Holder: Any ‘competent’ prosecutor could win obstruction case against Trump

Former Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday that any “competent” prosecutor could win an obstruction of justice case against President Trump.

“ANY competent public corruption prosecutor would bring obstruction charges against Trump/and win,” Holder tweeted. “Only reason Mueller did not was because of the flawed DOJ [Justice Department] restriction against indicting a sitting President. He said so (below). Congress now has a constitutional responsibility.”

ANY competent public corruption prosecutor would bring obstruction charges against Trump/and win. Only reason Mueller did not was because of the flawed DOJ restriction against indicting a sitting President. He said so (below). Congress now has a constitutional responsibility. pic.twitter.com/SkntzjfS5G

— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) April 19, 2019

Holder’s comments came after the long-anticipated release on Thursday of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russia’s election interference in 2016 and possible obstruction of justice by Trump.{mosads}

Mueller wrote in his 448-page report that his team “did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government” in its election interference efforts.

The special counsel also declined make a determination on possible obstruction of justice by Trump, determining that the evidence did not reach a threshold to charge the president with obstruction.

Attorney General William Barr, who released the redacted report on Thursday, said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein declined to pursue obstruction of justice charges against the president after reviewing Mueller’s findings.

Mueller wrote in his report that his team probed 10 “episodes” of potential obstruction of justice, leaving the door open to possible congressional probes of Trump’s conduct. 

“With respect to whether the President can be found to have obstructed justice by exercising his powers under Article II of the Constitution, we concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a President’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice,” Mueller wrote.

House Democrats on Thursday and Friday seized on Mueller’s findings on obstruction, with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) issuing a subpoena Friday morning for the special counsel’s unredacted report. 

“The Special Counsel made clear that he did not exonerate the President,” Nadler said Thursday. “The responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the President accountable for his actions.”