# Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies before Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 24, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542 "2019-07-24T12:33:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/241 "2019-07-25T19:39:12Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I’ve seen reporting that suggests that there will be no impeachment, however the timing of ongoing house investigations will be such that the bad news will flood the zone in 2020. This is why the House appears to be dragging their feet in calling up witnesses such as McGhan and Lewandowski, as well as trying to fast track the disclosure of Trump’s tax returns. There are also 14 ongoing investigations into various aspects of Trump’s life and conduct, referred by the Mueller investigation to outside jurisdictions. > > That seems to be the Democrat’s game plan. Allegedly. I hope it fucking works. Let’s hope, because we seem to be stuck with it. It’s hard for me to believe there could be more bad news to flood the zone than we’ve already got. I mean, kids in cages taking care of babies in cages while other kids and babies in the cages die without even seeing a doctor. Impeachment? We need fucking _Nuremberg trials_ for Trump and his minions. Oh, and we almost got in a war with Iran, but apparently Trump saved us just in time from the war that Trump was about to start. It’s fucking nuts that we go to war, or not, depending on the firing of random synapses in this geezer’s brain. And that’s just for starters. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/242 "2019-07-25T19:57:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > The Republicans do not want so-called “criminal, bigoted behavior.” That’s ludicrous. But that’s who they nominated and voted for. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/243 "2019-07-25T19:58:07Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > There are also 14 ongoing investigations into various aspects of Trump’s life and conduct, referred by the Mueller investigation to outside jurisdictions. There were several times during his testimony when I wondered if he was declining to answer because of another ongoing investigation. I can’t remember details, but I’m wondering what shoes remain to drop. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/244 "2019-07-25T19:59:22Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Trump’s criminal, bigoted behaviour is what they want, and they will stick by him no matter what. Or, even if it’s _not_ what they want, they’ve realized that it’s what’s wanted (or at least tolerated) by enough of their voters, and thus, they believe that speaking out against Trump will end their political careers. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/245 "2019-07-25T20:14:33Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > “I’ll take ‘Lame Attempts at False Equivalence’ for $200, Alex.” :rolleyes: If you honestly believe the democrats aren’t motivated by political power I’m not sure where you’ve lived the past 100 years or so. :rolleyes::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/246 "2019-07-25T20:25:32Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > There were several times during his testimony when I wondered if he was declining to answer because of another ongoing investigation. I can’t remember details, but I’m wondering what shoes remain to drop. I thought the same as well. It would certainly explain the gymnastics and evasive reasoning behind failing to reach a conclusion in his report. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/247 "2019-07-25T20:30:46Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > They could have made a big deal about the Mueller Report right when it came out, instead they shrugged. That signaled to non-political-junkies that there was _no point_ in paying attention to it. What does “could have made a big deal about the Mueller report” even mean? You mean impeach right off the bat? I mean they could have, but there’s no evidence that would have worked. I’m living in an evidence-based world, here: there is no evidence that shouting on the rooftops about Mueller and impeaching him the day after would have accomplished anything. You seem to have this hunch - that’s really what it is and nothing more - that impeachment over the Mueller report would have been successful, but there’s simply no evidence to support it. You’re just pissed because people aren’t as outraged about it as you are. I mean, I get it - I’m pissed off myself. But our shared anger doesn’t change reality. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/248 "2019-07-25T20:34:37Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Oh, and we almost got in a war with Iran, but apparently Trump saved us just in time from the war that Trump was about to start. It’s fucking nuts that we go to war, or not, depending on the firing of random synapses in this geezer’s brain. This is hardly over; we’re nowhere near past that crisis. As long as he has John Bolton and Mike Pompeo in his back court, there’s a very good chance he’ll make a fatal miscalculation. I wish it didn’t take a disaster to persuade the idiots in this country that they’ve made a terrible mistake at the polls, but I’m afraid that’s the America we live in. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/249 "2019-07-25T21:07:28Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I thought the same as well. It would certainly explain the gymnastics and evasive reasoning behind failing to reach a conclusion in his report. You mean outside of being expressly and explicitly forbidden to do so? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/250 "2019-07-25T22:18:37Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You mean outside of being expressly and explicitly forbidden to do so? There you go! Bringing up facts. _\_ ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/251 "2019-07-25T22:20:32Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Your discussion was about Mueller _himself_. :rolleyes: Do you often ignore the character and disposition of the person giving testimony, or is this case different? Perhaps I should take Mueller’s disembodied words as holy emanations from upon a mount of some sort, but they have yet to be carved into immortal stone and that may take awhile. