AP

Trump Says Investigation Abused Him, Led To ‘Evil Things’

Mar 26, 2019, 7:12 AM | Updated: Jun 8, 2022, 5:13 pm

President Donald Trump (Photo by Michael Reynolds - Pool/Getty Images)

(Photo by Michael Reynolds - Pool/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats pressed the Justice Department to provide the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller even as Republicans gleefully called for them to “move on” from the Russia investigation. President Donald Trump accused those responsible for launching Mueller’s probe of “treasonous things against our country” and said they “certainly will be looked into.”

Trump said the release of Mueller’s full report “wouldn’t bother me at all,” and Democrats quickly put that statement to the test, demanding that his administration hand over the entire document and not just Sunday’s four-page summary from Attorney General William Barr.

Six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote to Barr that his summary is “not sufficient” and asked to have Mueller’s full report by April 2. They also want to begin receiving the underlying evidence the same day. The information is “urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution,” they wrote, implying that the information would be subpoenaed if it is not turned over by the deadline.

Barr said in his letter to Congress that Mueller did not find that Trump’s campaign “conspired or coordinated” with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election — knocking down arguments from Democrats who have long claimed there was evidence of such collusion.

But he also said Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out “evidence on both sides” of the question and stating that “while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Absent a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in and decided there wasn’t sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. Democrats said Barr’s judgment is not the final word.

“All I’m interested in is them releasing the full report, the full Mueller report,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Despite Mueller’s refusal to exonerate Trump, his spokesmen and leading congressional Republicans all claimed total vindication for the president. Questioned by reporters, Trump said he welcomed Mueller’s results but complained he had been abused by the investigation occurring at all and taking too long.

“We can never let this happen to another president again,” he said. “There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country.”

“Those people will certainly be looked at. I’ve been looking at them for a long time. And I’m saying, why haven’t they been looked at? They lied to Congress. Many of them you know who they are.”

He didn’t name names, but Trump has railed against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimizing his presidency. He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed Sen. John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI.

The investigation began months before the FBI saw the dossier — and the FBI already had a copy by the time McCain turned it in.

Trump signaled Tuesday that he also faults the media, tweeting that “For two years they pushed the Russian Collusion Delusion when they always knew there was No Collusion. They truly are the Enemy of the People and the Real Opposition Party!”

He said the “The Mainstream Media is under fire and being scorned all over the World as being corrupt and FAKE.”

On Monday, after a series of evening strategy meetings, Democrats vowed to continue their multiple investigations into Trump, perhaps with shifted focus. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who has become a focus of Republicans’ post-Mueller ire, said he is “circumspect about how much more we will be able to find on issues that he thoroughly investigated,” but said Mueller’s conclusion would not affect his own committee’s counterintelligence probes.

“There may be other corrupt meetings between the Trump campaign and the Russians, there may be other profound financial conflicts of interest that are not mentioned in the Mueller report, and there may be unanswered questions even within what he did examine,” Schiff said.

Democrats signaled that they will curtail some public focus, at least, from their investigations of Trump and try to keep attention on their policy goals. Pelosi was scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday on health care legislation, Democrats’ top campaign issue.

Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a member of Democratic leadership, said he has been encouraging colleagues to talk about those policy issues like health care and infrastructure.

“We need to talk about the work we are doing on these really important economic issues that matter in people’s lives,” Cicilline said. “We’re doing the work, but we need to be more effective about sharing that” and not just responding to questions about corruption and Mueller’s investigation.

Democrats seem less likely to engage in the impeachment talk that has been amplified on Pelosi’s left flank. Pelosi has tried to scuttle that talk by saying she’s not for impeachment, for now.

But Mueller’s report hasn’t dissuaded some of Trump’s fiercest critics among the new Democratic lawmakers who helped flip the House from Republican control. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is still planning to introduce her resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to investigate grounds for Trump’s impeachment.

Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers called for Congress to move on. “This is done with,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. “It is time for the country to move forward.”

At the same time, however, Republicans followed Trump’s lead in looking into how the investigation began. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham promised to “unpack the other side of the story” of the Russia investigation, including the actions of the Justice Department.

The South Carolina Republican also had a warning for Trump, saying that if Trump used his pardon power to help those who were ensnared by Mueller’s investigation, “it would not play well.”

Among those Mueller charged during the course of his investigation were the president’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.

KSL 5 TV Live

AP

President Joe Biden speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2...

Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press

House Republicans invite President Biden to testify at public hearing as impeachment inquiry stalls

House Republicans have invited President Joe Biden to testify before Congress on their stalled monthslong impeachment inquiry.

1 hour ago

Post reading "Wall Street"...

Stan Choe, AP Business Writer

Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month

The stock market has been on a nearly unstoppable run since late October, and the S&P 500 just capped its fifth straight winning month.

7 hours ago

FILE - President Joe Biden, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden blows his whistle for the start of...

Darlene Superville, Associated Press

The White House expects about 40,000 participants at its ‘egg-ucation’-themed Easter egg roll

The White House says it's getting ready to welcome 40,000 people to its annual Easter Egg Roll.

8 hours ago

FILE: A Polestar electric car prepares to park at an EV charging station on July 28, 2023 in Corte ...

Alexa St. John, Matthew Daly and Joshua A. Bickel

Federal EV charging stations are key to Biden’s climate agenda, yet only 4 states have them

President Biden has set a goal of creating a national network of 500,000 publicly available chargers by 2030.

10 hours ago

The cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridg...

Nick Perry

What to know about the cargo ship Dali, a mid-sized ocean monster that took down a Baltimore bridge

Here’s what to know about the cargo ship Dali, which crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse and leaving six construction workers presumed dead.

15 hours ago

Workers continue to investigate and search for victims after the cargo ship Dali collided with the ...

Ben Finely

Debate emerges over whether modern protections could have saved Baltimore bridge

A debate has emerged over whether modern safety protections could have saved a Baltimore bridge after it was struck by a cargo ship.

17 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Trump Says Investigation Abused Him, Led To ‘Evil Things’