FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus117825

President Donald Trump blasted special counsel Robert Mueller on Thursday, saying he's a "never Trumper" who led a biased investigation on Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn as he left for Colorado, Trump also said that he's been tough on Russia and that Moscow would have preferred Hillary Clinton as president.

The special counsel's report said Russian interference in the election helped Trump defeat Clinton.

Trump harshly criticized Mueller a day after Mueller pointedly rebutted Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt."

The president also uttered mixed messages, sending a morning tweet saying he had "nothing to do with Russia helping me get elected," then minutes later, told reporters: "Russia did not help me get elected."

Trump said Mueller, who is a Republican, was "conflicted" and should have investigated law enforcement officials who the president claims tried to undermine his presidency.

Trump also called impeachment a "dirty word" and said he couldn't imagine the courts allowing him to be impeached. "I don't think so because there's no crime," he said.

Washington - 30 May 2019

1. Mid, US President Donald Trump walking out of the residence toward reporters

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Well I think it was the same as the report. There wasn't much change. It was to me, the same as the report. And there's no obstruction, you see what we're saying. There's no obstruction, there's no collusion, there's no nothing. It's nothing but a witch hunt. A witch hunt by the media and the Democrats, they're partners and it keeps going. I thought it was finished when the report was released but it goes on. And to me it was the same frankly as the report and he said basically it was the same as the report. "

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"I think he is a total conflicted person. I think Muller is a true never Trumper. He's somebody that dislikes Donald Trump. He's somebody that didn't get a job that he requested that he wanted very badly. And then he was appointed and despite that and despite 40 million dollars, 18 Trump haters, including people that worked for Hillary Clinton and some of the worst human beings on earth, they got nothing. It's pretty amazing."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

(Reporter: Do you believe that Russia helped you get elected?)

"No Russia did not help me get elected.  You know who got me elected, you know who got me elected? I got me elected.  Russia didn't help me at all. Russia, If anything I think helped the other side. What you ought to ask is this. Do you think the media helped Hillary Clinton get elected? She didn't make it. But you take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and the media, you take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and Russia. She had more to do in the campaign with Russia than I did. I had nothing to do. And by the way, that's one other thing. If you look this was all about Russia, Russia, Russia. They don't talk about Russia anymore because it turned out to be a hoax. It was all a hoax and then they say gee he fought back. Isn't that terrible. He fought back. Of course I fight back because it was a false accusation, a totally false accusation and it's a disgrace and it's a very ... it's a very sad period for this country and I think in the end I will consider what's happening now to be one of my greatest achievements, exposing this corruption."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"(Reporter: Do you think they are going to impeach you?)

I don't see how.  They can because they're possibly allowed although I can't imagine the courts allowing it. I've never gone into it. I never thought that would even be possible to be using that word. To me it's a dirty word. The word impeach it's a dirty, filthy, disgusting word and it had nothing to do with me. So I don't think so because there was no crime. You know it's high crimes and not with or it's high crimes and misdemeanors. There was no high crime and there was no misdemeanor. So how do you impeach based on that?  And it came out that there was nothing to do with Russia. The whole thing is a scam. It's one of it's a giant presidential harassment and honestly. I hope it goes down as one of my greatest achievements. Because I've exposed corruption, I've exposed corruption like nobody knew existed."

Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP Clients Only

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Attorney General William Barr was reviewing the special counsel's confidential report on the Russia investigation Saturday to determine what should be made public after a nearly two-year probe that cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency.

Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker says that Barr will provide lawmakers and the public with a summary of principal findings as soon as this weekend.

The Attorney General  Barr will not be providing Congress with special counsel Robert Mueller's findings on Saturday.

That's according to a senior Justice Department official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the review process.

Mueller has concluded his investigation of Russian election interference and possible coordination with Donald Trump's campaign.

Barr is reviewing Mueller's confidential report and has said he expects to provide Congress with the "principal conclusions" this weekend.

