What Robert Mueller said about Trump, and didn't say
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Liz Marlantes Politics editor
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That鈥檚 essentially what Robert Mueller said in his press conference today. The special counsel, who announced he was officially resigning, read a 10-minute statement in which he made clear that he did not want to testify before Congress 鈥� and that if he is called to do so, his testimony would not 鈥済o beyond鈥� his written report.
Why We Wrote This
Obstruction of justice? Robert Mueller says that the U.S. Justice Department cannot legally charge any sitting president for a crime.
Mr. Mueller did take the opportunity to reiterate some of his report鈥檚 key findings:
- That Russia, as alleged in a grand jury indictment, made 鈥渕ultiple, systemic efforts鈥� to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election 鈥� a 鈥渃oncerted attack on our political system,鈥� he said, that 鈥渄eserves the attention of every American.鈥�
- That his team found 鈥渋nsufficient evidence鈥� to charge the Trump campaign with conspiring with Russia to influence the election.
- And that, when it came to obstruction of justice, his team 鈥渄id not make a determination,鈥� being bound by Justice Department guidelines that prevent a sitting president from being charged with a crime. 鈥淚f we had had confidence that the president clearly did聽not聽commit a crime,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e would have said so.鈥�
Perhaps most notably, Mr. Mueller stated, 鈥淭he Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing.鈥� That seems certain to further ramp up calls on the left for impeachment.
Still, all of this 鈥� as Mr. Mueller noted 鈥� was in the original report.
聽And there鈥檚 the rub. Because the Mueller report, which was supposed to provide clarity on a topic of vital national interest,聽has instead only seemed to muddy the waters. Some people read it as clear vindication for President Donald Trump. Others see it as a damning portrayal that makes a rock-solid case for impeachment.
鈥淚t seems to me that Mueller鈥檚 office thinks that their report is clearer than we do,鈥� NBC鈥檚 Julia Ainsley said, somewhat exasperatedly, on air today.
聽鈥淚t鈥檚 like the white and gold dress,鈥� a media colleague remarked to me over the weekend 鈥� referring to聽聽that sparked furious online debates a few years back.
聽Today, all Mr. Mueller made clear is that when it comes to interpreting what he wrote 鈥� is it white and gold? Or blue and black? 鈥� he鈥檚 not going to help us out.
聽Let us know what you鈥檙e thinking at聽csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
