Reresentative John Ratcliffe (R-TX) questions former Special Counsel Robert Mueller during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on the Office of Special Counsel's investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 24, 2019.

President Donald Trump's just-announced nominee to replace Dan Coats as director of national intelligence had already drawn national attention earlier this week, when he delivered an aggressive diatribe against former special counsel Robert Mueller.

Rep. John Ratcliffe, a Texas Republican and a member of the House Judiciary Committee, had zeroed in on one of the key lines from Mueller's report on Russian election interference, possible coordination between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin, and possible obstruction of justice by Trump himself.

Mueller's 448-page report found insufficient evidence to prove coordination, and declined to make a determination on obstruction despite detailing numerous examples of potential obstruction by Trump.

But the report notes: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

During Mueller's first hearing before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Ratcliffe said he agreed with Mueller's conclusions that Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election were "sweeping and systematic."

But he tore into Mueller for including the asterisk in his report that explicitly said Trump was not exonerated.

"Can you give me an example other than Donald Trump where the Justice Department determined that an investigated person was not exonerated because their innocence was not conclusively determined?" Ratcliffe asked Mueller.

The former special counsel responded, "I cannot, but this is a unique situation."

Ratcliffe shot back: "You can't find it, because – I'll tell you why – it doesn't exist."