.
In the end, Democrats appeared to be laying the groundwork for further investigations into Mr Trump's political world, with top leaders pledging to follow the money trail to determine if the president had acted unlawfully.
And, with the future in mind, Democrats repeatedly asked Mr Mueller if the president could be charged with a crime once he leaves office. They said he could.
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Representative David Cicilline is now referencing a portion of the Mueller report in which Corey Lewandowski was asked by the president to deliver a hand written message to Jeff Sessions indicating that he "planned to meet with the special prosecutor" to say the investigation was unfair.
The point, according to the congressman, was that "Mr Lewandowski, a private citizen" was instructed by the president to instruct the attorney general to limit Mr Mueller's investigation.
Mr Mueller confirms that the president told Corey Lewandowski that he should tell former attorney general Jeff Sessions he is fired if he refuses to meet with him.
Mr Mueller is asked if he agrees with the over 1,000 former federal prosecutors who determined that anybody other than the president who had acted the way Mr Trump had would have been charged with a crime.
He wasn't able to answer, however, because time for questioning ran out.
Representative Eric Swalwell is now returning to the question regarding a statement from 1,000 former prosecutors who said conduct trying to control and impede the investigation into his behaviour was similar to other cases that would have been brought charges.
Mr Mueller said it was a different case.
Representative Ted Lieu is now asking about the three elements of obstruction, and Mr Mueller has confirmed all three.
"I believe a reasonable person looking at these facts could conclude that all three elements" of obstruction "have been met", Mr Lieu says.
Mr Mueller has also confirmed that he did not indict the president because of Justice Department regulations.
Mr Mueller again notes that he does not necessarily "subscribe" to the analysis of the three elements of obstruction, even though he confirmed all three.
Representative Jamie Raskin is now asking about witness tampering, which is a felony in the US with a potential prison time of up to 20 years.
Mr Mueller affirms that the president attempted to influence testimony of potential witnesses.
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