Washington - 21 June  2017

1. STILL -Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs the Capitol after a closed-door meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee about Russian meddling in the election and possible connection to the Trump campaign

Washington - 23 March 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"Mueller's mandate was to investigate links between the Trump campaign and Russia and whether there was any coordination between those two entities. Trump associates and members of the Russian government or Russians in general and then to investigate any crimes that arise out of that in the course of that investigation."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

McLean, Virginia - 23 March 2019

3. US Attorney General William Barr comes out of his house and gets in a vehicle out front

Washington - 23 March 2019

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So Barr has told congressional leaders that he has received the report from the special counsel that he will review it and that he will provide lawmakers and the public with a summary of principal findings as soon as this weekend. He is currently at the Justice Department reviewing the report he received from Mueller."

5. Barr's motorcade arrives at DOJ

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"At some point. House Democrats who have the leadership in that chamber will decide what to do if anything with the findings. We've heard indications from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she's not interested at the moment in discussing impeachment. And we will have to see how damaging or incriminating if at all the findings are to the president and whether that will affect that calculus."

7. Various House Judiciary Committee offices

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"Right now the big push that we're hearing from House Democrats is that they want the entire Mueller Report. They want to see everything that Mueller gathered and collected before they decide anything. And so instead of impeachment talk what we're hearing right now is discussion of possibly subpoenaing for the report or subpoenaing Mueller to get that."

9. White House exterior

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"There is no question that White House aides and Trump confidants are taking a degree of satisfaction at least at this moment that there are no further indictments that have been delivered or that are expected from the special counsel. And so to the extent that, that that has occurred that's a degree of relief for them. But I think everybody still waiting to see exactly what the report indicates about the Trump campaign and in the Trump administration. And so it's a little bit of a holding pattern. But the president who has spent the last basically two years attempting to undermine or sow doubt in the credibility an investigation has been noticeably quiet over the last 24 hours with no tweets about it and no public statements about it."

Washington - 21 June  2017

11. STILL - Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, the special counsel probing Russian interference in the 2016 election, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed door meeting before the Senate Judiciary Committee

Washington - 23 March 2019

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"The special counsel has indicated that he has not recommended any additional charges or indictments. And so that would mean that he is effectively closed up shop and that no one else will be indicted by Robert Mueller. However, it's important to note that there are all sorts of other investigations going on that originated as referrals from the special counsel that he began investigating and recognized fell without outside of his mandate. And so he referred those back to the Justice Department which then sent them to individual offices of the Justice Department including in New York City and in Virginia."

13. Various DOJ exteriors

Attorney General William Barr was reviewing the special counsel's confidential report on the Russia investigation Saturday to determine what should be made public after a nearly two-year probe that cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency.

Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker says that Barr will provide lawmakers and the public with a summary of principal findings as soon as this weekend.

The Attorney General  Barr will not be providing Congress with special counsel Robert Mueller's findings on Saturday.

That's according to a senior Justice Department official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the review process.

Mueller has concluded his investigation of Russian election interference and possible coordination with Donald Trump's campaign.

Barr is reviewing Mueller's confidential report and has said he expects to provide Congress with the "principal conclusions" this weekend.

Washington - 21 June  2017

1. STILL -Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs the Capitol after a closed-door meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee about Russian meddling in the election and possible connection to the Trump campaign

Washington - 23 March 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"Mueller's mandate was to investigate links between the Trump campaign and Russia and whether there was any coordination between those two entities. Trump associates and members of the Russian government or Russians in general and then to investigate any crimes that arise out of that in the course of that investigation."

McLean, Virginia - 23 March 2019

3. US Attorney General William Barr comes out of his house and gets in a vehicle out front

Washington - 23 March 2019

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"So Barr has told congressional leaders that he has received the report from the special counsel that he will review it and that he will provide lawmakers and the public with a summary of principal findings as soon as this weekend. He is currently at the Justice Department reviewing the report he received from Mueller."

5. Barr's motorcade arrives at DOJ

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"At some point. House Democrats who have the leadership in that chamber will decide what to do if anything with the findings. We've heard indications from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she's not interested at the moment in discussing impeachment. And we will have to see how damaging or incriminating if at all the findings are to the president and whether that will affect that calculus."

7. Various House Judiciary Committee offices

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"Right now the big push that we're hearing from House Democrats is that they want the entire Mueller Report. They want to see everything that Mueller gathered and collected before they decide anything. And so instead of impeachment talk what we're hearing right now is discussion of possibly subpoenaing for the report or subpoenaing Mueller to get that."

9. White House exterior

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"There is no question that White House aides and Trump confidants are taking a degree of satisfaction at least at this moment that there are no further indictments that have been delivered or that are expected from the special counsel. And so to the extent that, that that has occurred that's a degree of relief for them. But I think everybody still waiting to see exactly what the report indicates about the Trump campaign and in the Trump administration. And so it's a little bit of a holding pattern. But the president who has spent the last basically two years attempting to undermine or sow doubt in the credibility an investigation has been noticeably quiet over the last 24 hours with no tweets about it and no public statements about it."

Washington - 21 June  2017

11. STILL - Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, the special counsel probing Russian interference in the 2016 election, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed door meeting before the Senate Judiciary Committee

Washington - 23 March 2019

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, Associated Press:

"The special counsel has indicated that he has not recommended any additional charges or indictments. And so that would mean that he is effectively closed up shop and that no one else will be indicted by Robert Mueller. However, it's important to note that there are all sorts of other investigations going on that originated as referrals from the special counsel that he began investigating and recognized fell without outside of his mandate. And so he referred those back to the Justice Department which then sent them to individual offices of the Justice Department including in New York City and in Virginia."

13. Various DOJ exteriors

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

Washington, DC - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus121022

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

POOL

Washington - 24 July 2019

2. Various Robert Mueller testifying

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus120930

House Republicans say Robert Mueller's testimony Wednesday uncovered no meaningful new information and that it's time to move on.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told press on Wednesday that "this should be the end of the chapter that we put America through."

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, following Mueller's testimony, is making some of her strongest comments yet about the House possibly proceeding with impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

Pelosi says a "cone of silence" from the White House that's not providing documents and witness testimony "will not prevent us from going forward." She adds, "In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

Pelosi tells reporters she wants "the strongest possible hand" by continuing the House's court actions aimed at forcing White House cooperation.

Washington - 24 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House:

"We want to have the strongest possible case to make a decision as to what path we will go down and that does, is not endless in terms of time or endless in terms of the information that we want. But if it comes to a point where the cone of silence and the obstruction of justice and the cover-up in the White House prevents us from getting that information, that will not prevent us from going forward. In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican Minority Leader:

"It was a historical day because today is the day that we close the book on this investigation. It is time that America turns the page. It is time for America to move forward. The Democrats have to stop wasting time in trying to have a do-over of the 2016 Presidential election."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York:

"Today was a watershed day in telling the facts to the American people. With those facts we can proceed and we face a time of great danger. Richard Nixon said he thought that the president was a dictator. He said if the president does it, that means it's not illegal. President Trump echoed that yesterday. He said under Article 2 'I' that is he can do anything I want. That is a totalitarian picture, not a democratic picture. The United States must be saved from this."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia:

"I challenge the Democratic colleagues, get over the election of 2016. Run in 2020 if you want. This President has put forward a great economy. This President has put forward great ideas. Run on this, quit trying to dredge up a picture that today got painted, that said your investigation is over. Mr Mueller has done his job. He presented a report. Someone asked did you find out anything new? The answer is no."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California:

" But there are two juries in an impeachment there is the jury which is the Senate which decides removal from office. And then there is the jury that is the American people and I'm most concerned about the jury that is the American people. And before we embark on a course as significant to the country as the impeachment of a president I want to make sure that we can make that case to the jury of the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Devin Nunes, (R) California:

"I think what you see today is collusion between the Republican Party and the Trump campaign is over. There was no evidence. There was a dossier that was built and paid for by the Clinton campaign. That was the real collusion. You've had collusion through a British former MI6 agent who was working supposedly with Russian sources. We didn't get any new information on that today. But the Democrats have refused to accept reality, they live in an alternative universe."

US House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass. expects the IRS to miss a Friday deadline to turn over Donald Trump's tax returns.

Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, has subpoenaed six years' worth of Trump's returns. If Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig refuse to comply with the subpoenas, Neal is likely to file a lawsuit in federal court.

"I anticipate that they won't meet that deadline and the result will be that we will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week," said Neal on Friday afternoon.

Neal originally demanded access to Trump's tax returns in early April. He maintains that the committee is looking into the effectiveness of IRS mandatory audits of tax returns of all sitting presidents, a way to justify his claim that the panel has a potential legislative purpose. Mnuchin has said the request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.

The White House and the Democratic-controlled House are waging a multi-front battle over investigations into Trump and the administration has been refusing to comply across the board, refusing to comply with subpoenas for the unredacted report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and documents related to the testimony by former White House Counsel Donald McGahn.

Washington Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that it's the administration's "ongoing obstruction" that could lead House Democrats to start an "impeachment inquiry down the road."

"They have ratcheted it up," said Rep. Jayapal. "They have, with every letter, with every contemptuous letter they send, with every sort of blanket approval of the strategy to stonewall Congress on every front. It's a problem."

Washington - 17 May 2017

1. Various of US Capitol

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Richard Neal, (D) Massachusetts/Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee:

"We'll know at 5. ... That was the deadline, but I anticipate that they won't meet that deadline and the result will be that we will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week. (Reporter: This really hasn't moved from where we were a week ago?) I've noticed that. (Reporter: Do you think that the subpoena was the right move?) I think one of the things that you've all come away with during these months since January 3rd when we came to the majority is that I have meticulously followed the advice of counsel and I intend to fully stay with that. I think that in the long run that is the best policy and, indeed, the best strategy. It's understandable that you can have an idea, but the implementation of the idea is equally important. (Reporter: Do you plan to consider holding Mnuchin in contempt?) "I don't see that right now as an option. I think the better option for us is to proceed with the court case, but we still have until 5 o'clock. Who knows."

3. Various of Rep. Pramila Jayapal at news conference

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Pramila Jayapal, (D) Washington:

"We may start impeachment inquiry down the road. That is different than an impeachment vote. But I think we have to make sure we do all of the steps along the way to give the White House whatever chances they need to show that they can comply, that they're not exerting blanket privilege. These are all things they've said, by the way, but we just have to challenge them one more time because we need to make it clear exactly the ongoing obstruction that they are committing. And then every step of the way, we'll keep ratcheting it up. This is a pretty quick movement so far because they have ratcheted it up, not because we have. But because they have, with every letter, with every contemptuous letter they send, with every sort of blanket approval of the strategy to stonewall Congress on every front. It's a problem."  

5. Various of Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Jayapal and Rep. Mark Pocan

US House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal expects the IRS to miss a Friday deadline to turn over US President Donald Trump's tax returns.

Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, has subpoenaed six years' worth of Trump's returns. If US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig refuse to comply with the subpoenas, Neal is likely to file a lawsuit in federal court.

"I anticipate that they won't meet that deadline and the result will be that we will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week," said Neal on Friday afternoon.

Neal originally demanded access to Trump's tax returns in early April. He maintains that the committee is looking into the effectiveness of IRS mandatory audits of tax returns of all sitting presidents, a way to justify his claim that the panel has a potential legislative purpose. Mnuchin has said the request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.

