7 times Robert Mueller made a liar out of Trump in front of Congress

In some of the most anticipated congressional hearings of the Trump era, former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony to the House Judiciary and House Intelligence Committees Wednesday exposed Trump as a liar on several occasions. Here are seven Trump lies that were taken to task during Mueller’s testimony.

Mueller’s investigation was not a “witch hunt.”

The Mueller investigation was not ever a “witch hunt,” despite Trump’s repeated claims to the contrary.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) asked Mueller, “Well, your investigation is not a witch hunt, is it?” Mueller responded simply, “It is not a witch hunt.”

From Jan. 10, 2017 through July 24, 2019, Trump used the term “witch hunt” 232 times on Twitter, according to the Trump Twitter Archive, often in referrence to the Mueller investigation.

Russia really did interfere in the election.

Under questioning from Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Mueller was asked if Russian interference in the 2016 election was a hoax.

“Would you agree that it was not a hoax that the Russians were engaged in trying to impact our election?” Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) asked.

“Absolutely, it was not a hoax,” Mueller stated definitively. “The indictments that we returned against the Russians — two different ones — were substantial in their scope.”

In early 2017, Trump falsely stated, “Trump Russia story is a hoax.” As recently as May, Trump whined, “Russia, Russia, Russia! That’s all you heard at the beginning of this Witch Hunt Hoax.”

Russia wanted Trump to win.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) made sure Mueller let America know in no uncertain terms who Russia was trying to help when they interfered in the 2016 election.

In a 2017 interview with Pat Robertson, Trump listed several issues on which he believed Putin would have preferred Clinton.”That’s what Putin doesn’t like about me, and that’s why I say why would he want me?” Trump said.  He claimed “there are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want. So, when I keep hearing about that he would have rather had Trump, I think probably not, because when I want a strong military you know she wouldn’t have spent the money on the military.” He concluded that he was doing “all the things that he would hate. But nobody ever mentions that.”

But Mueller confirmed that Russia wanted Trump in the White House

Lofgren confirmed with Mueller that Russian interference was intended to help one of the two major party candidates in 2016, and then asked Mueller, “Which candidate would that be?”

“Well, it would be Trump,” Mueller replied.

Trump welcomed Russia’s help.

Members of the Trump campaign welcomed the help of Russian operatives during the 2016 campaign, Mueller confirmed.

“In fact, the [Trump] campaign welcomed the Russian help, did they not?” Schiff asked Mueller.

“We report in the report indications that that occurred, yes,” Mueller replied.

“The president’s son said, when he was approached about dirt on Hillary Clinton, that the Trump campaign would love it?” Schiff asked.

“That is generally what was said, yes,” Mueller said.

“The president himself called on the Russians to hack Hillary’s emails?” Schiff asked.

“There was a statement by the president along those general lines,” Mueller stated.

Mueller confirms multiple instances of the Trump campaign both welcoming and accepting help from Russia, despite claims by Trump and his associates that there was “no collusion.”

Campaigns should report foreign assistance to the FBI.

Campaigns should contact federal authorities if foreign actors seek to illegally help their campaigns, Mueller told Congress.

“Is it not the responsibility of political campaigns to inform the FBI if they receive information from a foreign government?” Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) asked Mueller.

“I would think that’s something they would and should do,” Mueller stated.

In June, Trump admitted he would break federal election law and accept help from a foreign adversary if given the chance in 2020.

There is nothing to “love” about WikiLeaks.

Wikileaks is a hostile foreign entity and praising such an organization is problematic, Mueller testified.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) read Mueller a series of statements by Trump extolling his love and appreciation for Wikileaks, described by then-CIA Director Pompeo as a “hostile intelligence service.” Quigley asked Mueller for his reaction.

“Problematic is an understatement,” Mueller replied, “in terms of what it displays and giving some hope or some boost to what is and should be illegal activity.”

As noted in Quigley’s question, Trump repeatedly praised Wikileaks, making statements such as, “I love Wikileaks,” and “Boy, I love reading those WikiLeaks.”

Mueller never interviewed to be Trump’s FBI director.

Robert Mueller never interviewed with Trump to be the FBI director, despite Trump’s claims otherwise.

“Did you indeed interview for the FBI director job one day before you were appointed as special counsel?” Rep. Gregory Steube (R-FL) asked Mueller.

“My understanding is that I was not applying for the job. I was asked to give my input on what it would take to do the job,” Mueller responded. Under further questioning, Mueller confirmed that he did not interview to apply for the FBI director position.

As recently as the morning of the hearing, Trump claimed Mueller had applied for the position. “It has been reported that Robert Mueller is saying that he did not apply and interview for the job of FBI Director (and get turned down) the day before he was wrongfully appointed Special Counsel,” Trump said Wednesday morning.

“Hope he doesn’t say that under oath in that we have numerous witnesses to the interview, including the Vice President of the United States!” Trump added.

Throughout the day, Mueller used crisp, clear, and concise answers to knock down one lie after another from Trump, exposing the truth behind how far Russia went to help Trump get elected and confirming evidence included in the report pointing to obstruction of justice.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.