By Roger Caldwell
Last week Robert Muller’s testimony was history in the making depending on what side of the fence you were on, in terms of a National Party. If you were a Democrat, you will probably think you won, and if you are a Republican, you will say nothing has changed.
Americans in the age of President Donald Trump is a time for confusion, because no one knows what or who to believe. The Republicans refuse to admit that President Trump is a felon or criminal, and a habitual liar. The majority of them have got in line, and they refuse to admit that anything is wrong with their party.
During the hearing, the Republicans attempted to muddy the water by trying to discredit Mueller. Many think the report was a waste of time and money, and they just don’t believe that President Trump will ever do anything wrong.
From the very beginning of the hearing, it was obvious that Robert Mueller did not want to be there and testify. “Mueller only agreed to do so under subpoena, and he was a stickler about testifying on what was already public. Unlike Comey, Mueller didn’t offer lurid descriptions of the most damning parts of his report. Whenever possible, he responded to questions with a single word,” said Matt Fuller – reporter for Huffpost.
Even though the exchange at times was boring, there were certain periods when the information was inappropriate for a president and appeared he was breaking the law. Here is Congressman Josh Campbell asking a question, “Could you (Mueller) charge the President with a crime after he left office?” Answer from Mueller, “Yes.”
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D –NY) said all three elements of obstruction of justice have been met. “The President ordered McGalin to fire Mueller and then to deny it. Element one was an obstructive act, element two was nexus to proceeding, and element three was corrupt intent.”
Robert Mueller’s testimony covered a large amount of ground, and many of the soundbites did damage too many of President Trump’s lies. “They’re doing it as we sit here,” says Mueller as he is talking about the Russians. This is a frightening statement, and it was only seven words.
Yes, Trump associates tried to cover up the campaign. Yes, Russia tried to influence the election for Trump. No, they haven’t stopped.
When Mueller said that the report did not exonerate the President, it was the exact opposite of what our President had been saying. The Democrats saw Mueller’s testimony as a win for them, and the Republicans tried to discredit the information, but they were not successful.
Many pundits and Democrats think this is the wrong time to concentrate on impeachment, because the Senate will block the process. Mitch McConnell is only concerned with protecting the President, and it does not matter how many laws, he has broken. The Democrats should use the report as a tool to organize and mobilize all the Americans, who believe and support the rule of law.
The House is set to leave for a six-week recess after the hearing. The Speaker, Nancy Pelosi wants to utilize the hearing as a public awareness campaign of what happened with the President and his associates. She wants to move forward with more oversight and defer to the courts to compel President Trump officials to testify before Congress.
The work before the hearing by the Democrats will pay larger dividends if they can keep the hearing in the news. Soundbites from the hearing is very significant and the potential criminal actions of the president embarrass and shame many Americans.
What Democrat has the fire and power to lead the party and win the nomination?
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