WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on former special counsel Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony on the Russia probe (all times local):
8:50 a.m.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller says Russia’s efforts to interfere in U.S. elections is “among the most serious” challenges to American democracy.
Mueller made the statement in his opening remarks before the House Judiciary Committee. He’ll appear before the intelligence committee later in the day.
Mueller has expressed his reluctance to testify and said he won’t go beyond what’s in his 448-page report released in April.
Mueller’s report said the investigation did not find sufficient evidence to establish charges of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. But it said investigators did not clear President Donald Trump of trying to obstruct the probe.
___
8:45 a.m.
The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee has defended President Donald Trump as the committee opened its hearing with former special counsel Robert Mueller.
Georgia Rep. Doug Collins says “the president knew he was innocent” and did not shut down Mueller’s probe, even though he had the authority to do so.
Mueller’s report released in April said that he could not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. It also said there was not enough evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
Collins said Russia meddled in the 2016 election but “the president did not conspire with Russians.” He said “nothing we hear today will change those facts.”
Collins said Republicans will also question the origins of Mueller’s investigation.
___
8:37 a.m.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler says his committee has “a responsibility to address” the evidence that former special counsel Robert Mueller has uncovered in his Trump-Russia investigation.
Opening a three-hour hearing with Mueller, Nadler said there are themes to the hearing: “responsibility, integrity, and accountability.”
Nadler laid out the examples from Mueller’s report that committee members intend to focus on while questioning the reluctant former special counsel.
Mueller wrote in the document that he could not exonerate President Donald Trump on obstruction of justice.
He noted Trump’s directions to then-White House counsel Donald McGahn to have Mueller removed and, once that was made public, orders from Trump to McGahn to deny it happened.
Nadler said “not even the president is above the law.”
___
8:35 a.m.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller is appearing before Congress for the first time to discuss the Russia investigation.
Mueller is testifying Wednesday morning before the House Judiciary Committee. He’ll appear before the intelligence committee later in the day.
The nation has heard the special counsel speak only once — for nine minutes in May — since his appointment more than two years ago.
Mueller has expressed his reluctance to testify and said he won’t go beyond what’s in his 448-page report released in April.
Mueller’s report said the investigation did not find sufficient evidence to establish charges of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. But it said investigators did not clear President Donald Trump of trying to obstruct the probe.
__
8:05 a.m.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller (MUHL’-ur) has arrived on Capitol Hill to testify before two House panels about his Russia investigation.
Mueller was flanked by police officers in the Rayburn House Office Building as he headed toward a hearing room Wednesday morning. Senior Mueller aide Aaron Zebley also was in the hearing room.
Mueller is testifying before the House Judiciary Committee and the House intelligence committee.
Mueller’s investigation shadowed Donald Trump’s presidency for nearly two years and officially concluded in March, when he submitted his 448-page report.
The nation has heard the former special counsel speak only once, for nine minutes in May, since his 2017 appointment.
Mueller has expressed his reluctance to testify and said he won’t go beyond what’s in his report.
Trump has called Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt.”
___
12:05 a.m.
The former special counsel in the Trump-Russia probe, Robert Mueller, will finally face congressional interrogators on Wednesday, testifying in televised hearings.
Democrats hope Mueller’s testimony will weaken President Donald Trump’s reelection prospects in ways that Mueller’s book-length report did not. Republicans are ready to defend Trump and turn their fire on Mueller and his team instead.
The back-to-back Capitol Hill appearances in the morning and at noon are Mueller’s first since wrapping his two-year Russia probe last spring. The hearings carry the extraordinary spectacle of a prosecutor discussing in public a criminal investigation he conducted into a sitting U.S. president.
Mueller is known for his taciturn nature, and he has warned lawmakers that he will not stray beyond what’s already been revealed in his report.
___
For more of AP’s coverage of the Trump investigation: https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.