Politics

Mueller To Testify Before Congress

Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller will testify before Congress, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff announced Tuesday.

Mueller will appear in an open session July 17 after being subpoenaed by two committees, lawmakers announced Tuesday night.

“The American public deserves to hear directly from you about your investigation and conclusions,” Nadler and Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said in a joint letter.

Mueller defended the report of his investigation into the Trump campaign at a press conference, saying he found no collusion between Russia and the campaign, and that he would be “formally closing the special counsel’s office” and “resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life.”

Mueller also said that “there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy.” He also clarified that, in the event Congress issues a subpoena for him to testify, “the report is my testimony.” It will be harder for Congress to get Mueller to appear since he has resigned and is now a private citizen.

FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee July 26, 2007 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing was held to examine whether the FBI have misused their power. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Nadler said in early April, after Attorney General William Barr addressed the media, that he wanted Mueller to testify before the committee as soon as possible.

The New York Democrat also called on Mueller to testify in front of the group, after earlier calls from Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the committee. Collins asked Nadler to “immediately” invite Mueller to testify before Congress. However, Mueller is not scheduled to testify.

After Barr announced there was no collusion or obstruction committed by Trump or the Trump campaign, Nadler said that the findings were still unclear and that Congress must hear from Mueller in order to better understand the results.

Regardless of the report’s findings, Nadler requested a number of documents from the White House and sent letters seeking information from people and organizations close to Trump on March 4. (RELATED: Mueller Says His Report Is His ‘Testimony’)

Nadler sent the 81 requests to groups, individual people, and organizations, searching for any evidence of Constitutional abuses and corruption committed by Trump. The New York Democrat said the requests for documents are intended to “begin investigations, to present the case to the American people about obstruction of justice, about corruption and abuse of power.”

Democrats and cable news pundits have continued to say the Mueller report is a cover-up.