MSNBC faced intense blowback on Easter Sunday after they went to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s church and confronted him about the investigation on the Christian holy day.
“So the — Bob Mueller, the director — the former director of the FBI, of course, the special prosecutor — special counsel attended church services just across Lafayette Park here at St. John’s Episcopal Church,” MSNBC reporter Mike Viqueira told MSNBC’s Joy Reid. “Of course, that is known as the church of the President. President Trump and Melania Trump were there just recently.”
“We knew that he was going to be, he’s been there. He’s been there in the past so we waited for him,” Viqueria continued. “Easter services, tried to be as respectful as possible. He came out the side door of the church. I did have a couple of prepared questions to ask him. Let’s just roll the tape.”
“Sir, could I ask you a couple of questions? Will you testify before Congress, sir?” Viqueira asked Mueller.
“No comment,” Mueller responded.
“Are you sure about that, sir?” Viqueira asked.
“No comment,” Mueller responded.
“If he were anybody but the president, would Mr. Trump be indicted, sir?” Viqueira pressed. “Sir, why didn’t you make a recommendation to Congress one way or the other? Did the attorney general accurately characterize your positions on conspiracy and obstruction, sir?”
Mueller then got into his car and drove off.
“This is, you know, what some people would characterize as an ambush interview of a man coming out of Easter services at a church,” Viqueira later told Reid. “Some passersby weren’t happy that we were doing that.”
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Many, including Mueller’s critics, came to his defense after seeing the clip of MSNBC harassing him at church on Easter Sunday.
Patricia Heaton tweeted: “Hello @MSNBC. Today is Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian calendar. Some of the faithful were murdered today while they worshiped. But you ambush Robert Mueller outside of his church and chuckle about it afterward. This is loathesome. Shame on you.”
M. Zuhdi Jasser tweeted: “.@MSNBC just proved itself to be the ‘human troll network’ and is also doubling down apparently proud of this grotesque display of human indecency after a workship [sic] service on a spiritual holiday. #selfown”
Julie Wilcox tweeted: “So. Wrong. This is what gives legitimate journalists a bad rep. It’s Easter and he’s at church. And the banner: ‘Mueller Spotted…’. He’s not an escaped zoo animal. I know it’s a holiday and interns may be ruining things but really @MSNBC?”
Steve Cortes tweeted: “I’m far from a Mueller fan, but this harassment outside Easter service is outrageous. @MSNBC often typifies the very worst of the dismal state of ‘journalism’ in America today. Fourth Estate, please do better!”
Michael Berry tweeted: “This is sick. Some pissant reporter harassing a man in his private time, and broadcasting that to the country. Disgusting.”
Carl Higbie tweeted: “Dude. #Mueller is a partisan hack and jackass but leave him alone while he goes to church on Easter #mediafail”