Mueller Statement Fuels Demand For Trump Impeachment

The demand for impeachment of President Donald Trump got a new impetus from special counsel Robert Mueller's open speech to the Justice Department press corps.

Mueller's words implied that his investigation had ample substance to frame Trump on the obstruction of justice plank. His message was that he refrained from charging Trump on the Russian meddling on 2016 polls because he could not do as it was beyond his powers.

Mueller’s own advocacy in the statement for a constitutional process has added pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to kick off the process of Trump’s impeachment.

He said the fact that Trump was not directly indicted by the commission had less to do with poor evidence. Rather, it had more to do with protocol.

Mueller’s observations demolished Trump’s claims of having been exonerated for lack of evidence.

According to political analysts, Volume 2 of the special counsel's report carries the basis for impeachment. It explains 11 ways by which investigators can assess whether Trump indulged in intentional obstruction of justice. This subtly reinforces the argument in Mueller’s open comments.

The timing of Trump Mueller issue is very important as he has been urged by Democratic lawmakers to testify at Capitol Hill on the 448-page report.

Mueller’s most significant words

Mueller’s speech was brief but its strategic statement blew Trump’s own defense. Mueller, while drawing attention to the investigation’s findings said, had he been convinced that the President was innocent he would have said it outright.

“If we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,” Mueller said.

Mueller’s own observation tramples Trump’s justification that he has not been indicted. According to Mueller, it was a matter of policy that Trump was not indicted in the report because of zero evidence. The Department of Justice explicitly prohibits prosecuting a reigning president.

“Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider," explained Mueller.

Left for a constitutional process

Mueller said he believed despite institutional constraints barred him from indicting Trump, his office was convinced it should act on the basis of witnesses and documents.

Mueller said in the case of Trump, ultimately, “the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing.”

Reacting to Mueller’s comments, Speaker Pelosi said “nothing is off the table” but reiterated that the House would continue to investigate and “litigate” to dig out the truth.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler stopped short of mentioning impeachment.

But Nadler asserted that given that the Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, “the onus is on Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump -- and we will do so.”

Trump says the matter is closed now

In his reaction, Donald Trump noted that the probe found “insufficient evidence” and the whole issue stands closed.

“Nothing changes from the Mueller Report,” Trump wrote in a tweet.

“There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.”

Trump aide and Trump's 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale attacked Mueller and said the investigators themselves should be investigated and said, “now it’s time to turn to the origins of the Russia hoax.”