The Democrats seeking to take on President Trump in 2020 renewed their attacks on the president on Wednesday, including renewing calls for impeachment, following former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony.
Mueller testified before the House Judicial and Intelligence committees on Wednesday, months after releasing a 448-page report that did not charge Trump with obstruction of justice but also did not exonerate him.
Candidates in the crowded Democratic primary used Mueller’s testimony as a chance to double down on their criticism of Trump.
{mosads}Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Julián Castro renewed their calls for impeachment proceedings to begin.
“Special Counsel Mueller made clear to the American people that his report did not fully exonerate the president, contrary to those lies,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) tweeted. “We should have impeachment proceedings with additional witnesses so that the American people can get the truth, as they deserve.”
“Mueller’s testimony today underlined what was already clear: the President of the United States broke the law and would be under criminal indictment if not for the fact that he holds that office,” Castro tweeted. “He is not above the law. Congress should begin impeachment proceedings.”
“I read the Mueller report the day it came out. Three things were clear: A hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election, Trump welcomed their help, and Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack. I agree with @NAACP—it’s time to begin impeachment proceedings,” Warren tweeted, while speaking at the NAACP convention in Detroit.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee repeated Mueller’s confirmed claim that the report did not exonerate the president.
“Robert Mueller didn’t exonerate Donald Trump of obstruction of justice — because Donald Trump clearly obstructed justice,” Inslee tweeted.
Meanwhile, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) tweeted that she is still waiting to see Trump’s tax returns, a source of conflict between House Democrats and the Trump administration.
“Still on quest to find the President’s tax returns. First I asked Barr if Mueller had them. He told me to ask Mueller. Then I sent a letter. Then I asked House to ask. @CongressmanRaja did. Then Mueller said ‘I’m not going to speak to that.’ Not done yet. #WhatIsHeHiding,” she tweeted, referring to Attorney General William Barr.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass), a Marine veteran, used the hearing as a chance to attack Trump’s patriotism.
“Mueller just testified under oath that accepting foreign assistance during a campaign is unpatriotic. Trump accepted foreign assistance during a campaign— and said he would do so again,” the congressman tweeted. “Donald Tump is unpatriotic.”