Special Prosecutor Robert Müller, who was investigating Donald Trump’s alleged connections with Russia during the 2016 elections, should not testify at the US Congress hearings. This was stated by the President of the United States, stressing that the investigation was completed.
“After more than $ 35 million was spent in two years and 500 people were interviewed with the involvement of 18 furious Trumpon-haters Democrats and 49 FBI agents, all this resulted in a report of more than 400 pages, indicating a lack of collusion. So why would the Democrats in Congress now need Robert Muller to testify? ”Wrote the head of the White House on his Twitter.
Trump believes that Democrats demanding Muller’s address to Congress refuse to accept the results of the investigation.
“They seek to replay everything, because they hate the unequivocal conclusion about the absence of collusion?” There was no crime, except that the other side committed it (amazingly, but this is not reflected in the report), and no obstruction of justice. Robert Muller should not testify. Democrats will not be able to replay everything! ”The president added.
Trump's statements came after David Sissilin, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Judicial Affairs, announced that Robert Muller had agreed to speak in Congress and answer parliamentarians' questions.
The date for the hearing was set for May 15th. Subsequently, due to the rush caused by the news in the American media, Sissilin explained that no final agreement had been reached on the appearance of Muller on Capitol Hill.
“I would like to clarify: we are counting on a conversation with Muller on the 15th, but so far there are no agreements. This is the date proposed by the committee, and we hope that the special prosecutor will agree to it, ”the politician said.
Analysts link the new round of controversy over the report of Special Prosecutor Muller with the intensification of the domestic political struggle in the United States.
“Democrats suspect that Barr has drawn conclusions from this report, which trumped Trump as much as possible and give the impression of his complete non-participation in the alleged Russian“ interference ”. Therefore, Congress wants to ask additional questions. It is possible that he will even create a new commission that will investigate the results of the report, ”suggested Victor Supyan, deputy director of the Institute of the USA and Canada, RAS, in an interview with RT.
Müller's investigation
An investigation into the alleged “collusion” between Trump’s election headquarters and Moscow was initiated in May 2017 and lasted for almost two years. The case was conducted by 19 prosecutors, an investigation team of 40 FBI agents and other special services. During its work, the commission interviewed about 500 witnesses and issued more than 2.8 thousand subpoenas.
On March 24, Attorney General William Barr announced that Special Prosecutor Müller’s investigation had been completed, and sent a final report with conclusions to Congress. It was noted in it that the investigation did not find evidence or signs of “links” of the incumbent headquarters of the current president with Russia.
In addition, Barr stressed that no further charges would be forthcoming as part of this investigation.
After that, the Democrats in Congress demanded that the full version of the Muller report be made public. The entire document, which occupies 448 pages, was published on April 18.
After that, Prosecutor General Barr spoke in the Senate. He reiterated that there was no convincing evidence that Trump actually colluded with Russia, and also tried to interfere with justice. However, the Democrats in the House of Representatives reacted with disbelief to the findings of the Prosecutor General and urged him to resign.
Inconvenient results
According to Viktor Supyan, once again raising the topic of “ties” between the US President and the Kremlin, Trump’s opponents want to force American voters to believe that the results of the investigation are not final and do not prove the absence of “collusion” between the head of the White House and the Russian authorities.
“Democrats are looking to sow doubts about the outcome of the Muller investigation. This is a winning strategy, because this question continues to haunt Americans. On the eve of the presidential election, democrats adhere to a policy that discredits the current president as much as possible, ”the expert explained in an interview with RT.
- US President Donald Trump
- Reuters
- © Jonathan Ernst
The results of the investigation by Special Prosecutor Muller categorically do not suit the Democratic Party, which was expecting very different results, said Gevorg Mirzayan, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at the Financial University under the Government of Russia.
"The democrats needed the fact of Russia's interference in the American elections in collusion with Trump to impeach or bring down a stream of criticism on the US president that would bind him hand and foot," said the expert.
According to him, the report has a number of controversial points that Trump's opponents can interpret in their favor.
“They may ask Muller, whom did Russia support by“ intervening ”in the elections? In response, Muller will express his personal opinion, which may not be supported by any evidence, but which will later be promoted by Trump's opponents through the media, ”he explained.
Viktor Supyan holds the same point of view. He noted that Trump’s concerns that the Democrats might actually try to “rewrite” the Muller report are fully justified.
“Today in America there is an acute internal political struggle, and both sides want to use this situation. Trump believes his victory was the speech of Prosecutor General Barr on the results of the Muller report: it was stated that the administration’s alleged relationship with Russia was not proven. But the very fact of the existence of such a report indirectly casts a shadow on Trump. After all, it does not deny that the data on some contacts were hidden, as well as the fact that the Russians allegedly “interfered” in the elections. Therefore, Trump fears that Muller in the Congress may say something not in his favor, ”Supyan said.
Congress front
Trump's new statement about the planned appearance of a special prosecutor in Congress also caused condemnation from his political opponents. So, the chairman of the intelligence committee, Adam Schiff, said that the attorney general’s conclusion was not enough, and Müller should come to testify.
“Today, Trump spoke out against Muller testifying at congressional hearings, in front of the entire American people. He is also against the questioning of the former White House attorney, Don McGun. Barr's testimonies alone, designed to protect Trump, are not enough. They (Muller and McGan. - RT ) will testify. The American people deserve the truth, ”Schiff wrote on his Twitter.
It is worth noting that Adam Schiff had high hopes for the investigation of Muller. During numerous interviews with CNN and MSNBC, he declared the impeachment of Donald Trump imminent and even predicted his imprisonment. Using his position as head of the intelligence committee, Schiff reopened the investigation of Trump's “connections” with Russia within the authority of the congress.
He was supported by one of the main political opponents of Trump - the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer.
“At first, Donald Trump repeatedly tried to remove Muller from office. He then refused to testify to him. Now he is trying to silence Muller. Donald Trump tirelessly proclaims his innocence, but his actions point to the opposite. Müller should speak at open congressional hearings, ”said Schumer.
Experts believe that loud statements and political will to the president are not enough to give an effective rebuff to the democrats. In their opinion, now Donald Trump should clearly demonstrate to the electorate the effectiveness of his work in this position.
“It is important for Americans that the country has low unemployment and economic growth. If another crisis begins before the new election, then Trump will not be happy. Most of the American elite believes that the current president takes someone else's place and discredits the United States. To remove him from power, all means are good, ”concluded Viktor Supyan.