Mueller denies probe cleared Trump, hands baton to Congress

Robert Mueller said Wednesday his two-year Russia investigation had not exonerated Donald Trump, but that he had lacked the power to charge a sitting president -- passing the baton to Congress where a growing chorus is clamouring for impeachment.

Making his first public statement on the high-stakes probe into Moscow's interference in the 2016 election, the special counsel said longstanding Justice Department guidelines prevented him from charging Trump, despite at least 10 possible acts of criminal obstruction by the president.

But not indicting Trump was not equivalent to clearing him, Mueller said, suggesting Congress has both the constitutional powers and the responsibility to pursue the case.

"If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," he said.

Mueller's oblique allegation of serious wrongdoing sparked a new firestorm in Washington, with Trump again claiming vindication and a rising number of Democrats demanding to open impeachment proceedings.

"Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent," the president tweeted minutes after Mueller finished speaking.

"The case is closed! Thank you." But Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren was one of half a dozen White House hopefuls who seized upon Mueller's remarks, to urge Congress to impeach Trump.

"Mueller leaves no doubt," she tweeted. "The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act -- and that's impeachment."
As for the obstruction side of the investigation, Mueller explained that from the outset, charging Trump with any federal crime "was not an option that we could consider." According to Justice Department policy, he said, "a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional."
"After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same."
"The American people must have the truth."
Nadler told reporters: "Trump is lying. He is lying about the special counsel findings, lying about the testimony of key witnesses in the special counsel's report, and above all, lying and saying that the special counsel found no obstruction and no collusion."
It therefore falls to Congress to respond to "the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump," he said. When asked whether that meant pushing ahead with impeachment,