The White House and the Democratic-controlled House are waging a multi-front battle over investigations into Trump and the administration has been refusing to comply across the board, refusing to comply with subpoenas for the unredacted report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and documents related to the testimony by former White House Counsel Donald McGahn.

Washington Democrat Representative Pramila Jayapal, who is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that it's the administration's "ongoing obstruction" that could lead House Democrats to start an "impeachment inquiry down the road."

"They have ratcheted it up," said Representative Jayapal. "They have, with every letter, with every contemptuous letter they send, with every sort of blanket approval of the strategy to stonewall Congress on every front. It's a problem."

Washington DC - 17 May 2017

1. Various of US Capitol

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Richard Neal, (D) Massachusetts/Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee:

"We'll know at 5. ... That was the deadline, but I anticipate that they won't meet that deadline and the result will be that we will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week. (Reporter: This really hasn't moved from where we were a week ago?) I've noticed that. (Reporter: Do you think that the subpoena was the right move?) I think one of the things that you've all come away with during these months since January 3rd when we came to the majority is that I have meticulously followed the advice of counsel and I intend to fully stay with that. I think that in the long run that is the best policy and, indeed, the best strategy. It's understandable that you can have an idea, but the implementation of the idea is equally important. (Reporter: Do you plan to consider holding Mnuchin in contempt?) "I don't see that right now as an option. I think the better option for us is to proceed with the court case, but we still have until 5 o'clock. Who knows."

3. Various of Representative Pramila Jayapal at news conference

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Pramila Jayapal, (D) Washington:

"We may start impeachment inquiry down the road. That is different than an impeachment vote. But I think we have to make sure we do all of the steps along the way to give the White House whatever chances they need to show that they can comply, that they're not exerting blanket privilege. These are all things they've said, by the way, but we just have to challenge them one more time because we need to make it clear exactly the ongoing obstruction that they are committing. And then every step of the way, we'll keep ratcheting it up. This is a pretty quick movement so far because they have ratcheted it up, not because we have. But because they have, with every letter, with every contemptuous letter they send, with every sort of blanket approval of the strategy to stonewall Congress on every front. It's a problem."  

5. Various of Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Jayapal and Representative Mark Pocan

Democrats launched a sweeping new probe of President Donald Trump on Monday, an aggressive investigation that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season with inquiries into his White House, campaign and family businesses.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House committee that would be in charge of impeachment says the panel is requesting documents Monday from more than 60 people from Trump's administration, family and business as part of a rapidly expanding Russia investigation. The panel sent document requests to 81 people linked to the president and his associates.

Maryland Democrat, Jamie Raskin, who is a member of the committee said, "There is a lot of criminality which has already been attested to by one witness, Michael Cohen. But we want to hear from lots more witnesses and we want to get a lot more documentary evidence."  

The broad investigation could be setting the stage for an impeachment effort, although Democratic leaders have pledged to investigate all avenues and review special counsel Robert Mueller's report before trying any drastic action.

"If it leads to impeachment because there is evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors that actually undermine the fabric of our constitutional democracy, then so be it. Then that's something, we'll have to do," said Raskin.

President Donald Trump said he'll cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee's sweeping investigation into his White House, campaign and businesses, but when a reporter asked him Monday if he was going to cooperate with the investigation led by Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Trump replied: "I cooperate all the time with everybody. You know, the beautiful thing, no collusion. It's all a hoax."

Raskin said the response of "no collusion" is a "red herring."  

"What we're looking for is public corruption and crimes against the republic," said Raskin.

++GRAPHICS COVER VIDEO++

Washington - 4 March 2019

1. Graphic of names of people sent letters by House Judiciary Commitee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The House Judiciary Committee has sent out document requests to 81 different individuals who have information relevant to our investigation into abuse of power, obstruction of justice and other potential crimes at the White House.

