Posted on 07/23/2019 5:17:39 AM PDT by SleeperCatcher
For the past couple of weeks in the lead-up to former special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony before the House on Wednesday, rumors around D.C. have circulated that he has been — dare we use the word? — colluding with Democratic committee chairmen.
Specifically, some believe that Mueller and top Dems have met to hammer out a way to use his testimony as a way to revive the “Trump-Russia collusion” narrative at a minimum, and the “Trump obstruction of justice” narrative at the high end with the objective of revitalizing the impeachment drive.
Conservative talker Rush Limbaugh has made mention of these rumors on a couple of occasions since the beginning of the month, and he did so again on Monday:
I think what’s gonna happen here — and because word that I have gotten — apparently Mueller and his staff have already been meeting with Democrats, the chairmen and their staffs, and I think the plan, the intention is — you know, Mueller’s made it clear that he’s not gonna go beyond the report. And a lot of people have said, “Rush, you don’t have anything to worry about here. Mueller has said he’s not gonna go beyond the report.”
I think you’re being set up with that. I think we’re all being set up.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenationalsentinel.com ...
1) If there had been anything solid, it would have been in the original report.
2) Anything which comes up now, is likely to be made-up fantasy designed to generate a public reaction.
3) The president can declassify documents anytime he wants, and the declassified documents contain the truth, not fantasy.
I think the Democrats will blunder here, and declass will follow swiftly.
Muke head has always been a slimeball.
DOJ tells Mueller to limit testimony to his public report
The Hill ^ | 07/22/19 | Morgan Chalfant
FR Posted on 7/22/2019, 9:24:06 PM by yesthatjallen
The Justice Department on Monday told former special counsel Robert Mueller that he should limit his Wednesday testimony before Congress to the four corners of his public report on Russian interference.
“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,” Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer wrote in a letter to Mueller that was obtained by The Hill.
“These privileges would include discussion about investigative steps or decisions made during your investigation not otherwise described in the public version of your report,” Weinsheimer wrote.
“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 accommodations that may fulfill the committees’ legitimate need for information while protecting Executive Branch confidentiality interests,” he added.
It was already expected that Mueller was unlikely to speak beyond what is spelled out in the redacted version of his 448-page report on Russian interference into the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump. The new letter all but guarantees that.
Weinsheimer noted that he was responding to a July 10 letter from Mueller that requested guidance from the department “concerning privilege or other legal bars applicable to potential testimony in connection” with the subpoenas issued by the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees for his appearance.
Weinsheimer reiterated statements made by Attorney General William Barr that it is ultimately Mueller’s decision to testify. He emphasized that Mueller should not reveal anything related to the redacted portions of the report — which conceal grand jury material, details on ongoing investigations, classified material and information on third parties.
Mueller, who is now a private citizen after leaving his post as special counsel, is slated to testify in back-to-back hearings before the Judiciary and Intelligence panels on Wednesday, a combined appearance that is expected to last roughly five hours.
In his only public remarks on the investigation on May 29, Mueller indicated he did not want to testify before Congress. He also said any testimony would not go beyond his report, stating, “The report is my testimony.” Democrats eventually subpoenaed him to testify last month.
In a brief interview Monday evening, Mueller’s spokesman Jim Popkin told The Hill that the former special counsel would stick closely to the details of the report in his public appearance.
“As I think he made crystal clear then, you can expect him to stick as much as he can to the four walls of the Mueller report,” said Popkin, pointing to his May 29 statement.
Popkin said that Mueller would make an opening statement to Congress that would not be viewed by the Justice Department beforehand. He also said Mueller would make the public version of the report a statement for the congressional record.
Mueller has been preparing for his testimony with a small group of attorneys from the special counsel’s office using space provided by his former law offices of Wilmer Hale, Popkin said.
Democrats are hoping for Mueller to bring to life portions of his report that paint a damning picture of Trump’s efforts to thwart and gain control of the investigation.
Some have tempered expectations, saying they don’t expect the hearing to yield new information, but said nonetheless that the hearing will be successful if they’re able to shine a light on what the special counsel’s investigation found.
Mueller did not reach a conclusion one way or another on whether Trump obstructed the Russia investigation, saying that the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion prevented him from even considering the question. Mueller is unlikely to answer questions Wednesday about whether he would have charged Trump if not for that opinion.
Mueller’s report also details numerous contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, however the investigation found insufficient evidence to charge associates of the campaign with conspiring with Moscow to meddle in the election. Trump and his allies have heralded that result as vindicating him of allegations of “collusion” with Russia.
Still, Mueller’s marathon appearance on Capitol Hill could generate bad headlines for the White House, attracting wall-to-wall media coverage and elevating some of the more unsavory details of his exhaustive report.
Pause the Republicans have to do is ask him under oath if he has coordinated with the Democrats on what questions to ask and how to answer.
If by declass you mean fifty years form now . . .
I think ti is pretty fitting that the giant piece of crap Mueller was given a piece of crap case to work on.
I wonder...
democrat: Did Trump collude with the Russians?
Mueller: Yes, but I couldn’t indict a sitting president.
democrat: Did Trump obstruct justice?
Mueller: Yes, but I couldn’t indict a sitting president.
Republican: Did you coordinate with the democrats on what questions to ask and how to answer them?
Mueller: I’m sorry, I can’t answer that because the DOJ told me I can only address what’s in the Report.
If they really cling to that, the whole investigation is a joke (which it is).
Why investigate someone who cannot be indicted?
Is there a possibility the Declass has already started? Barr can Declass and the Reps can have most of the information available to question Mule. Mule has been told to stay within his report. Does this limit R’s from asking about his methods and decisions? It seems like a waste of time to get another nothingBurger. The Dems have tricks up their sleeves. Nadler is a snake. Not too bright but vicious. Durbin will be in the wings. He isn’t afraid to lie about anything.
I agree.
However, don’t be surprised when Mueller rebuffs all Republican questions with “It’s not in the report—I can’t discuss it” as his repeated answer.
And weekday if Mueller ignores that mandate? Or only uses it to not answer gop questions?
And *what*
No chance Mueller would contradict anything he claimed in his report. To do so would render everything he has said before and hereafter meaningless. It would also destroy any legacy he may have and reduce him in stature to a common political hack.
Will he be placed under oath?
I seriously expect nothing but bad to come from this. They have had too much time to prepare, and you know that the effort has not been to present a true representation of what took place.
There’s been too much loose talk about the ‘tough questions’ Republicans will be asking. How better to prepare an answer than to anticipate all the questions?
IMO, the first question should be: “Mr. Mueller, have you met with, discussed and planned your testimony with any of my ‘Democratic colleagues’ or their legal team?”
It’s gonna be a frickin’ joke.
“It’s not in the report—I can’t discuss it...”
That is what I have been thinking all along. At least the Repub questions will be on record. Don’t know if that matters at all.
GOP Senator: Mr. Mueller. Prior to your testimony here today, did you meet with any democratic elected officials or their staff members?
There, fixed the problem.
So they think if they have Mueller under oath telling them what's in the report, that that will "woke" the American people into realizing what's in the report.
What they don't realize is that the American not only haven't read the report, but they aren't gong to watch these hearings on C-SPAN or whatever either.
This all for theater and a dog and pony show for the democRATS. Their base wants them to get rid of Trump (like that is ever going to happen) and this is just red meat for the far Left to chew on.
The American public has moved on from the Mueller Report and so should the democRATS. But they won't.
Fine, then show him where exactly it is mentioned in his report.
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