In a much anticipated appearance before the House Judiciary Committee Special Counsel Robert Mueller said his investigation into President Donald Trump was not a "total exoneration” as the president has repeatedly claimed.

Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York began questioning of Mueller just before 9 a.m. Wednesday. Nadler referenced a tweet from the president following the release of Mueller’s report: “No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION.”

Nadler asked Mueller: “Is it correct that that is not what the report said?”

Mueller, who said he does not plan to expand beyond the facts stated in his report, said yes. He said the report was not a “total exoneration.”

“We at the outset determined that when it came to the president’s culpability we needed to go forward only after taking into account,” the opinion that the “a president can not be indicted,” Mueller said.

Mueller is expected to speak before the House Judiciary Committee for three hours. He will then testify before the House Intelligence Committee.

“Your work is very important,” Nadler said. “Because no one is above the law.”