Mueller Has Some Answering to Do
There’s a few simple, direct questions I hope House members will put to Special Counsel Robert Mueller Wednesday. Mueller says his report speaks for itself. Maybe not.
In Volume 1, Page 10, Mueller lists a few reasons for failing to get “a complete picture” in his Russia/Trump obstruction probe and states that his “Office cannot rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on (or cast in a new light) the events described.”
With that in mind…
Q. It looks like your group didn’t examine any of Donald Trump’s income tax returns even though you had a broad mandate. If that is correct, please explain why you didn’t. The returns might have shed additional light on events, or even a new light. (And, depending on the answer:) Did any higher-ups at the Justice Department request that you not examine the tax returns?
Q. From the details and language of the report it appears that you would have indicted Trump for obstruction of justice if he weren’t president. Is that correct?
Q. The report found that the Russians had access to voting machines in one county in Florida but to your knowledge there was no follow-up to find out whether votes were compromised. Several questions here: First, do you know if the Russians penetrated the voting machines enough so that they could have changed the result if they wanted to? And can you tell us who was responsible for following up, and did you ever determine why there was no follow-up? This seems vital as we approach the 2020 election.
Q. In Volume 1, Page 117 and again on Page 185 you say Donald Trump Jr. was never interviewed about the June 9, 2016, Trump Tower meeting because he would not testify voluntarily. This was a very controversial meeting. Why didn’t you subpoena Donald Junior to testify? His testimony under oath might have shed additional light, or, if not, possibly subjected him to prosecution? Additional light such as whether his father encouraged the meeting in advance, or discussions about the meeting with his father afterward.
Q. William Barr became Attorney General February 14, 2019. You submitted your lengthy, carefully written report five weeks and a day after that, on March 22. The report must have taken a good while to write and edit, so it looks like you may have finished your inquiry very quickly after Barr took over. Did he ask that you shut down the investigation? What did he say or do, if anything, in that regard?
Q. As to the redacted sections: If I remember it right, Barr said that you worked with him on the redactions. Did you agree to all or almost all of the redactions? Please explain.
Q. President Trump says he gave total cooperation to your inquiry. How would you characterize the cooperation you got from him?
Q. There’s been some criticism of your staff, as consisting of too many Democrats. What about that?
Q. In the weeks since today’s appearance by you was announced, have any higher-ups in the Department of Justice been in touch, or in any way made requests regarding your testimony here?
And for a few additional questions, see this in the July 22 New York Times.