Trump attorney: ‘Case is closed’ after Mueller testimony

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for President Trump, said Wednesday that former special counsel Robert Mueller’s daylong testimony validated the claims of the president and his allies and revealed “troubling deficiencies” in the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“This morning’s testimony exposed the troubling deficiencies of the Special Counsel’s investigation,” Sekulow said in a statement.

“The testimony revealed that this probe was conducted by a small group of politically-biased prosecutors who, as hard as they tried, were unable to establish either obstruction, conspiracy, or collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia,” he said. “It is also clear that the Special Counsel conducted his two-year investigation unimpeded.”

“The American people understand that this issue is over,” Sekulow concluded. “They also understand that the case is closed.”

The American people understand that this issue is over. They also understand that the case is closed.”

— Jay Sekulow (@JaySekulow) July 24, 2019

The attorney echoed what many of Trump’s allies have said in response to Mueller’s testimony, declaring it a victory and vindication for the president. The statement also seized on lines of questioning laid out by Republican lawmakers.

Mueller testified for several hours before the House Judiciary Committee followed by the House Intelligence Committee, marking the first time he has answered questions about the findings in his team’s 448-page report released earlier this year.

Lawmakers on each panel pressed the former special counsel about donations from some of his investigators to Democratic candidates, as well as anti-Trump texts sent by FBI agent Peter Strzok.

In a rare forceful rebuttal, Mueller defended the integrity of his team, saying he has historically not asked his investigators about their political leanings.

“We strove to hire those individuals that could do the job,” Mueller said. “I’ve been in this business for almost 25 years and in those 25 years I have not had occasion once to ask anyone about their political affiliation. It is not done.

“What I care about is the ability of the individual to do the job and do the job quickly and seriously and with integrity.”

Mueller responded “no” when asked by Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) whether his investigation was “curtailed or stopped or hindered.”

But the former special counsel made clear that he had not exonerated the president on obstruction of justice, and that his report stated as such.

Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) at one point asked if it would be accurate to say that “lies by Trump campaign officials and administration officials impeded your investigation.” 

“I would generally agree with that,” Mueller said.