Robert Mueller has agreed to testify before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump, giving Democrats the star witness they’ve long wanted to put before the American public.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff announced Tuesday that Mueller agreed after he was subpoenaed to testify publicly. He will be questioned separately by the two committees on July 17, according to a congressional aide.
The two committee chairmen said in a statement, “Americans have demanded to hear directly from the Special Counsel so they can understand what he and his team examined, uncovered, and determined about Russia’s attack on our democracy, the Trump campaign’s acceptance and use of that help, and President Trump and his associates’ obstruction of the investigation into that attack.”
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Mueller has spoken in public only once about his investigation, making a statement to reporters at the Justice Department in May. In it, he said he hoped it would be his last comment on the subject.
James Comey: Trump Would’ve Been Indicted If He Wasn’t President
The announcement sets the stage for possible blockbuster hearing broadcasts, live on radio and television.
Democrats have been stymied by the White House in their efforts to secure high-profile public testimony related to the Russia investigation. The president has prevented key witnesses, such as former White House Counsel Don McGahn, from testifying. He also has asserted executive privilege over Mueller’s unredacted report to deny Congress the full document.
Jay Sekulow, one of President Trump’s private attorneys, tells NPR’s Tamara Keith he is “not concerned.”
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#ImpeachTheMF We shouldn’t have to wait for an election to remove Trump from office. Don’t put that on voters. The Constitution created the way to remove a criminal from the Oval Office. It’s called impeachment.
https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/1154427120602492928?s=20
America has a criminal heading our government. A felon! And our leaders seem to be ok with that. This is how whiteness works. So much for a nation of laws or no one is above the law. Blah blah fuukety blah. It was all a bunch of crock.
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GOT DAMMIT!
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ImpeachTheMF
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Actually, he’s already insane. However, this will finish him and at least push him over the edge.
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UNSTABLE
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If they come and say there won’t be impeachment then I am done. Then Trump will be above the law and the bullshyt they sold us about no one being above the law was a bunch of crock.
@ MattOswaltVA
the Mueller Hearings feels like watching Wheel of Fortune where the puzzle is completely solved but contestants keep guessing letters
#ImpeachTheMF We can’t have a criminal heading our government. He has to go. @SpeakerPelosi time to start impeachment proceedings.
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Robert Mueller’s testimony ends to Congress. Now they must ACT to impeach and remove this felon from our Oval Office. #MuellerHearings
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Wow. Mueller suggests there is in fact evidence that Manafort met with Assange before WikiLeaks published hacked emails pic.twitter.com/JkgdlIQlB3— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2019
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“Which presidential candidate was Russia’s hacking-and-dumping scheme intended to benefit?” asked representative Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut.
Mueller replied, “Mr. Trump.”
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SCHIFF’s line of questioning touches upon Trump trying to make money on Russia business dealings, Russia wanting Trump to win the election & informing Trump campaign officials of that, Russia committing crimes to help Trump win, & Trump campaign officials lying to cover it all up pic.twitter.com/cwBLMXKrVO
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/johnson_carrie/status/1154101077777747969
Robert Mueller confirmed that President Trump asked staff to falsify records relevant to the investigation https://t.co/wH68HvPW29 pic.twitter.com/ptraemjHJB— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) July 24, 2019
This is the kind of actual news that’s happening this morning.#MuellerTestimony https://t.co/9znNzzcIBY— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) July 24, 2019
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Did you notice that he said ‘Mr.’ Trump?
He never once called him President.
