Norton Says Mueller Press Conference Sends a Message to Congress to Act

Statement

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's press conference:

"Special Counsel Mueller's statement today amounts to a call for action by Congress. Mueller's purpose today was to appear in public for the last time and to resign, rather than leaving the impression that he did not wish to discuss his report in public. In keeping with his intent "not go beyond his report," Mueller avoided saying or revealing anything new.

"However, I believe that Mueller's public appearance today is meant to send an important message to Congress about the report. Congress has been endlessly involved every day in parsing what the report means -- collusion, obstruction, impeachment. Mueller's statement today should be seen as a message to Congress that Congress has yet to follow up on the one part of the report about which both Democrats and Republicans agree -- that the Russians interfered with the 2016 elections. Perhaps because the Democratic House is new, hearings in either chamber have yet to deal with specific Russian intrusion into the 2020 election.

"To be sure, there is no getting away from the frustration of many of us in Congress that evidence, especially of obstruction of justice, has been left unattended as we struggle to even get the full report. However, in the end, any failings will not lie with Mueller, who went as far as he could, if all we have to show for the report are our disagreements with Trump and congressional Republicans over interpretation of the report. The public will hold Congress accountable for not taking the action virtually mandated by the report. That would be hearings followed by legislation to avoid Russian activity already in progress -- interference with the 2020 election."

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