USA TODAY

President Donald Trump denounced special counsel Robert Mueller as a "rogue" prosecutor Tuesday, a day after Mueller's office said that ex-Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort has lied repeatedly to the FBI and violated a plea agreement.

Let Mueller's results speak for themselves

By Chris Truax

President Donald Trump took to Twitter early Tuesday morning to criticize special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation, calling Mueller "conflicted" and a "damage to our criminal justice system," marking more than 10 times since the midterm elections that the president has used Twitter to complain about the investigation.

Americans have become familiar with the "witch hunt" narrative, but the president is moving past that ploy by attacking Mueller’s character and career, a move not based on facts but on Trump's personal prejudices. Everyone familiar with Mueller's career knows he is a man of integrity and honor who has earned the public’s trust.

But support for Mueller should not only reflect his past accomplishments. The success of his investigation is also a key factor. Tuesday's tweets were not the first time the president accused the special counsel of being conflicted, but Trump has yet to provide any evidence for his claim.

While Trump characterizes Mueller's team as "angry Dems," that is both untrue and unworthy. The Justice Department, including Mueller, cannot and does not consider party affiliation when making assignments. Partisan politics have no place in our justice system, and the fact that Trump does not understand this reflects on him rather than the Justice Department.

But the proof is in the pudding. Mueller's results make it clear that his investigation is anything but a partisan ploy. His investigation has indicted or yielded guilty pleas from 32 people and three companies, including two dozen Russians. If that's a witch hunt, Mueller sure is catching a lot of witches.

Most recently, former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted of fraud in August and pleaded guilty to more counts, reneged on his agreement to cooperate with investigators by, Mueller's team alleges, feeding them false information. Other Trump associates who have pleaded guilty to lying to investigators include Rick Gates, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan. It's hard to see how Mueller's the one who comes out looking untrustworthy.

According to a new poll from Law Works and Hart Research, 82 percent of voters, including 66 percent of Republicans, believe that "Mueller should be allowed to finish his investigation and follow the facts wherever they lead, because everyone must abide by the rule of law, even the president."

So why does the president think Mueller has lost credibility?

Mueller embodies the core values of the American justice system: prudence, honor and integrity. Mueller is a decorated veteran who has dedicated his life to defending the country from all manner of threats, from foreign armies to terrorists to organized crime. For his courageous and selfless sacrifice and service, the special counsel deserves our trust. Let him do his job. And let his results speak for themselves.

Chris Truax is a practicing attorney and a legal adviser for Republicans for the Rule of Law.

What our readers are saying

What does special counsel Robert Mueller need Paul Manafort for, in the first place? Doesn't Mueller have overwhelming evidence against President Donald Trump already to move forward with an indictment? Or is he still fishing?

— Greg Hunder

Mueller has given Manafort many second chances, even after Manafort was caught tampering with witnesses. Manafort has proved to the Mueller investigation team to be a liar, a con man, a tax cheat and a felon. There are now so many charges against Manafort that he's gambling on a Trump pardon.

— Russell E. Glass

Translation of the situation: Manafort won't tell the Mueller team what they want to know; he's only telling them what he actually knows.

— John Tortorici

Seems like Manafort is more afraid of Russian President Vladimir Putin than he is of Mueller.

— Laura Kotting

What others are saying

Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post: "Special counsel Robert Mueller continues to press ahead, signaling that lying to him is fruitless since he knows far more than witnesses suspect, and is applying pressure to (former Trump adviser) Roger Stone by attempting to strike plea deals with his associates. Mueller's already long list of indictments and plea deals, in all likelihood, will grow before we get a final report. ... The president's reliance on his Republican base to stick with him no matter what may, in the long run, prove foolish."

John Cardillo, Twitter: "Sure seem like Mueller is (ticked) off that former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, who was only with the campaign a few months, had no dirt on President Donald Trump or others. Mueller's mission doesn't seem to be justice (Tony Podesta’s deal). He appears to be on an extralegal mission to undo a constitutional election."

David Oscar Markus, The Hill: "Strangely, the Mueller team is the decision-maker in whether Manafort is telling the truth. In the Manafort plea, just as with all other cooperation deals in the federal system, the government gets to decide unilaterally whether to ask for a sentencing reduction based in part on whether they believe Manafort is telling the truth. ... Even if Manafort told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, his answers won’t be judged by a jury or a judge. The Mueller team will be the judge, jury, and executioner. This is not how it should work."

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