"I hope and expect this will be the only time I will speak to you in this manner," former special counsel Robert Mueller said in May as he gave what he thought would be his last public statement on his Russian collusion investigation. Yet, here he is, a day before his congressional testimony.
Mueller will comply with subpoenas to appear before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees on Wednesday. But, he's getting mixed messages from the White House and Congress. On Monday night, the Department of Justice sent the witness a letter instructing him to limit his testimony to matters that have already been made public.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler told Mueller he can forget that note because nothing is off limits.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says Robert Mueller does not have to comply with the DOJ letter that tells the special counsel to “remain within the boundaries of your public report” https://t.co/cxAWllPJE6 pic.twitter.com/gkWk701DKD
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 23, 2019
"He doesn't work for them," Nadler said, adding that the DOJ has a lot of audacity to send those instructions because it's "beyond the power" of the agency.
How "arrogant," he added.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says it’s “incredibly arrogant” for the Justice Department to try and “instruct” Robert Mueller in his upcoming testimony https://t.co/loYrycCNOd pic.twitter.com/ZZ580YxnUZ
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 23, 2019
The chairman regretted how long it took to get Mueller before the committee because of the "unprecedented" level of obstruction from the White House. Asked what he wants out of the witness, Nadler told CNN that he plans to ask Mueller some pointed questions about possible impeachment. He'll inquire about the seriousness of President Trump's "impeachable offenses" related to the Russia investigation and, looking ahead, whether Congress could impeach the president and "not tear the country apart."
Mueller will sit before the House Judiciary Committee beginning at 8:30 a.m., and the House Intelligence Committee at noon on Wednesday. We'll be live blogging every minute here at Townhall.