Democrats have been circulating an exchange between Ted Lieu and Robert Mueller this morning as if it were the smoking gun they needed to start impeachment hearings:
Rep. Lieu: "The reason again that you did not indict Donald Trump is because of the OLC opinion stating that you cannot indict a sitting President, correct?"
Mueller: "That is correct."#MuellerHearing pic.twitter.com/MdSJ0rFIYt
— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) July 24, 2019
This is the holy grail of what Democrats have pinned their hopes to this morning, because it sounds like Trump was guilty of obstruction yet was only protected from indictment by the DOJ’s OLC opinion.
But Mueller made a point to clarify his testimony in the second hearing with the Intelligence Committee, dashing their hopes to smithereens:
NEW: Mueller references this moment in second opening statement, saying Rep. Lieu's statement "was the not the correct way to say it."
"We did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime." https://t.co/4TAVylFt1B #MuellerHearings pic.twitter.com/BjGTlCX4WA
— ABC News (@ABC) July 24, 2019
Mueller makes clear that his team never even established whether or not Trump committed a crime because of the OLC opinion. There were no charges and indictment because there was no crime.
In fact this was why AG Barr and Deputy AG Rosenstein stepped in to make the determination of Trump’s guilt or innocence with respect obstruction of justice, and they found that Trump did not obstruct justice.
All this was hashed out earlier this year, and I’m glad Mueller clarified his testimony.