Nadler Responds to Mueller: ‘Falls to Congress To Respond to the Crimes’
House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, responded Wednesday to special counsel Robert Mueller’s first public remarks since his report on the Russia investigation was released, hinting that it is likely Mueller will be subpoenaed to testify in front of Congress.
In a statement released following Mueller’s news conference at the Department of Justice, Nadler thanked Mueller for his service and said that “although Department of Justice policy prevented the Special Counsel from bringing criminal charges against the President, the Special Counsel has clearly demonstrated that President Trump is lying about the Special Counsel’s findings, lying about the testimony of key witnesses in the Special Counsel’s report, and is lying in saying that the Special Counsel found no obstruction and no collusion.”
It is now Congress’ responsibility to act, Nadler said.
“We would like to thank Special Counsel Robert Mueller for his service to our nation over the past two years,” Nadler said.
“In his statement this morning, Special Counsel Mueller reaffirmed his report, which found substantial evidence that Russia attacked our political system and that the President sought to obstruct Mueller’s investigation over and over again. He also confirmed three central points: he did not exonerate the President of the United States of obstruction of justice, obstruction of justice is a serious crime that strikes at the core of our justice system, and the Constitution points to Congress to take action to hold the President accountable,” his statement continued.
“Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump — and we will do so,” Nadler said.
“No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law.”
At the news conference, Mueller defended his report into the Trump campaign, saying he found no collusion between Russia and the campaign, and that he would be “formally closing the Special Counsel’s Office” and “resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life.”
Mueller also said that “there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy,” and that the report would be his testimony if Congress issues a subpoena for him to testify.
Since Mueller resigned, it will be harder for Congress to get him to appear, since he will be a private citizen.
In early April, Nadler said he wants Mueller to testify before the House Judiciary Committee as soon as possible.
Nadler called on Mueller to testify in front of the group, echoing earlier calls from Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the committee.
Collins asked Nadler to “immediately” invite Mueller to testify before Congress.
After Attorney General William Barr announced there was no collusion or obstruction committed by Trump and the Trump campaign, Nadler said the findings were still unclear and that Congress must hear from Mueller to help better understand the results.
Regardless of the report’s findings, Nadler requested a number of documents from the White House and sent letters seeking information from people and organizations close to Trump on March 4.
Nadler sent the requests to 81 groups, people and organizations, searching for constitutional abuses and corruption by Trump.
The New York Democrat said the requests for documents are to “begin investigations, to present the case to the American people about obstruction of justice, about corruption and abuse of power.”
Democrats and cable news pundits have continued to say the Mueller report is a cover-up, even though it has not been released.
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A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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