Trump: Mueller shouldn’t get ‘another bite at the apple’

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump complained Monday about the upcoming congressional testimony of former special counsel Robert Mueller, saying he “should not be given another bite at the apple” and asserting that it “will be bad for him and the phony Democrats.”

Mueller is scheduled to appear in public before two Democratic-led House panels on Wednesday to deliver highly anticipated testimony about his report on Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump sought to obstruct his investigation.

In a pair of tweets, Trump lashed out at Mueller and former FBI officials, repeating multiple false claims and offering a misleading characterization of the findings in Mueller’s 448-page report, which was released with redactions in April.

“Highly conflicted Robert Mueller should not be given another bite at the apple,” Trump wrote. “In the end it will be bad for him and the phony Democrats in Congress who have done nothing but waste time on this ridiculous Witch Hunt. Result of the Mueller Report, NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION!”

Mueller’s report concluded that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election “in sweeping and systematic fashion.”

The interference included a social media campaign that favored Trump and disparaged Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as well as the hacking of computers maintained by allies of Clinton and the subsequent releases of stolen documents, the report said.

The report did not find sufficient evidence to bring charges of criminal conspiracy with Russia against Trump or anyone associated with his campaign. It did not offer a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice.

A spokesman for Mueller reiterated Monday that Mueller does not intend to stray beyond what was detailed in his 448-page report when he testifies before Congress later this week, and in fact that Mueller plans to submit the publicly available version of his report as a statement for the record.

Trump first insisted Monday that he wouldn’t watch Mueller’s testimony, then conceded that he might watch “a little bit.”