WASHINGTON – United States Special Counsel Robert Mueller said yesterday his investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election was never going to end with criminal charges against President Donald Trump and indicated it was up to Congress to decide if impeachment proceedings are justified.
In his first public comments since starting the investigation in May 2017, Mueller said Justice Department policy prevented him from bringing charges against a sitting president, telling reporters it was “not an option we would consider”.
But he also said his twoyear investigation did not clear Trump of improper behaviour and pointed out there were other ways to hold presidents accountable.
“The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing,” Mueller said as he announced his resignation from the Justice Department.
Democrats in Congress are debating whether to try to move ahead with impeachment, an effort that is almost certain to fall short in the Republicancontrolled Senate.
The White House and several top Republicans said it was time to move on to other matters, while several Democratic presidential candidates called for impeachment.
A redacted version of Mueller’s report was published in April, concluding that Russia repeatedly interfered in the 2016 election and that Trump’s election campaign had multiple contacts with Russian officials, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy with Moscow to win the White House.
Mueller’s report also declined to make a judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice, although the report outlined ten instances in which Trump tried to impede the investigation, including seeking to have Mueller fired. (Reuters)
ROBERT MUELLER says his investigation did not clear
President Trump. (Reuters)
