Panetta: Mueller’s Getting Very Close to Making a Case of Obstruction of Justice Against Trump and Giuliani

RADDATZ: You mentioned the Mueller investigation and Rudy Giuliani told “The Daily Beast” this week that Trump’s legal team is preparing a counter report to question Mueller’s legitimacy. Do you have concerns that the Trump team can undermine this investigation even before it’s finished?

PANETTA: Well, you know Bob Mueller is focusing on several things right now. Obviously he’s going after individuals and he’s gone after Russians that were involved in coming after our election system. They’re getting very close to making a case for obstruction of justice not only by the steps that were taken in terms of the president demeaning and attacking a witch hunt, but also the fact that Rudy Giuliani himself has said that the whole purpose of their effort is to undermine the credibility of the Special Counsel.

And then when you add to that the dismissal of those that were involved in the investigation, I think you begin to piece together the kind of case that could form around an obstruction of justice trial. So I think they have to be very careful to use this tactic of trying to undermine the Special Counsel and the special prosecutor because I think that could backfire.