He created the special counsels office. Order directed the office to investigate russian interference in the 2016 president ial election. Investigating in coordination between the russian government and individuals associated with the trump campaign. I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. I am speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation public. We are formally closing the special counsels office. I am resigning from the department of justice to return to private life. I will make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks it is important that the office is written work speaks for itself. Let me begin or the appointment order begins, and that is interference in the 2016 president ial election. As alleged by the grand jury and indictment russian intelligence a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers that networks used by the clinton campaign. They stole private information and then release that information through fake Online Identities and through the organization wikileaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and can damage a president ial candidate. At the same time as the grand in a separate indictment, at a private russian entity engaged in a social media citizens posed as americans in order to influence an election. These indictments contained allegations and we are not commenting on the guilt of the innocent 70 specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Allege, and the other activities in our report described efforts to interfere and our political system and they needed to be investigated and understood. And that is among the reasons why the department of justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to instruct abstract the investigation. The matters we investigated were wasaramount importance critical for us to obtain full and Accurate Information from every person we question. An subject of investigation abstracts that investigation, were realized to investigators, it strikes at the core of the s effort to find the truth and hold all people accountable. The report has two parts. Addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts. Manating from russia it includes the trump campaigns response to this activity as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient effort insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our of section of justice investigation involving the president. The order appointing the special counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and we kept the office of the acting attorney general apprise in the progress of our work. That after that investigation, if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under a Longstanding Department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime all he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Is kept underarge seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsels office as part of the department of justice. And by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. The departments written opinion expanding the policy makes several important points that further informed our handling of the instruction investigation. Summarized inre our report. I will describe two of them for you. Explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting president because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents available. Things, that evidence could be used if there were coconspirators who could be charged now. And second, the opinion says that the constitution requires a process other than the criminal Justice System to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing. Policy we department have regarded the principles of fairness. It would be unfair to it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime, when there could be no Court Resolution of the actual charge. Department justice policy. Those were the principles under which we operate in. And from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. The offices final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. Independent an criminal investigation and recorded the results to the attorney general. As required by department regulations. The attorney general then concludes that was appropriate to provide our report to congress and to the american people. At one point in time i requested a certain port certain importance certain portions be released and they preferred to make the entire report public all at once. We appreciate that the attorney general made the report largely public and i do not question the attorney generals good faith in that decision. Expect this to be the only time i will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether i can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. Carefullyhose words and they speak for themselves. Testimony. Is my i would not provide information beyond that which is our republic in the appearance before congress. In addition, access to our underlying product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what i have said here today, and would have continued in our written work, i do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation were to comment on the actions of the investigation for congress. It is for that reason i will not be taking questions today as well. Before i step away, i want to think the attorneys, the fbi agents, the analysts, the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation and a fair and independent manner. Individuals who stand nearly two years with the special counsels office have the highest integrity. I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments, that there were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every american. Thank you and thank you for being here today. Heres a look at wednesdays Live Programming on the cspan network. Oneight 30 a. M. Eastern cspan, former special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the special counsels investigation into whether President Trump of shocked at the probe into russian interference in the 2016 campaign. We will show you as much as that hearing as possible until the house gavels and for general speeches at 10 00 a. M. At knew the house is expected to consider several bills under suspension of the rules, including one authorizing state Department Programs for fiscal year 2020. And another making tax changes for married samesex couples. Take upte returns to several executive and judicial nominations, including the head of federal aviation a ministration. You can watch that on cspan two. And on cspan3 we will have live coverage of former special Robert Muellers testimony in its entirety. At noon, the former special counsel will testify before the house Intelligence Committee. Cspans washington journal. Live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. Wednesday morning, previewing special Counsel Robert Muellers upcoming testimony before the house judiciary and Intelligence Committee on his report on russian interference in the 2016 president ial election. When the conversation all morning with your phone calls, Facebook Comments and tweets. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal, live at 7 00 a. M. Eastern wednesday morning. New cspan poll says a third of americans have a favorable view of the trump administrations efforts to create space for us. The Largest Group has no opinion about space force at all. Despite the near and even split among all americans, there are significant differences when you look at the partisan breakdown. Most half republicans see fit space force positively. A quarter of democrats share that view. National security came in second behind monitoring earths environment swindle surveys were asked to select priorities for u. S. Space policy. The results,all of including the findings of americans attitudes towards nasa and its funding at cspan. Org. Earlier today in the white house oval office, mark esper was sworn in as the defense secretary. He served as secretary of the army from 2017 to 2019. Following his swearingin, mr. Remarks,e brief thinking President Trump for his nomination to the pentagons top job. President trump we have a very important moment in our countrys history. Greate a lot of our republican senators in the white house and i invited them over. Here. F them wanted to be as you probably heard, the vote just took place and it was 908. That is a vote we are not accustomed to. I have to say that