Mueller: ‘If We Had Confidence’ That Trump ‘Did Not Commit A Crime, We Would Have Said So’

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement about the Russia investigation on May 29, 2019 at the Justice Department in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Special counsel Robert Mueller voiced point blank a conclusion in his report during a press conference Wednesday: “If we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

Mueller, speaking in public for the first time in two years, went on to say that his team did not come to a conclusion on obstruction charges at least in part because it is “unconstitutional” to charge a president with a federal crime while he is in office.

“…Under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office,” he said. “That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited.”

“Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider,” he concluded.

The comments echoed what Mueller’s team said in its written report.

Watch his comments here:

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Where exactly in the Constitution does it say you cannot indict a sitting president Mr Mueller?

  2. Just to emphasize the point, Trump exited the White House and shot a passing tourist point blank on Pennsylvania Avenue.

  3. Avatar for jep07 jep07 says:

    If, as every indicator suggests, this all comes down to our Senate acting like they represent The People, we are in a world of hurt.

  4. Avatar for Tom3 Tom3 says:

    That statement sounded a lot like “we found evidence that justified an indictment but couldn’t bring one.” This frankly destroys Trump’s “exoneration” talk.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

150 more replies

Participants

Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for clemmers Avatar for rollinnolan Avatar for losamigos Avatar for randyabraham Avatar for inversion Avatar for tjirish44 Avatar for itsjibba Avatar for borisjimbo Avatar for topchap Avatar for tena Avatar for georgeh Avatar for tsp Avatar for edhedh Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for greysea Avatar for corncaucus2008 Avatar for cub_calloway Avatar for spacesaver Avatar for dougsanders Avatar for haddockbranzini Avatar for rucleare Avatar for Bri2k

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: