Trump news: Mueller testimony says president could face criminal charges as Trump rails against 'disaster' hearing
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Your support makes all the difference.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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Mr Nadler is now up, and asking about Mr Trump's claim that there was "no obstruction" and that the report "completely" exonerated him, and asked if that was not what the report said.
Mr Mueller said that is not what his report said.
Mr Mueller once again affirms that his report did not determine that there was no obstruction.
Mr Mueller says his report did not totally exonerate the president, and that it did not conclude he did not obstruct justice. He also noted that his office was influenced by Justice Department rules regarding charging a sitting president.
"The finding indicates that the president was not ... exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed," Mr Mueller says of obstruction efforts.
Mr Nadler notes that the report indicates that Mr Trump became aware at one point of his being investigated by Mr Mueller, and notes that he made an effort to exert influence over the investigation.
Mr Mueller "sticks with" the language in the report.
Mr Mueller says that a sitting president cannot be indicted because it is unconstitutional, in response to a question about exoneration.
He notes that a sitting president could be prosecuted after leaving office.
Mr Mueller affirms: His team tried to interview Mr Trump for over a year, and that they told the White House that such an interview would be "vital" to the investigation.
He also affirms that Mr Trump refused to sit for an interview, but responded to written questions.
Mr Mueller, questioned by Mr Collins, affirms his investigation was not "curtailed" at any point.
Mr Collins is now asking Mr Mueller if "collusion" and "conspiracy" are the same thing, in colloquial terms. Mr Mueller says "no".
Mr Mueller refuses to discuss "other matters", including whether other countries were investigated beyond Russia.
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