Ex-White House counsel Dean tells of parallels between Trump, Nixon

WASHINGTON» Former White House counsel John Dean testified Monday about parallels between President Donald Trump and his former boss, Richard M. Nixon, at the first hearing of the House Judiciary Committee aimed at understanding Robert Mueller’s findings.

“In many ways the Mueller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map ... was to President Richard Nixon,” said Dean, whose congressional testimony in 1973 ultimately lead to the resignation of Nixon. “Special counsel Mueller has provided this committee with a road map.”

While acknowledging he was not a “fact witness” on the Mueller report, Dean highlighted similarities he saw between the two presidents, particularly on the matter of pardons and whether they were used to obstruct justice.

Mueller identified 10 potential cases of obstruction of justice by Trump in his report, but the former special counsel said his office could neither clear nor accuse Trump of obstructing his investigation, citing a long-standing Justice Department opinion that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Committee Republicans mocked Democrats for bringing in Dean — a name from a bygone era who has a CNN contract — and several other former U.S. attorneys who have TV contracts. Rep. Douglas Collins, R-Ga., the top GOP lawmaker on the panel, said if Democrats really cared about stopping Russia interference in future elections, the committee would be asking experts — not cable commentators — to testify.

Dean said the last time he testified before the House Judiciary Committee was July 11, 1974, nearly 45 years ago. Seven of the committee’s 41 members were born after his testimony.

At the White House, Trump dismissed Dean and any notion of impeachment.

“John Dean’s been a loser for many years,” the president told reporters, adding: “You can’t impeach somebody when there’s never been a thing done wrong. When you look at past impeachments ... there’s a big difference, I don’t leave.”

The criticism underscores the problem Democrats face in trying to draw attention to Mueller’s findings, particularly because Trump has blocked former White House aides from testifying.

Mueller himself has also refused so far to agree to a date to testify publicly, privately expressing worries about being used politically by partisans on both sides.