Watch Mueller confirm he did not exonerate Trump, no matter how many times Trump says so

Special counsel Robert Mueller confirmed in testimony Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee that Trump was not exonerated in his report, despite Trump’s repeated insistence he did.

Just before the hearing began, Trump made the claim as part of a multi-tweet meltdown about the hearing.

“NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!” Trump wrote.

Mueller’s testimony almost immediately showed that to be a lie.

“The president has repeatedly claimed that your report found that there was no obstruction and that it completely and totally exonerated him. But that is not what your report said, is it?” asked Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chair of the committee.

“Correct, that is not what the report said,” Mueller replied.

Nadler then noted that the Mueller report distinctly said that if the investigation had found evidence clearing Trump of obstruction, it would have stated so. But it did not.

“Does that say there was no obstruction?” Nadler asked.

“No,” said Mueller, and he cited the opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel that a sitting president cannot be indicted to explain why the report did not include conclusions about Trump’s crimes.

“So the report did not conclude that he did not commit obstruction of justice?” asked Nadler.

“That is correct,” Mueller replied.

Asked if the report “totally exonerated” Trump, as Trump has repeatedly asserted, Mueller clearly stated, “No.” He also agreed with Nadler that the report “expressly states that it does not exonerate the president.”

Mueller also said it was “correct” that the report found multiple instances of Trump attempting to exert influence over the investigation and its outcome.

“The finding indicates that the president was not exculpated for the acts he allegedly committed,” Mueller said, concluding the exchange.

In just two minutes, Mueller completely refuted the key argument that Trump and his fellow Republicans have tried to make about the investigation.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.