Trump says Mueller shouldn’t testify

by Emily Birnbaum and Brandon Conradis - 05/05/19 2:10 PM ET

President Trump on Sunday said special counsel Robert Mueller should not testify on the findings of his probe into Russia’s election interference, suggesting the move was an attempt by Democrats to renew scrutiny on the White House after the release of Mueller’s long-awaited report.

“After spending more than $35,000,000 over a two year period, interviewing 500 people, using 18 Trump Hating Angry Democrats & 49 FBI Agents – all culminating in a more than 400 page Report showing NO COLLUSION – why would the Democrats in Congress now need Robert Mueller to testify,” Trump said in a pair of tweets.

“Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion? There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems!”

The position is a shift for Trump, who last week said it was Attorney General William Barr’s decision as to whether Mueller testifies.

Anticipation has been growing for the special counsel to address Congress after it was revealed he expressed frustration with the way Barr presented his investigation’s findings to the public.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) on Sunday said the House Judiciary Committee is aiming to bring in Mueller on May 15 but that “nothing has been agreed to yet.”

Cicilline, who is a member of the committee, during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” earlier in the day said a representative for Mueller had agreed to the May 15 date but walked back his remarks later.

“Just to clarify: we are aiming to bring Mueller in on the 15th, but nothing has been agreed to yet,” Cicilline wrote on Twitter. “That’s the date the Committee has proposed, and we hope the Special Counsel will agree to it. Sorry for the confusion.”

A spokesperson for Mueller in an email to The Hill declined to comment.

Democrats have been calling for Mueller to testify before the committee since they obtained a letter from the special counsel to the attorney general expressing frustration with Barr’s summary of Mueller’s Russia investigation.

“The summary letter the Department sent to Congress and released to the public late in the afternoon of March 24 did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this Office’s work and conclusions,” the letter signed by Mueller reads. “There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has also invited Mueller to testify about his phone call with Barr in which the two discussed Barr’s four-page memo outlining the conclusions of Mueller’s Russia probe.

Barr, during a press conference last month, said he would not object to Mueller speaking with Congress.

Cicilline during his Fox News appearance on Sunday said, “The White House has so far indicated they would not interfere with Mr. Mueller’s attempts to testify.”

“We hope that won’t change,” he added.

Tags bob mueller David Cicilline Donald Trump Lindsey Graham Mueller investigation Robert Mueller William Barr