Robert Mueller 'handed the baton' to Congress to decide Trump's future, political commentator says

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Former special counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited testimony Wednesday did not deliver any bombshell revelations that Democrats sought.

But according toonepolitical commentator, it was a"really important moment" to draw more attention to hisfinal report.

"There's this giant question mark hanging over the whole thing," said Sally Kohn,author ofThe Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity and founder of The Movement Vision Lab, a grassroots andliberal think tank.

"I think people got a clearer sense of that than they might have if they were not paying too close attention before," she toldThe Current'sguest host Laura Lynch.

During a marathon session of questioning at twoHouse committee hearings,Mueller conceded that U.S. President Donald Trump tried to "exert undue influence" over his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 electionand was not exoneratedof obstruction of justice by the final report.

Throughout Mueller's testimony, Trump tweeted a storm of rebuttals, which claimed the goal of Mueller and "his band of 18 Angry Democrats"was to "illegally fabricate a crime" and "try pinning it on a very innocent President."

According to Kohn and journalist John Fund, these are the key takeaways from Mueller's comments and what comes next for Trump's political future.

'No new information was presented'

Both Democrats and Republicans were optimistic ahead of the hearing that Mueller's answers would either animate the findings of a sprawling investigation or prove he was biased against Trump.

Mueller's comments, on the other hand, did not stray beyond his 448-page report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The 74-year-old spoke haltingly at times, frequently giving terse answers to questions and referring back to the wording in his report.

"No new information was presented," said Fund, national affairs columnist for National Review magazine.

"Frankly, putting this man who has a distinguished 50-year career in government service through all that was a form of elder abuse."

Robert Mueller: Russia investigation did not exonerate Trump

5 years ago

Duration 2:31

Former special counsel Robert Mueller said under questioning that Donald Trump tried to "exert undue influence" over his Russia investigation and was not exonerated by the final report.

For Kohn, however, Mueller's tight-lipped responses were a result of limits placed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The executive branchissuedguidelinesfor Mueller's appearance on Monday, asking him to not go beyond the scope of the report, not mention anything pertaining to redacted sections and not discussindividuals who haven'tbeen charged.

"Republicans asked questions that were entirely and completely beyond the purview of Mueller's report," said Kohn, "and, you know, were attacking, demeaning and belittling this guy who was just doing his job."

Russia investigation was 'not a witch hunt'

Trump spoke to reporters at the White House before leaving for a West Virginia private fundraiser for his re-election campaign, where he described the day's hearingas "all nonsense" anddismissedthe Russia probe as a hoax and a witch hunt.

The president went on to call it a "devastating day" for the Democrats.

What's crucial in this debate, Kohn pointedout, is that the Republican administration gave Mueller the brief to investigate Russian collusion in the Trump campaign.

"Let's not forget that," she toldLynch.

"But the Republicans want to make this some big partisan issue and say that this is the Democrats, you know, leading a witch hunt."

Mueller contradicted himself

Fund portrayedthe hearing as an "utter fiasco," which he said created confusion.

"Mr. Mueller contradicted himself time and time again," said Fund.

"He didn't even know basic facts about his own report."

At one point, Mueller had to walk back a statement he madein which he appeared to indicate the Justice Department guidelines on indicting a sitting president were what prevented the special counsel from making a final judgment on the president's culpability.

"We did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime," he said.

Democrats look ahead to 2020 election

For the Democrats who control the House of Representatives the hearings were an opportunity to refocus Americans' attention on some of the most damaging details in the report, Kohn asserted,with a view to influencing public opinion about Trump ahead of the 2020 election.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosihas been cool to the prospect of impeachment, preferring the American people deliver a verdict on Trump in the 2020 election.

While it remains to be seen how the testimony will impact public views of Trump's presidency and the push for impeachment, Democrats vowed they will continue to hold Trump to account.

"This seems to feel more like a relay race, at this point, and Mueller handed the baton to Congress," said Kohn.

Written by Amara McLaughlin, with files from CBC News and The Associated Press.Produced by IdellaSturino, Imogen Birchard and Danielle Carr.