The top-ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee is urging that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III be called to testify before the panel this month.
Last week, the Democrat-led committee voted to authorize Nadler to subpoena the full report and underlying documents produced by Mueller during his investigation into whether the Trump campaign and Russia coordinated during the presidential election and whether Trump sought to obstruct the probe.
Democrats can cite no precedent for their demands for grand jury information from the #MuellerReport, but there’s a solution we should all be able to agree on: The Judiciary Committee should invite the Special Counsel to testify immediately. pic.twitter.com/TgofQhAb9D
— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) April 8, 2019
According to a four-page summary of top-line findings of Mueller’s report provided to Congress by Attorney General William P. Barr, Trump and his campaign did not illegally coordinate with Russia, but Mueller left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr said he concluded that Trump did not commit obstruction.
Nadler went on Twitter later Monday to say he agrees that Mueller should appear before the committee but that the committee needs to see the full report and hear from Barr first in order “to ask Special Counsel Mueller the right questions.”
“We look forward to hearing from Mr. Mueller at the appropriate time,” Nadler said.
Today, Ranking Member Collins called for Special Counsel Mueller to appear before @HouseJudiciary. I fully agree. Special Counsel Mueller should come before the Committee to answer questions in public about his 22 month investigation into President Trump and his associates. 1/2
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 8, 2019
In order to ask Special Counsel Mueller the right questions, the Committee must receive the Special Counsel’s full report and hear from Attorney General Barr about that report on May 2. We look forward to hearing from Mr. Mueller at the appropriate time. 2/2
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 8, 2019
Democrats are increasingly questioning whether Barr, a Trump appointee, was a neutral arbiter on what transpired.
Collins, who has objected to a committee request to Barr that includes grand jury materials, urged a different course in his letter.
“For nearly two years, Special Counsel Mueller oversaw an investigation that issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses,” he wrote. “Attorney General Barr was never a part of this investigation, and instead simply reviewed the Special Counsel’s final report and has provided Congress, so far, with the Special Counsel’s principal conclusions. While he can testify surrounding his decision to provide the committee with principal conclusions, it is Special Counsel Mueller who is best-positioned to testify regarding the underlying facts and material in which you are so interested.”