WASHINGTON — Three Georgia representatives questioned Robert Mueller as he testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, their focuses spanning from defending the president to asking about attempts to remove the special counsel to praising his efforts.
Georgia’s representation at the hearing consisted of Republican Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking minority member of the committee who spoke the longest, and Democratic Reps. Lucy McBath and Hank Johnson.
"We have had truth for months, no American conspired to throw our election,” Collins said in opening remarks on behalf of the minority party. “What we need today is to let that truth bring us confidence and I hope Mr. chairman, closure."
As the top Republican voice on the committee, Collins said the scope of Mueller's final report already held the answers Americans need.
"You did a lot of work? Correct?" Collins asked the special counsel.
“Yes, that I agree to,” Mueller said.
That line of questioning continued.
"Lot of search warrants, lot of things,” Collins said. “You were very thorough. In your opinion, very thorough?"
"Yes,” Mueller replied.
And Collins asked Mueller if his report clears President Donald Trump of working with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
"Isn't it true the evidence didn't establish that the president or those close to him were involved in the charged Russian computer hacking, or active measured conspiracies, or that the president otherwise had unlawful relationships with any Russian official?” Collins asked, before citing Mueller’s report. “Volume 2, page 76. Correct?"
"I'll leave the answer to the report,” Mueller said, pointing Collins back to the report the representative had just quoted.
NBC News found Mueller pointed representatives back to his report or declined to answer questions more than a hundred times during questioning.
During his five minutes, Johnson asked about attempts to remove Mueller as the special counsel.
"And the president claimed that he wanted to fire you because you had supposed conflicts of interest, isn't that correct?" he asked.
"True,” Mueller said.
Johnson followed up: "The White House told the president that if he tried to remove you that that could be another basis to allege that the president was obstructing justice, correct?"
"That is generally correct, yes,” Mueller replied.
And McBath spent her time not focusing on the president, but on highlighting the other results of Mueller’s investigation.
"You work has been substantive and fair,” she told the special counsel.
She recounted the series of charges and convictions the investigation ultimately produced.
"In under two years your charged 37 people our entities with crimes, you convicted seven individuals, five of whom were top Trump campaign or White House aides, charges remain pending against two dozen Russian persons or entities or against others,” McBath said.