Washington - 27 February 2019

3. Various of Michael Cohen at House Oversight hearing

Washington - 4 March 2019

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"There is a lot of criminality which has already been attested to by one witness, Michael Cohen. But we want to hear from lots more witnesses and we want to get a lot more documentary evidence. Michael Cohen provided a lot of documentary evidence ... But we think that there's a lot more documentary evidence out there of the potential corruption and lawlessness in the administration."

Washington - 28 February 2019

5. Michael Cohen walks through U.S. Capitol

Washington - 4 March 2019

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"(Reporter: Mr. President, are you going to cooperate with Mr. Nadler (Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee)?

"I cooperate all the time with everybody. And you know the beautiful thing, no collusion, it's all a hoax."

Washington - 4 March 2019

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland: (Responding to Trump and Republican's defense that there is no collusion"

"If there's no collusion, they've got nothing to worry about. But in any event, collusion is not even a legal term. That's kind of a red herring of their own creation. What we're looking for is public corruption and crimes against the republic.

Washington - 26 June 2018.

8. Nadler and Raskin at hearing

Washington - 4 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"None of us is beginning with the idea that this is about impeaching the president. If the president is not impeached, we still need to know all of this and we need to act effectively to end the corruption and the lawlessness. But if it leads to impeachment because there is evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors that actually undermine the fabric of our constitutional democracy, then so be it. Then that's something, we'll have to do. But I've had the thought from the beginning that impeachment should not be a fetish with anybody nor should it be a taboo."

Washington - 8 February 2019

10. Rep. Doug Collins (right) at a hearing with Rep. Jerrold Nadler

A legal scholar says that the the battle between the Democrat-led House and President Donald Trump over special counsel Robert Mueller's report could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Victoria Nourse, a professor at Georgetown Law University, views the Trump administration as "the most combative" since former President Richard Nixon.

Nourse, who has served both Republicans and Democrats as a legal counsel, says that the current battle between Trump and House Republicans could end up in court.

While she believes that there is legal precedent that defends Congress' ability to request documents, Trump could ultimately decide not to comply with any judicial ruling.

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse," Nurse said, referring to potential contempt proceedings against Attorney General Bill Barr and subpoenas House Democrats have threatened to issue over a number of investigations.  

"That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, 'I'm not going to pay attention to you,' in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution and that's a very extreme remedy."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler has scheduled a Wednesday vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. Nadler is proposing to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department declined to provide the committee with a full, unredacted version of special counsel Mueller's report on Trump and Russia. The committee had given Barr until 9 a.m. Monday to comply.

Republicans have sharply criticized Democrats as they have battled Trump's administration over the Mueller report, subpoenaed multiple administration witnesses and made efforts to gain access to Trump's personal and business financial records. Trump has said he will fight "all the subpoenas."

Washington - 6 May 2019

1. Various of Georgetown Law Professor Victoria Nourse speaking

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"I think this White House has been the most combative since Nixon. And the reason I say this I was a baby lawyer during the Reagan administration and I was working on Iran-Contra. Reagan had his own investigation. He worked with Congress. There was a joint House and Senate committee investigation. George W. Bush worked with Congress on various matters. I don't think that this president is following the existing precedents. The last president I know who actually pursued the claim that he would not respond, his senior officials would not respond to House subpoenas was Nixon."

3. Nourse opening door

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"This particular stance about refusing to honor subpoenas is very aggressive. Typically, these things happen every day up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. They're negotiated. Why? People don't want the American public to think that they are stonewalling, that they're not doing the business of the people."

5. Various of Nourse.

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"The weight is in favor of Congress's investigatory authority. Now, his (President Donald Trump) argument will be, 'well they don't need it anymore because we have the Mueller report,' but his judgment is not the final judgment. We know that from United States versus Nixon. The Nixon case says the president cannot decide on his own. The court is the final arbiter of whether Congress needs this information or its within its congressional constitutional authority. So, I don't see any legitimate ground for the executive to be pushing back against Mueller testimony."

