Presidential candidate Eric Swalwell says there is still evidence of collusion between President Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russian elements, despite findings otherwise by special counsel Robert Mueller.
On MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” Thursday, the California Democratic congressman, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, was asked to respond to his previous appearances on the network declaring there was definitive proof of collusion, and raised the possibility that Trump is a Russian agent.
“Do you accept the findings in the Mueller report that do not support some of those claims,” Melber asked after showing the montage.
Swalwell responded, “I accept that I probably should have been out there a little bit earlier because who knew how many links there were? Two hundred pages of links.”
Swalwell added, “I accept also, Ari, that prior Congresses did not have an imagination to see a president or a campaign have so many concerning conduct and not write laws to prohibit it, but it didn’t meet the standard beyond reasonable doubt. But here’s what we know: the Russians helped Donald Trump.”
Melber then asked, “Sure, but to be clear so you’re no longer maintaining that he is an effectively quote, ‘Russian asset,'”
To which Swalwell responded, “No, I think he acts on Russia’s behalf and I challenge him to show me otherwise.”
Melber asked again if Swalwell accepts Mueller’s investigation not finding evidence of Russians colluding with Trump’s campaign.
“There’s evidence of collusion and coordination there, it doesn’t go beyond a reasonable doubt, but that doesn’t mean this a good guy,” Swalwell said. “I mean, we know the Russians helped him, he asked the Russians to help them, the campaign expected to benefit from it. What we don’t know yet is why he won’t show us his taxes, why he won’t show us his finances.”
Swalwell is one of the 20 declared Democratic candidates who are running for president, with his campaign focusing on gun control.
