Tipsheet

Jerry Nadler is Going to Have a Meltdown When He Finds Out Mueller Requested Barr Limit His Testimony

Yesterday the Department of Justice sent a letter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller informing him it is appropriate to stay within the boundaries of his 448 page report during testimony on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. 

"Please note that there should be no testimony concerning the redacted portions of the public version of the report, which may not be disclosed because of applicable laws, court rules and orders," the letter states. "Any testimony must remain within the boundaries of your public report because matters within the scope of your investigation were covered by executive privilege, including information protected by law enforcement, deliberative process, attorney work product, and presidential communications privileges. These privileges would include discussion about investigative steps or decisions made during your investigation not otherwise descried in the public version of your report. Consistent with standard practice, Department witnesses should decline to address potentially privileged matters, thus affording the Department the full opportunity at a later date to consider particular questions and possible accomodations that may fulfill the committees' legitimate need for information while protecting Executive Branch confidentiality interests."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler accused the Department of Justice of trying to limit Mueller's remarks and argued the letter should be ignored. 

But it was Mueller who requested the Department of Justice send the letter, not Attorney General Bill Barr.

More from Fox News

Attorney General Bill Barr told Fox News on Tuesday that it was former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team who asked the Justice Department to send Mueller a letter telling him to keep his upcoming testimony to House lawmakers "within the boundaries" of the public version of his Russia probe report.

The letter provoked criticism from Democrats ahead of Wednesday’s highly anticipated hearing, with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler calling it “incredibly arrogant.” Asked by Fox News why the Monday letter was sent, Barr said Mueller’s staff asked the department for guidance ahead of the hearing.

Mueller's testimony starts Wednesday morning at 8:30 am.