Washington - 21 June 2017

7. STILL: Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs Capitol

Washington - 6 May 2019

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse. That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, I'm not going to pay attention to you in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution and that's a very extreme remedy."

9. Various of Nourse

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"It could take awhile. This is the big problem here, that going to court is a delaying tactic."

Washington - April 18, 2019

11. Various of Mueller report as released to public

Washington - 6 May 2019

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"Well, I think that this most significant consequences to Mr. Barr are really about his reputation. Many people were surprised that he would take the Attorney General position. He is a very well respected lawyer. He has been through some of these controversies before. And, you know, many people are worried that having taken positions in this administration they will no longer be able to obtain positions with other persons in their parties. They will be scorned by clients and, therefore, they will not be seen as appropriate partners in law firms. This is a far -- or he may even be disbarred. These are much more consequential I think to significant, powerful lawyers than whatever fine or jail time might be involved."

McLean, Virginia - 18 April 2019

13. Attorney General William Barr leaves his home

A legal scholar says that the the battle between the Democrat-led House and President Donald Trump over special counsel Robert Mueller's report could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Victoria Nourse, a professor at Georgetown Law University, views the Trump administration as "the most combative" since former President Richard Nixon.

Nourse, who has served both Republicans and Democrats as a legal counsel, says that the current battle between Trump and House Republicans could end up in court.

While she believes that there is legal precedent that defends Congress' ability to request documents, Trump could ultimately decide not to comply with any judicial ruling.

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse," Nurse said, referring to potential contempt proceedings against Attorney General Bill Barr and subpoenas House Democrats have threatened to issue over a number of investigations.  

"That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, 'I'm not going to pay attention to you,' in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution and that's a very extreme remedy."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler has scheduled a Wednesday vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. Nadler is proposing to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department declined to provide the committee with a full, unredacted version of special counsel Mueller's report on Trump and Russia. The committee had given Barr until 9 a.m. Monday to comply.

Republicans have sharply criticized Democrats as they have battled Trump's administration over the Mueller report, subpoenaed multiple administration witnesses and made efforts to gain access to Trump's personal and business financial records. Trump has said he will fight "all the subpoenas."

Washington - 6 May 2019

1. Various of Georgetown Law Professor Victoria Nourse speaking

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"I think this White House has been the most combative since Nixon. And the reason I say this I was a baby lawyer during the Reagan administration and I was working on Iran-Contra. Reagan had his own investigation. He worked with Congress. There was a joint House and Senate committee investigation. George W. Bush worked with Congress on various matters. I don't think that this president is following the existing precedents. The last president I know who actually pursued the claim that he would not respond, his senior officials would not respond to House subpoenas was Nixon."

3. Nourse opening door

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"This particular stance about refusing to honor subpoenas is very aggressive. Typically, these things happen every day up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. They're negotiated. Why? People don't want the American public to think that they are stonewalling, that they're not doing the business of the people."

5. Various of Nourse.

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"The weight is in favor of Congress's investigatory authority. Now, his (President Donald Trump) argument will be, 'well they don't need it anymore because we have the Mueller report,' but his judgment is not the final judgment. We know that from United States versus Nixon. The Nixon case says the president cannot decide on his own. The court is the final arbiter of whether Congress needs this information or its within its congressional constitutional authority. So, I don't see any legitimate ground for the executive to be pushing back against Mueller testimony."

Washington - 21 June 2017

7. STILL: Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs Capitol

Washington - 6 May 2019

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse. That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, I'm not going to pay attention to you in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution and that's a very extreme remedy."

9. Various of Nourse

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"It could take awhile. This is the big problem here, that going to court is a delaying tactic."

