Special counsel Robert Mueller delivered his first public remarks about his investigation of President Donald Trump’s campaign ties to Russia — and he clearly cast doubt on the president’s “no collusion” defense.

Mueller announced that he was closing his office and resigning, and said his “largely public” report must be allowed to speak for itself.

But he made clear his office never considered charging the president because Department of Justice regulations would not allow that, but he also made clear evidence showed Trump obstructed justice during the investigation.

ha, in the end, he fired himself, owned

— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) May 29, 2019

Shorter Robert Mueller: None of you people can read, so I have to recite a quick summary.

— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) May 29, 2019

Shorter Mueller: That was an impeachment referral, damnit, now act on it.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) May 29, 2019

That’s Mueller code for ‘Read the fricking report people, like Justin Amash did!’ https://t.co/U9BWbYiQw9

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 29, 2019

Devastating.

Mueller just clearly declared that he didn’t bring obstruction charges *not* because the evidence didn’t point that way, but because of DOJ policy, and because there are other processes for holding a president accountable for misconduct.

Over to you, Democrats.

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) May 29, 2019

Mueller is saying: We could have cleared Trump and we didn’t. We couldn’t charge Trump, so we didn’t. We couldn’t say he was guilty since we couldn’t charge him. (But geez, Congress, how much do I have to spell this out for you?)

— Dan Froomkin (@froomkin) May 29, 2019

This is about as close as one could imagine to Robert Mueller laying out the case for opening an impeachment inquiry — says he couldn’t exonerate the president, was barred from charging the president, and that the Constitution provides the remedy.

— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) May 29, 2019

Bob Mueller just said as blatantly as Bob Mueller will ever say that the president probably did a crime. https://t.co/NsMKQQNjXI

— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) May 29, 2019

dems said wait for mueller and then had no plan

— Atrios (@Atrios) May 29, 2019

I don’t think Mueller can make this any clearer: Congress, do your job.

— Karoli (@Karoli) May 29, 2019

This REALLY doesn’t sound like “total exoneration.”

— Kevin Necessary (@knecessary) May 29, 2019

This is, at the most basic level, a shot at Barr

— Sam Stein (@samstein) May 29, 2019

Hot take: Mueller is giving the statement he wanted Barr to give when the report was released.

— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) May 29, 2019

Mueller is now making the basic point that keeps getting lost:

The investigation was, first and foremost, an accounting of a foreign attack on our political system. Conspiracy was a separate question.

An accounting of *this* is what Trump tried to derail.

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) May 29, 2019

Mueller’s continued insistence that it was simply not possible to charge a broader conspiracy is total bullshit. Far weaker conspiracy indictments get handed up and taken to trial every day in federal courts.

— bmaz (@bmaz) May 29, 2019

This is some kind of catch 22 nightmare: cheated & conspired to become president…can’t be indicated b/c he’s president…won’t be impeached b/c it’s a political hot potato. God help us.

— Jenny (@LittleRed409) May 29, 2019

Essentially, Mueller is saying, “Impeach the motherfucker.”

— The Rude Pundit (@rudepundit) May 29, 2019

Robert Mueller: “When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation, or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government’s effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable.” pic.twitter.com/7ZoxzB8Nwr

— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) May 29, 2019

pic.twitter.com/OzyMUjxcIm

— Gregory Korte (@gregorykorte) May 29, 2019