Mueller Testimony Called 'Disaster for the Democrats' and 'the Reputation of Robert Mueller' by Chris Wallace
Fox News host Chris Wallace did not mince words Wednesday morning as he assessed the debacle of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony to Congress.
“This has been a disaster for Democrats and for the reputation of Robert Mueller,” the “Fox News Sunday” host said as part of Fox’s live coverage of Mueller’s appearance.
Mueller was appointed by the Justice Department in May 2017 to investigate allegations that the campaign of Donald Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The far-ranging investigation ended almost two years later, with Mueller admitting that there was no collusion.
The report Mueller authored left open the issue of whether Trump — who opposed the investigation — obstructed justice by not fully cooperating.
House Democrats, who have been stymied in various investigations of Trump, summoned Mueller to testify in hopes that he could provide material that might be the foundation of an obstruction or impeachment case against the president.
Wallace said Democrats have come up empty. His conclusion was shared in a tweet from Trump.
“This has been a disaster for the Democrats and a disaster for the reputation of Robert Mueller.” Chris Wallace @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
Wallace highlighted a comment from Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas, who attacked Mueller’s contention that he could not exonerate Trump.
“Which DOJ policy or principal sets forth a legal standard that an investigated person is not exonerated if their innocence from criminal conduct is not conclusively determined?” Ratcliffe asked, according to The Hill.
Ratcliffe asked for an example aside from Mueller’s own investigation.
“I cannot, but this is a unique situation,” Mueller said.
“You can’t find it because — I’ll tell you why — it doesn’t exist,” Ratcliffe said.
Wallace jumped on that exchange.
“When did that become a legal principle that a prosecutor can’t exonerate anybody?” Wallace said. “You’re innocent until proven guilty, so you’re either proven guilty or you shut up.”
Wallace gave Mueller low marks for his appearance.
“I had to laugh a little bit when you talked about the testimony by Robert Mueller because testimony has to be put in quotes. It really hasn’t been much testimony,” he said, later noting that Mueller “doesn’t seem to know things that are in the report.”
“He’s been attacked a number of times, and you would think that almost anybody else would have defended his own integrity, the integrity of the investigation,” Wallace said.
“Over and over, Mueller just sits silent and lets the attacks from the Republicans to sweep over him and says nothing,” he said.
Mueller said at one point that he was not familiar with Fusion GPS, the firm behind the controversial dossier of discredited claims against Trump that may have played a role in launching the initial probes of the Trump campaign, Fox News reported.
New post: Robert Mueller said he was “not familiar” with Fusion GPS. How is that possible? https://t.co/V0t1yMswiO
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) July 24, 2019
Wallace said the silence is significant.
“I think it does raise questions about the degree to which he actually was in charge of and in control of this report, because he doesn’t seem very much in control or charge of what the final report was,” the Fox News host said. “I should say whether he was in charge of the investigation, because he doesn’t seem in charge of what the report actually says.”
“Mueller was asked whether or not the investigation was impeded in any way, and he said no.” In other words, there was NO OBSTRUCTION. @KatiePavlich @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2019
Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich said Mueller’s performance raised the question of whether “partisans” drove the investigation, as Trump has alleged.
“Robert Mueller is not doing himself any favors. He looks weak, he does not look strong, he cannot answer basic questions about what is in the report, when he’s saying the report is what I’m referring to,” she said.
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