“Mueller’s statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and it’s up to Congress to act. They should,” Warren tweeted shortly after Mueller’s remarks .

Among those clamoring for action were US Senator Elizabeth Warren and US Representative Seth Moulton, two Massachusetts Democrats vying for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination.

Soon after Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered his first public comments on the Russia investigation Wednesday, some New England lawmakers were calling again for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry .

Warren added that “Mueller leaves no doubt: 1) He didn’t exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes. 2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act—and that’s impeachment.”


Moulton also said he wanted Congress to act, and quickly.

“Mueller did his job. Now it’s time to do ours,” Moulton tweeted. “Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow.”

The words of Warren and Moulton were echoed by US Representative David Cicilline, a Providence Democrat.

“As the Special Counsel reminded us today, the Constitution gives Congress the sole power to hold a President accountable for high crimes and misdemeanors,” Cicilline tweeted. “If any other American committed these acts, they would be indicted and prosecuted.”

The next step, Cicilline wrote, “is for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry to formally begin consideration of whether or not articles of impeachment should be filed.” He said the “opening of this inquiry will allow the Committee to collect evidence, compel the attendance of witnesses, and decide how to proceed.”

His tweets came after Mueller told reporters he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging Trump with a crime but emphasized that his report did not exonerate the president.


‘‘If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,’’ Mueller said. ‘‘We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.’’

“The constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing,” Mueller said.

A Justice Department legal opinion says sitting presidents cannot be indicted, and Mueller made clear in his report that that opinion helped shape the investigation’s outcome and decisions.

Mark J. Geragos, a prominent criminal defense lawyer based in LA whose clients have included Susan McDougal, a key figure in the Whitewater investigation whom Bill Clinton pardoned, said in an e-mail that Mueller’s remarks from the lectern tracked closely with the office of the special counsel’s report.

“He didn’t exonerate and specifically didn’t make a determination,” Geragos wrote.

Asked whether he felt Mueller was encouraging Congress to take up the impeachment mantle, Geragos said the special counsel “certainly didn’t dampen Congress and certainly gave fuel to Congressman Amash,” referring to Congressman Justin Amash, a Michigan Republican who recently accused President Trump of “‘impeachable conduct.”

Trump, though, remained unfazed after Mueller’s remarks Wednesday.

“Nothing changes from the Mueller Report,” the president tweeted. “There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you.”

That tweet drew a strong rebuke from Laurence H. Tribe, a Harvard law professor and noted constitutional law scholar.


“Trump tweets ‘The case is closed,’ ” Tribe tweeted. “Sez who? You’re not the decider on this one, Sir. The decider of your guilt or innocence, as Mueller said clearly, is CONGRESS.”

The professor continued, “Mueller said: READ MY REPORT. It says I COULDN’T indict a sitting president. If my office could’ve concluded he was innocent of collusion or obstruction, we would’ve. We couldn’t so we didn’t. Only Congress can hold him accountable. The ball is in their court now.”

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.