NYT Neil Katyal Op Ed "With Three Simple Answers, Mueller Can Speak Volumes"
For those who have read it, the special counsel’s report speaks for itself. For those who haven’t, he can speak for it in Congress.
By Neal K. Katyal
Mr. Katyal was an acting solicitor general in the Obama administration.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/opinion/robert-mueller-testimony-trump.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
There are just three simple yes-or-no questions Congress should ask Robert Mueller:
Mr. Mueller, the president said your report found, in his words, “no collusion, no obstruction, complete and total exoneration.”
First, did your report find there was no collusion?
Second, did your report find there was no obstruction?
Third, did your report give the president complete and total exoneration?
That’s it. That’s the ballgame. It makes no difference if there are 20 questioners or two when Mr. Mueller appears before two House committees on Wednesday. All of this speculation about whether Mr. Mueller will go beyond the four corners of his report is largely a waste of time, with one asterisk. The report itself is deeply damning to Mr. Trump, elevating him to the rare president who has been credibly documented as committing federal crimes while sitting in office.
snip - last two paragraphs
That compels Congress to ask Mr. Mueller two final questions: “First, when you were serving as special counsel, did Mr. Barr ever tell you that you could reach a decision about Mr. Trump’s criminality? Second, since Mr. Barr has now said that department policy allows you to reach a decision as to whether it was criminal activity, please do so. No one knows the facts better than you. We need you to. ”
The report speaks for itself. But in an era when our leaders have lied about it in the hope that Americans won’t read it, we need simple connect-the-dots questions clearly posed that will correct the record. Mr. Mueller’s report itself says that a sitting president cannot be indicted because it may “potentially pre-empt constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct.” Our Constitution outlines only one such process: an impeachment inquiry in the House. It’s time.
= new reply since forum marked as read
