# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/101 "2019-07-24T18:17:37Z")
Has anyone asked Zebley anything yet? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/102 "2019-07-24T18:19:19Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The full quote from Mueller: > > “Now before we go to questions, I want to go back to one thing that was said this morning by Mr. Lieu, who said, and I quote, ‘You didn’t charge the president because of the OLC opinion.’ That is not the correct way to say it. As we say in the report, and as I said at the opening, we did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime. With that, Mr. Chairman, I’m ready to answer questions.” Translation: “My boss wouldn’t let me say that”. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/103 "2019-07-24T18:23:44Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Has anyone asked Zebley anything yet? There’s this, which isn’t actually a question: Schiff to Mueller deputy Aaron Zebley, who has also been sworn in to testify to the Intel Committee: “I realize, as you probably do, Mr. Zebley, that there is a angry man down the street who is not happy about your being here today.” (Quoted from: [https://mobile.twitter.com/kylegriffin1](https://mobile.twitter.com/kylegriffin1) ) ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/104 "2019-07-24T18:29:49Z")
The long-awaited Mueller hearings: _parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus_. As one commentator notes, the only winner here besides Trump is Nancy Pelosi. Impeachment is a dead duck. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/105 "2019-07-24T18:30:30Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Has anyone asked Zebley anything yet? Mueller tried to defer to Zebley to answer a question, and the Republican said, “No, I’m asking you.” ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/106 "2019-07-24T18:31:54Z")
Mueller looks much older than he did a few months ago. ---
**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 24, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/107 "2019-07-24T18:33:04Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > The long-awaited Mueller hearings: _parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus_. As one commentator notes, the only winner here besides Trump is Nancy Pelosi. Impeachment is a dead duck. For now, at least. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/108 "2019-07-24T18:33:23Z")
Gonna put him on my 2020 death pool, I am! ---
**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 24, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/109 "2019-07-24T18:39:27Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Mueller looks much older than he did a few months ago. Hell, older than he did a few hours ago. ---
**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 24, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/110 "2019-07-24T18:49:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The full quote from Mueller: > > “Now before we go to questions, I want to go back to one thing that was said this morning by Mr. Lieu, who said, and I quote, ‘You didn’t charge the president because of the OLC opinion.’ That is not the correct way to say it. As we say in the report, and as I said at the opening, we did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime. With that, Mr. Chairman, I’m ready to answer questions.” And there it is – The Feckless Punt. This will be the only headline that is played on State TV and repeated by every pro-Trump minion. Thanks, Mueller. You’ve been almost helpful. Please go now. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/111 "2019-07-24T18:50:34Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > And there it is – The Feckless Punt. > > This will be the only headline that is played on State TV and repeated by every pro-Trump minion. > > Thanks, Mueller. You’ve been almost helpful. Please go now. It does dispute Barr’s characterization of his report, so it’s still “useful” in that sense. And it doesn’t really directly contradict what he said earlier, it just muddles it a bit. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/112 "2019-07-24T18:56:07Z")
“…we did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime…” Is in response to the suggestion that there was only one reason why Trump wasn’t indicted, the OLC directive. IMO the above statement does a lot more that muddy the waters. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/113 "2019-07-24T19:00:53Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Hell, older than he did a few hours ago. On that point, that was rather concerning that he couldn’t think of the word “conspiracy”. “That word we use in place of collusion.” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/114 "2019-07-24T19:09:09Z")
Q: Did the President ever claim the 5th Amendment? A: I’m not going to get into that. Interesting. I feel like he would have said ‘no’, if it was ‘no’. ---
**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 24, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/115 "2019-07-24T19:11:27Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It does dispute Barr’s characterization of his report, so it’s still “useful” in that sense. And it doesn’t really directly contradict what he said earlier, it just muddles it a bit. Why muddle things in this crucial moment where clarity is of the essence? If he is saying that the DOJ regulation prohibited him from reaching a conclusion, he could easily have said that. In fact, he said exactly that (…as did Barr). And then deliberately rolled it back. In service of what? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/116 "2019-07-24T19:14:49Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Q: Did the President ever claim the 5th Amendment? > A: I’m not going to get into that. > > Interesting. I feel like he would have said ‘no’, if it was ‘no’. Mueller has made it clear that if it’s not already in the report he’s not going to get into it. ---
**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 24, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/117 "2019-07-24T19:16:04Z")
Has anyone straight up asked Mueller why: “…we did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime…”? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/118 "2019-07-24T19:18:40Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Why muddle things in this crucial moment where clarity is of the essence? > > If he is saying that the DOJ regulation prohibited him from reaching a conclusion, he could easily have said that. In fact, he said exactly that (…as did Barr). And then deliberately rolled it back. In service of what? I think he’s trying as hard as possible to not say anything that goes beyond the report. Whether by mistakenly telling too much truth or just a slip of the tongue, he went beyond the report in that answer to Lieu, so he tried to re-muddy it. Or something like that. Mueller really didn’t want to do this, and he’s not particularly interested in helping the Democrats (or the Republicans, for that matter). ---
**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 24, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/119 "2019-07-24T19:26:49Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I think he’s trying as hard as possible to not say anything that goes beyond the report. Whether by mistakenly telling too much truth or just a slip of the tongue, he went beyond the report in that answer to Lieu, so he tried to re-muddy it. Or something like that. > > Mueller really didn’t want to do this, and he’s not particularly interested in helping the Democrats (or the Republicans, for that matter). Whatever he says beyond what is in the report is going to be twisted into a thump-supporting sound bite. Like earlier when he used the words “Comey” and “friends” together in a sentence that specifically said they were NOT close friends, but business associates. ---
**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 24, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542/120 "2019-07-24T19:29:58Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I think he’s trying as hard as possible to not say anything that goes beyond the report. Whether by mistakenly telling too much truth or just a slip of the tongue, he went beyond the report in that answer to Lieu, so he tried to re-muddy it. Or something like that. > > Mueller really didn’t want to do this, and he’s not particularly interested in helping the Democrats (or the Republicans, for that matter). Then why take on the job if he is so ambivalent? Either he is getting some sort of personal satisfaction from this (unlikely given his objections to Barr’s mis-characterizations), or there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe with respect to the 14 separate ongoing investigation that were referred by his office. Perhaps to avoid the appearance of influencing them in some way? I don’t know. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But he’s not making it easy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testifies-before-congress/837542.md?page=7)