It was not a good day for Trump impeachment advocates. There was no rekindling of the flames of the president’s impeachment solely because he won the 2016 election. Former special counsel Robert Mueller held dual hearings before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees. He refused to answer nearly 200 questions, even those that were within his purview. He completely avoided questions about the Trump dossier compiled by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, which started the whole Russia collusion myth. That dossier was financed by the Clinton campaign after they contracted the research firm Fusion GPS. That group then hired Steele. The irony is that Mueller’s report destroyed the Trump dossier, which was largely unverified. Mueller claimed he didn’t know about the firm, which is just too good to be true. You didn’t know? Who are you kidding, man?
NBC News: Mueller Refused to Answer 198 Questions https://t.co/oatljD20Qe
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) July 24, 2019
Mueller often seemed faint, uncaring, and unable to listen. He asked congressional Democrats and Republicans to repeat their questions multiple times, and the answers he gave didn’t really underscore much or add anything beyond what we already knew. If anything, it looks like Mueller didn’t read or write his report. And some of the explanations were, well, garbage. They didn’t make sense. Here are Jerry Dunleavy and Caitlin Yilek of The Washington Examiner dismantling Question from Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) about whether the Trump campaign was involved in the theft of Hillary campaign emails:
Rep. Brad Wenstrup, an Ohio Republican, asked Mueller whether “it is accurate to say that your investigation found no evidence that members of the Trump campaign were involved in the theft or publication of Clinton campaign emails?”
Mueller paused for a moment and then asked Wenstrup to repeat the question, which the congressman did.
Mueller paused again, then replied, “I don’t know, um, um, well — ”
Wenstrup was specific, citing the Mueller report. “On page five, it says that your report ‘did not find that any members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to interfere in the election.’ So it would be inaccurate, on that basis, to characterize that finding as questionable, because that finding implies that the Trump campaign was involved in the theft or publication of Clinton campaign emails,” he said.
“Do you understand that, sir?” asked Wenstrup.
“I think I understand that,” Mueller replied. “But that is, um, that part of this is not within our jurisdiction or the scope of our investigation.”
But Mueller’s statement appears to contradict the very basis of his appointment as special counsel, as he was chosen specifically to investigate Russian attempts to interfere in the election — which, he states in his report, included Russian intelligence hacking into Democratic emails and forwarding those emails to WikiLeaks for publication — as well as the extent, if any, of the Trump campaign’s involvement in those efforts.
CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin: Donald Trump is winning right now. photo: twitter.com/3lnOs9sc1c
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 24, 2019
Hard-core liberals like Michael Moore have responded more intensely. He had an “I told you so” moment, telling those experts who told us to believe Mueller to “shut up.” I think you can fill in the blanks. Laurence Tribe, a liberal lawyer, even admitted that today’s hearings were a disaster for Democrats. CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin, a legal analyst, also agreed that Trump won the day. Who knew Wednesdays could be so good?
Come on, fellow Americans! Trump can be defeated. Just because he outsmarted the DNC once – and is trying to do it again – means nothing if we, the majority, stand up, get busy, and inspire the nation to make America the America we want it to be. We know how to do it!
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 24, 2019
Trump must be ecstatic. Not because of Robert Mueller’s defeat — his report remains a devastating document of Trump’s crimes — but because Trump understands the power of images and understands that Democrats are not street fighters, and that’s why he will win.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 24, 2019
A weak elderly man, unable to remember things, stumbling, refusing to answer basic questions… I said it in 2017 and Mueller confirmed it today – all of you pundits, moderates and pathetic Democrats who told the public to trust the revered Robert Mueller – just shut up from now on
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) July 24, 2019
As much as I hate to say it, this morning’s hearing was a disaster. Far from breathing life into his devastating report, a weary Robert Mueller sucked the life out of it. Efforts to save democracy and the rule of law from this illegitimate president have been reversed, not advanced.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 24, 2019
Even Michael Moore agrees the Democrats and Mueller screwed up! https://t.co/ZFPb50vi4v
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