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A moment that will be replayed:Schiff: “Well, your investigation is not a witch hunt, is it?”Mueller: “It is not a witch hunt.”Schiff: “When the president said the Russian interference was a hoax, that was false wasn’t it?”Mueller: “True.”Via ABC pic.twitter.com/1YaY1RPz54— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 24, 2019
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1154075575620964352
HPSCI Committee Chairman @RepAdamSchiff is now delivering his opening statement: “This also a story about money, about greed and corruption, about the leadership of a campaign willing to compromise the nation’s interest not only to win, but to make money at the same time.” pic.twitter.com/kCML3wxZL9— Emma Loop (@LoopEmma) July 24, 2019
“there’s a difference between exciting & important. This was not exciting but it was important” the great Chuck Rosenberg @msnbc
— Rabbi Jill Zimmerman (@RabbiJill) July 24, 2019
Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) Tweeted:
Here we go. Mainstream news pundits are talking about Mueller being old and boring. Bad TV. Media critics completely ignoring the fact that a president was caught dead-to-rights obstructing justice and a party is undermining national security. https://twitter.com/JYSexton/status/1154065683849842689?s=17
I must be watching a different hearing than the rest of the punditry. What I’ve seen here is Mueller make very clear that he believes the president obstructed justice. That was true in the report, but his testimony went further. It may not be exciting to watch, but it’s serious.
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) July 24, 2019
Actually, Mueller seems to be getting stronger and more forceful as the hearing goes on. Strong command of details and strong command of legal strategy…. https://t.co/CBiiBLaAAo
— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) July 24, 2019
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Clear cut obstruction of justice………….
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Why is Claire McCaskill on the panel? Because she obviously didn’t watch the #MuellerHearings.
What the hell is Claire McCaskill talking about? Get her off the tv with that nonsense.
BREAKING: #GOP @RepKenBuck gives Democrats the soundbite they need.
Buck: “You believe he committed—you could charge the President with obstruction of justice after he left office.”
Mueller: “Yes.”
#MuellerHearings #MuellerReport
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There you have it, Congress! DO. YOUR. JOB. #ImpeachTheMF #MuellerHearings
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Mike Johnson is a moron. #MuellerHearings
Mike Johnson, Trump did not fully cooperate with the investigation. Robert Mueller testified Trump refused to be interviewed. How is that fully cooperating? #MuellerHearings
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Greg Steube is not going to make Robert Mueller budge. #BOYBYE #MuellerHearings
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BOP!!
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Oooooooweeee!!
Debbie Lesko is a deer in headlights after Mueller’s answer. #MuellerHearings
BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
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Impeachment proceedings must be started.
Who is that guy behind Mueller with the comb-over and arms folded on our right? He seems very annoyed.
This same guy seems more annoyed when the republicans talk but when the Democrats talk he seems more relaxed.
I may have it backwards he may be annoyed when Democrats speak but not annoyed when Republicans. speak.
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In dramatic testimony, Mueller says he did not exonerate Trump
Greg Sargent @ ThePlumLineGS
This headline, like many others we’ve seen, completely demolishes the savvy, world-weary, knowing pose we’re seeing from so many on Twitter today.
The news orgs are getting it right on the big news of the day, despite the efforts to downplay it:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mueller/in-dramatic-testimony-mueller-says-he-did-not-exonerate-trump-idUSKCN1UJ0DF …
Chris Megerian @ ChrisMegerian
Rep. Jackson Lee made an important, but perhaps subtle, point in her questioning. She established that Mueller found that Trump had motive to impede the Russia investigation, contradicting William Barr, who said Trump was merely frustrated.
Matt Gaetz: Just sputtering blather. #MuellerHearings
Cohen: “Is the Attorney General supposed to be the AG of the US, or the consigliere of the President?”
Mueller says of the US.
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Clear cut obstruction of justice #MuellerHearings
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IIRC William Barr said Trump fully cooperated with the Mueller investigation. Robert Mueller testified Trump refused to be interviewed. So William Barr lied to the American people. #MuellerHearings
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Did y’all hear that? Trump refused to be interviewed? But I thought Barr said he fully cooperated? #MuellerHearings
#MuellerHearings Jerry Nadler: “Did you totally exonerate the president?”
Robert Mueller: “No.”
Oh shyt! No exoneration of Trump #MuellerHearings
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Here we go, folks! #MuellerHearings
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Full blown derangement happens before the day ends….
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What?
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