Washington - April 18, 2019

11. Various of Mueller report as released to public

Washington - 6 May 2019

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"Well, I think that this most significant consequences to Mr. Barr are really about his reputation. Many people were surprised that he would take the Attorney General position. He is a very well respected lawyer. He has been through some of these controversies before. And, you know, many people are worried that having taken positions in this administration they will no longer be able to obtain positions with other persons in their parties. They will be scorned by clients and, therefore, they will not be seen as appropriate partners in law firms. This is a far -- or he may even be disbarred. These are much more consequential I think to significant, powerful lawyers than whatever fine or jail time might be involved."

McLean, Virginia - 18 April 2019

13. Attorney General William Barr leaves his home

A legal scholar says that the the battle between the Democrat-led House and President Donald Trump over special counsel Robert Mueller's report could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Victoria Nourse, a professor at Georgetown Law University, views the Trump administration as "the most combative" since former President Richard Nixon.

Nourse, who has served both Republicans and Democrats as a legal counsel, says that the current battle between Trump and House Republicans could end up in court.

While she believes that there is legal precedent that defends Congress' ability to request documents, Trump could ultimately decide not to comply with any judicial ruling.

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse," Nurse said, referring to potential contempt proceedings against Attorney General Bill Barr and subpoenas House Democrats have threatened to issue over a number of investigations.  

"That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, 'I'm not going to pay attention to you,' in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution and that's a very extreme remedy."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler has scheduled a Wednesday vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. Nadler is proposing to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department declined to provide the committee with a full, unredacted version of special counsel Mueller's report on Trump and Russia. The committee had given Barr until 9 a.m. Monday to comply.

Republicans have sharply criticized Democrats as they have battled Trump's administration over the Mueller report, subpoenaed multiple administration witnesses and made efforts to gain access to Trump's personal and business financial records. Trump has said he will fight "all the subpoenas."

Washington - 6 May 2019

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"I think this White House has been the most combative since Nixon. ... I don't think that this president is following the existing precedents. The last president I know who actually pursued the claim that he would not respond, his senior officials would not respond to House subpoenas was Nixon."

Washington - 6 May 2019

2. STILL: President Donald Trump speaking in Rose Garden

Washington - 15 March 1973

3. STILL: President Nixon duirng a news conference

Washington - 6 May 2019

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"This particular stance about refusing to honor subpoenas is very aggressive. Typically, these things happen every day up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. They're negotiated. Why? People don't want the American public to think that they are stonewalling, that they're not doing the business of the people."

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"The weight is in favor of Congress's investigatory authority. Now, his (President Donald Trump) argument will be, 'well they don't need it anymore because we have the Mueller report,' but his judgment is not the final judgment. We know that from United States versus Nixon. The Nixon case says the president cannot decide on his own. The court is the final arbiter of whether Congress needs this information or it's within its congressional constitutional authority. So, I don't see any legitimate ground for the executive to be pushing back against Mueller testimony. Again, to do that, they'd also perhaps support it with this unitary executive theory that all members of the executive branch are under the president's authority and therefore he can order him not to testify. Mueller's response to that, I expect, would be simply to resign."

Washington - File Recent

6. Exteriors of US Capitol

Washington - April 18, 2019

7. Various of Mueller report as released to public

Washington - 1 April 1974

8. STILL: President Nixon after announcing he would turn tapes over to House investigators

Washington - 25 June 1973

9. STILL: former White House aide John Dean III being sworn in by Senate Watergate Committee Chairman Sam Ervin

Washington - 21 June 2017

10. STILL: Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs Capitol

Washington - 6 May 2019

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Victoria Nourse, Georgetown Law Professor:

"My biggest fear is that if it were to go to court and the court were to affirm Congress' authority that the president would simply refuse. That would be a true constitutional crisis because in fact you would have one branch saying to the other branch, the courts, I'm not going to pay attention to you in which case there is no way to resolve that. The only way to resolve it would be in fact impeachment under the Constitution."

Washington - File Recent

12. Exteriors of US Supreme Court