Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) just wrapped up questioning Robert Mueller and it was a home run:
Well Ratcliffe just gutted the obstruction talking point. So this is going well for the peacock mafia.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) July 24, 2019
It was pretty brutal:
Ratcliffe says Mueller "violated every sacred principle prosecutors have…"
— Alex Miller (@AlexMillerNews) July 24, 2019
In summary, the whole “not exonerated” argument is out the window:
Rep. Ratcliffe asks Mueller if DOJ has any policy at all that allows an official to say an American who is not charged is "not exonerated," and whether anyone other than Donald Trump has been so tarred. Mueller is unable to name a policy or think of such an example.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) July 24, 2019
.@RepRatcliffe is completely humiliating Robert Mueller and the Democrats on the question of presumption of innocence. The whole "did not exonerate" issue is complete garbage and Ratcliffe just blew it up. Disgrace that the House Judiciary Committee would even consider such trash
— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) July 24, 2019
Ratcliffe gets to the heart of the problem: what reg or rule says you as special counsel get to declare “not exonerated” if charges are not brought? Innocent until PROVEN guilty. #MuellerHearing
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) July 24, 2019
Rep. Ratcliffe says it was not the special counsel's job to conclusively determine president's innocence or exonerate him
— Dorey Scheimer (@DoreyScheimer) July 24, 2019
Ratcliffe asks which DOJ policy allows a prosecutor to determine a subject is not exonerated. Mueller can't point to one but calls this situation "unique."
— Aaron Katersky (@AaronKatersky) July 24, 2019
A “whooping”:
Respectfully Rep. Ratcliffe is whooping Robert Mueller's ass. #MuellerHearings.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) July 24, 2019
And it’s not just Trump supporter who thought so:
Ratcliffe is doing a much better job than Collins of questioning Mueller.
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) July 24, 2019
Even Preet Bharara agrees!
Pretty good questioning by Rep Ratcliffe at the start #MuellerHearing
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) July 24, 2019
Bharara retweeted this comment as well:
5/ Ratcliffe has a valid point that it is not a prosecutor's role to exonerate people. We don't seek to prove innocence and that is not what prosecutors do. That is a valid criticism.
But in context, Mueller restrained himself from saying Trump committed crimes.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) July 24, 2019
“Boom”:
RATCLIFFE to MUELLER: how many other people have you "not exonerated"? BOOM.
— Snitty Lizzy (@StarChamberMaid) July 24, 2019
***
Related:
'Convenient': Robert Mueller says he won't answer questions on the Steele dossier or the beginning of the FBI investigation https://t.co/Jnpr11xlui
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 24, 2019
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