CNN host Jake Tapper suggested on Wednesday that former special counsel Robert Mueller seemed less familiar with the contents of his own report than the CNN panelists covering his testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee.
Tapper said Mueller appeared to forget key findings of the 448-page report on the Russia investigation, pointing to the ex-special counsel’s confession that he was “not familiar” with the opposition research firm Fusion GPS or why the firm was not directly mentioned once in the report.
“There were times in the hearing when he was sharp as a tank, but we can’t avoid the fact that there were times in the hearing that he was not,” Tapper said.
The panel also mentioned Mueller’s failure to recognize former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski by name. Lewandowski’s meeting with Trump in June 2017 was listed in the report as one of 10 examples of possible obstruction of justice by the president because Trump told Lewandowski to convey a message to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions “that would have had the effect of limiting the Russia investigation to future election interference only.”
“I don’t know if he couldn’t hear, or if actually he is not as well versed with this report as many of the people on this panel are right now,” Tapper exclaimed.
“This testimony as it stands is really bad,” said Preet Bharara, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The 74-year-old former special counsel wrapped up his shaky appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee after facing hours of harsh grilling from both Republicans and Democrats. He testifies in front of the House Intelligence Committee Wednesday afternoon.
