Representative Jayapal Response to Mueller’s Press Statement on Conclusion of Special Counsel Investigation

Seattle, WA – Today, Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the following response regarding Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s statements to the press concluding his investigation:

“Today, Special Counsel Robert Mueller powerfully stated a key finding of his two-year investigation: “If we had confidence that the President did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”  He once again reiterated that he was unable to exonerate the president of committing any crimes. He made it clear that he abided by Department of Justice guidelines that state a sitting President cannot be charged with a crime through an investigation alone, but clearly laid out the evidence for multiple potential obstruction of justice acts by the President.  He also made it crystal clear that the responsibility of holding a President to account for any crimes committed must—according to the Constitution—fall to Congress.

“The Special Counsel’s office did their job; now it’s time for Congress to do our job.  We will continue the essential work of oversight with hearings and enforcing subpoenas to get testimony from key witnesses.  No one is above the law, and Congress must respond with full force to the President’s abuses of power, repeated cover-ups and ongoing obstruction of justice.

“In addition, Special Counsel Mueller drew special attention to the critical need to address the report’s conclusions around “multiple, systematic efforts by Russian intelligence to interfere in our election.”  We will continue to demand that Congress act in a bipartisan manner to force the President and Republicans in the Senate to immediately attend to this matter. Republicans must decide whether they intend to condone the President’s ongoing refusal to hold Russia to account or protect the integrity of our election process.”