Bombshell? No, a dud

Mueller testimony should put last nail in investigation’s coffin

Former special counsel Robert Mueller took the stand Wednesday and testified before Congress. The hearing was supposed to be a bombshell. Democrats thought Mueller was going to lead a charge against President Donald Trump for alleged obstruction of justice. Republicans were there ready to defend their man in the White House. In the end, the whole thing was more of a dud.

Mueller didn’t stray much from his report. He wouldn’t give in to Democrats and lambast the president. He couldn’t answer questions from Republicans about Trump’s right to presumption of innocence.

What the whole thing boiled down to was both sides demanding an answer to the same question, though from different perspectives.

Mueller’s report stated there was “substantial evidence” that Trump was culpable in obstructing justice—though it stopped short of saying he was guilty. But if the evidence was there, why were no charges brought against the president?

The Democrats wanted to know why the case wasn’t pursued because they want to get Trump out of office. The Republicans wanted to know why Trump’s presumption of innocence was tainted without conclusion of guilt or any charges brought.

Mueller had no real answers. In his report, he tried to have it both ways—avoid charging the president while suggesting, though not outright saying, Trump was guilty of obstruction. He couldn’t prosecute but wouldn’t exonerate. And when called on it, he floundered.

By all rights, this should put the final coffin nail in the Mueller investigation story. Unfortunately, in this political climate we can’t be sure.