Special counsel Robert Mueller, who conducted a years-long investigation into whether Donald Trump and/or his team colluded with the Russians to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, has agreed to share what he knows in a session before Congress next month.
Mueller agreed to testify July 17 in response to a subpoena issued by the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, Judiciary Chair Rep. Jerrold “Jerry” Nadler (D-N.Y.) announced on Twitter Tuesday, according to the Washington Examiner.
In a joint statement, Nadler and Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said:
“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.
“We look forward to having Mr. Mueller testify, as do all Americans.”
Mueller is said to be a reluctant witness, as the New York Times explains:
Mr. Mueller, who has spoken publicly only once about his work, resisted taking the witness stand, where he will face questions both from Democrats eager to employ him to build a case against Mr. Trump and Republicans eager to vindicate the president’s innocence.
Mueller himself said as much during a rare press conference that took place in May, a month after a redacted version of his long-awaited 448-page report was released to the public, according to the Examiner:
“I hope and expect this to be the only time I will speak to you in this manner,” Mueller said on May 29. “I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter.”
However, the Washington Post reports, Mueller, being a former prosecutor, would be reluctant to ignore a subpoena.
Mueller probed the Trump/Russia matter over 22 months between May 2017 and March of this year.
In his extensive report, Mueller and his team essentially provided a lot of kindling, but refused to light the match, saying they were leaving it up to Congress to decide whether Trump’s actions rose to the level of obstruction of justice or other crimes.