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/252 "2019-07-25T22:30:47Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Nothing? Where are you going with this? > > The last paragraph of Article 1 Section 2 of the US Constitution in it’s entirety is… “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” > > That’s the end of it. There is no, “Subject to…” Come on. You are pretending to be obtuse. You know as well as everyone that a trial in the Senate is required after an impeachment in the House to removed a president. But is that what you really want? Suppose Trump is impeached and acquitted in the Senate. Do you want to read “Exonorated!” “Not Guilty!” all over his tweets and have the 2020 election be about how the Dems prosecuted a poor innocent president because they have no message or solutions for the country? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/253 "2019-07-25T22:36:08Z")
If Trump does go, I’m not so much interested in seeing him go as I am curious to see what a President Pence would be like. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/254 "2019-07-25T23:05:40Z")
Brief. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/255 "2019-07-25T23:10:58Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > If you honestly believe the democrats aren’t motivated by political power I’m not sure where you’ve lived the past 100 years or so. :rolleyes::rolleyes: “I’ll try ‘Strawman Arguments’ for $400, Alex.” ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/256 "2019-07-25T23:12:07Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > But is that what you really want? Suppose Trump is impeached and acquitted in the Senate. Do you want to read “Exonorated!” “Not Guilty!” all over his tweets and have the 2020 election be about how the Dems prosecuted a poor innocent president because they have no message or solutions for the country? I know I don’t, not that by any means I think that\* is inevitable. But if you think the Dems have no message or solutions, ISTM that you aren’t paying attention. You might not think much of them, but they’re out there. - “That” being the part about the election, not the tweets. They _are_ inevitable. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/257 "2019-07-25T23:21:10Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I know I don’t, not that by any means I think that\* is inevitable. But if you think the Dems have no message or solutions, ISTM that you aren’t paying attention. You might not think much of them, but they’re out there. > > - “That” being the part about the election, not the tweets. They _are_ inevitable. 😉 No, just to clarify. Although I think the Dem messages and solutions are terrible, they have some. But my prior post was meant to be Trump’s mocking of them and the GOP election talking points: No solutions, Just bash Trump. Come up with something catchy. A first draft: DEM=Deny Evidence Mueller investigation. He was exonerated, yet they continue. (Yes, I’ll keep working on it. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/258 "2019-07-25T23:58:05Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What does “could have made a big deal about the Mueller report” even mean? You mean impeach right off the bat? This is the sort of idiocy that makes it very un-worth talking with you. I’m not even gonna bother. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/259 "2019-07-26T00:05:57Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Come on. You are pretending to be obtuse. You know as well as everyone that a trial in the Senate is required after an impeachment in the House to removed a president. That’s assuming removal is the only reason for impeachment, that if the Senate won’t remove, there’s no point in the House even making the case. Obviously there are a lot of people who feel that way. But there are plenty of people who don’t. Rather than re-litigate the issue yet one more time, I’ll just note that plenty of people have made the arguments on both sides, both here and elsewhere. > [@](#): > > But is that what you really want? Suppose Trump is impeached and acquitted in the Senate. Do you want to read “Exonorated!” “Not Guilty!” all over his tweets Hard to be very scared of something happening in the future when it’s a daily occurrence right now. > [@](#): > > and have the 2020 election be about how the Dems prosecuted a poor innocent president because they have no message or solutions for the country? Depends on who you think will be more convinced by the concluding vote in the Senate than by the presentation of the case for impeachment in the Judiciary Committee, the full House, and the Senate in succession. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/260 "2019-07-26T00:12:00Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > That’s assuming removal is the only reason for impeachment, that if the Senate won’t remove, there’s no point in the House even making the case. > > Obviously there are a lot of people who feel that way. But there are plenty of people who don’t. Rather than re-litigate the issue yet one more time, I’ll just note that plenty of people have made the arguments on both sides, both here and elsewhere. Hard to be very scared of something happening in the future when it’s a daily occurrence right now. Depends on who you think will be more convinced by the concluding vote in the Senate than by the presentation of the case for impeachment in the Judiciary Committee, the full House, and the Senate in succession. When Trump is found Not Guilty 85-15 in the Senate, do you think you could still say that he is full of shit when he tweets those things? You have a fairly decent case now for saying that him and his subordinates are spouting nonsense. When it is 85-15, will you have that advantage? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542.md?page=14)