Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) reacted to special counsel Robert Mueller’s press conference on his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, saying that he hinting Congress should begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
“Mueller is playing a game of Taboo with Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. “His word is ‘impeach.'”
In a follow-up tweet, the self-avowed Democratic-socialist wrote “that part,” an apparent endorsement, of Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) calling for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry to considering whether an article of impeachment should be filed.
In his first public remarks about his two-year Russia investigation, Mueller stated the inquiry has been closed and he is leaving his role and returning to civilian life. Speaking at the Justice Department, Mueller reiterated his report’s findings — that there was no evidence to indicate collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. The special counsel emphasized that his team could not charge Trump due to longstanding Justice Department policy. Mueller also said he appreciates that Attorney General William Barr made his report “largely public” and does not question the top Justice Department official’s “good faith” regarding his decision to do so.
Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez expressed support for moving forward with impeachment, breaking with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has opposed Congress ousting President Trump. “I trust the Speaker is taking a measured approach to ensure that we’re moving everyone forward and, you know, being a Speaker is hard, holding this party together is a difficult task, but I personally think so. I think we have to move forward,” the New York Democrat told CNN’s senior congressional correspondent Manu Raju.
Meanwhile, a flurry of 2020 Democrat White House hopefuls voiced their support for Congress to consider impeachment.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) declared Mueller’s remarks “makes clear” that his report is an “impeachment referral” for Congress to act, adding that “They should” do so.
“This is as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances,” South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) told reporters.
President Donald Trump cheered Mueller’s statement, stating that his comments do not alter his report’s findings. “Nothing changes from the Mueller Report,” the president tweeted. “There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.”