A handful of 2020 presidential candidates reacted to former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony on Wednesday before both the House Judiciary Committee and House Intelligence Committee, and there appears to be a consensus: impeach.
The crowded field of Democrats did not shy away from remarking on Mueller’s lengthy day of lackluster testimonies, which was largely seen as a “disaster” for Democrats.
Despite that, a handful of prominent 2020 candidates weighed in and continued to call for impeachment.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA):
Warren spoke at an NAACP event Wednesday and renewed calls to impeach the president. She said she read the report and “concluded first that this is a man who has broken the law, and he should be impeached”:
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. pic.twitter.com/W0iCN9Cv7k
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) July 24, 2019
Beto O’Rourke (D):
O’Rourke said the hearing “confirmed” the facts.
“Trump invited an attack on our democracy, obstructed the investigation into it, & made clear there won’t be consequences for launching another,” he tweeted, before calling for impeachment proceedings:
This hearing only confirms the facts: Trump invited an attack on our democracy, obstructed the investigation into it, & made clear there won't be consequences for launching another. As I've said since I was running in TX, he's unfit for office. Begin impeachment proceedings now.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 24, 2019
Bill de Blasio (D):
“Congress must move forward with impeachment of this president and it must move forward NOW,” de Blasio wrote:
“Could you charge the president with a crime after he left office?”
Bob Mueller: Yes.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 24, 2019
Bob Mueller’s testimony proves that @realDonaldTrump efforts to obstruct justice were as clear as day.
Congress must move forward with impeachment of this president and it must move forward NOW.
RT if you agree. #MuellerHearings https://t.co/gFd9xgFLXD
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 24, 2019
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA):
The California senator reacted to Mueller’s testimonies by posting a quote from Mueller, which he later retracted:
Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris is pushing a retracted claim from Robert Mueller to her 2 million Instagram followers. pic.twitter.com/K4bV2pAeka
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 24, 2019
Mueller corrects his exchange with Lieu. It's not what Democrats wanted it to be.
Said he wasn't saying he would charge Trump if not for OLC opinion.
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) July 24, 2019
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO):
Bennet repeated the claim that Trump was “not exonerated,” despite no evidence of Trump or members of his campaign conspiring with Russia:
Robert Mueller’s testimony made clear again that the President was not exonerated, he failed to cooperate with the special counsel, and he has repeatedly misled the American people.
— Michael Bennet (@MichaelBennet) July 25, 2019
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ):
Today's testimony is an important moment in our country's history—please tune in: https://t.co/arR3kdirmy
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) July 24, 2019
John Hickenlooper (D):
The Mueller investigation found: 37 indictments, 7 convictions or guilty pleas, 10 possible instances of obstruction & lying to investigators about over 100 secret meetings with Russians.
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) July 24, 2019
The president should be loyal to their country. @realDonaldTrump has shown time & time again that he is only loyal to his interests.
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) July 24, 2019
I'm running for president because we deserve better – we deserve a president we can be proud of.
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) July 24, 2019
Julián Castro (D):
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.
He is not above the law. Congress should begin impeachment proceedings. pic.twitter.com/cNzFHTLB5l
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 24, 2019
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA):
Our Constitution says the president must be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors.
We know that Donald Trump has committed crimes.
It’s now our job, as Democrats, to impeach him.
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) July 24, 2019
Gov. Steve Bullock (D):
At every opportunity to cooperate with this investigation and give the American people clarity on what happened in the 2016 election, the Trump Administration chose instead to impede its progress and attack its legitimacy.
— Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) July 25, 2019
The Special Counsel’s investigation directly led to the guilty plea deals or indictments of six close aides to the President. The American people are ready for an Administration that focuses on making people’s lives better, not avoiding criminal prosecution.
— Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) July 25, 2019
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY):
Our next commander in chief needs to take seriously all security threats—including attacks launched on a digital battlefield. Mueller was clear today: Russia interfered in our 2016 election, and they're already doing it again. We need a president who will hold them accountable. pic.twitter.com/9v5D5avL4O
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) July 25, 2019
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN):
As the Mueller report says & Mueller himself made clear today, the Russian attack on our democracy is a national security threat & an invasion of our democracy: Robert Mueller says Russian interference 'deserves the attention of every American' – POLITICO https://t.co/7wgnDlFeem
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) July 24, 2019
Gov. Jay Inslee (D):
Robert Mueller didn’t exonerate Donald Trump of obstruction of justice — because Donald Trump clearly obstructed justice. #MuellerHearings
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) July 24, 2019
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH):
Trump obviously obstructed justice and we need to immediately begin impeachment proceedings so that we can hold him accountable.
Protecting our democracy must be our number one priority moving forward.
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) July 24, 2019
Marianne Williamson (D):
The Mueller path has pretty much reached its conclusion, finally putting to bed the notion that traditional legalistic measures will defeat this president. It’s time to consider another way. A politics of fear will only be defeated by a politics of love. https://t.co/esuOA50mHA
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) July 25, 2019
Andrew Yang (D):
Robert Mueller: 1. “My report does not exonerate Trump.” 2. “Read my report.”
— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) July 24, 2019
Tom Steyer (D):
Robert Mueller's report was an impeachment referral. His testimony today will not change that. Congress has had the power to hold the president accountable for months. Enough with the delays. Do your job.
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) July 24, 2019
Many described Mueller’s performance as a win for the GOP and “horrendous” for Democrats, as Mueller appeared confused and refused to answer crucial questions, particularly on the origins of the entire Russia inquiry– the Steele dossier. Mueller also said he was not familiar with Fusion GPS– the opposition research firm behind the Steele dossier.
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