News Politics

Mueller Subpoena Could Backfire on Democrats, Say Political, Legal Experts

Key Democrat lawmakers who triumphantly announced that Robert Mueller will testify under subpoena next month about his report on alleged Russian collusion may have played right into Republican hands, several legal and political experts told Fox News.

With the former special counsel set to testify on July 17 to the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, both controlled by Democrats, President Trump’s most vocal critics hope to have the legendary lawman spell out the commander-in-chief’s misdeeds in sound bites that could fuel an impeachment drive. But given that Mueller ultimately found no evidence the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, and his pledge to not deviate from the 448-page report made public in April, the hearing may backfire.

“The bottom line is, after all of your looking and all the time you had and all the money you spent, did Trump collude with the Russians? No – Do you stand by your report? – Yes,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity late Monday. “It is ‘case-closed’ for me. They can do anything they want to in the House, and I think it will blow up in their face.”



Elderly Man Sues McDonald’s, Says Staff Failed to Act Before Wife Was Killed by Vagrant in Unprovoked Drive-Thru Attack
Schumer reveals ‘bipartisan’ plans to reverse DOGE cuts as lawmakers work through funding push
Mamdani announces $2.1M settlement with major landlord as tenants describe ‘nightmare’ conditions
Tyler Robinson Seeks to Upend Case by Getting Prosecutors Disqualified
DOJ urges judge to reject lawmakers’ bid for special master in Epstein files dispute
Cancer-stricken children urge Bernie Sanders to back life-saving pediatric healthcare bill
Hunter Biden accused of ghosting daughter with Lunden Roberts and violating child support agreement
Colbert Reminds Us Why He Was Canceled, Smears ICE Agents as ‘Masked Goons’ Who Are ‘Victimizing’ Minnesota
Climate Alarmist Kamala Harris Buys Malibu Mansion Overlooking the Ocean She Recently Said Was Rising
ICE releases photos after violent Minneapolis protests leave multiple alleged agitators arrested
Reality TV star declares 2026 Austin mayoral run, learns live on TV election is in 2028
Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Virginia nanny’s story, dentist murders charges, Barry Morphew’s plea
Trump: It was ‘very nice’ of Machado to give me her Nobel Peace Prize
Libs Pounce on Trump’s ‘No Midterms’ Joke, but Forget They Seriously Called to End Midterms Under Obama
‘Worthless piece of crap’: GOP blasts DNC chief for equating Trump’s America with Iran’s repressive regime
See also  Byron Donalds took large donations from CCP-linked firm despite criticism of China

In his report, Mueller declined to reach a conclusion as to whether Trump obstructed justice during the investigation, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Although Attorney General William Barr, together with then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein then concluded that Trump did not obstruct justice, critics of Trump believe the report is replete with examples of obstruction that could propel impeachment and even post-presidency prosecution.


Elderly Man Sues McDonald’s, Says Staff Failed to Act Before Wife Was Killed by Vagrant in Unprovoked Drive-Thru Attack
Schumer reveals ‘bipartisan’ plans to reverse DOGE cuts as lawmakers work through funding push
Mamdani announces $2.1M settlement with major landlord as tenants describe ‘nightmare’ conditions
Tyler Robinson Seeks to Upend Case by Getting Prosecutors Disqualified
DOJ urges judge to reject lawmakers’ bid for special master in Epstein files dispute
Cancer-stricken children urge Bernie Sanders to back life-saving pediatric healthcare bill
Hunter Biden accused of ghosting daughter with Lunden Roberts and violating child support agreement
Colbert Reminds Us Why He Was Canceled, Smears ICE Agents as ‘Masked Goons’ Who Are ‘Victimizing’ Minnesota
Climate Alarmist Kamala Harris Buys Malibu Mansion Overlooking the Ocean She Recently Said Was Rising
ICE releases photos after violent Minneapolis protests leave multiple alleged agitators arrested
Reality TV star declares 2026 Austin mayoral run, learns live on TV election is in 2028
Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Virginia nanny’s story, dentist murders charges, Barry Morphew’s plea
Trump: It was ‘very nice’ of Machado to give me her Nobel Peace Prize
Libs Pounce on Trump’s ‘No Midterms’ Joke, but Forget They Seriously Called to End Midterms Under Obama
‘Worthless piece of crap’: GOP blasts DNC chief for equating Trump’s America with Iran’s repressive regime
See also  House GOP revisits Biden handling of Jan. 6 with new panel

Republicans on the two panels will get their chance to query Mueller about the dubious basis for federal surveillance warrants used to spy on Trump associates, what initially prompted the FBI probe that preceded Mueller’s investigation and, perhaps the biggest question of all: At what point during his nearly-two year probe did Mueller determine Trump did not collude with Russians.

“He can’t refuse to answer questions about the FISA application,” Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz told Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham, referring to a request by the FBI to surveil a member of the 2016 Trump campaign under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

“Those are the kind of questions that I think Republicans will be very well prepared to ask,” Dershowitz added. “Those are the kind of questions which are currently under investigation by the inspector general whose report we are waiting for. But those are not in any way precluded. So I think that they will regret having called him.”

Both committees were taken over by Democrats when the party retook the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. They are chaired by two of Trump’s biggest adversaries, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., of the Judiciary Committee and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., of the Intelligence Committee. But both are stacked with able Republicans, including former federal prosecutor and Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe, Rep. Devin Nunes, of California, who previously chaired the Intel Committee and who, as a member of the “Gang of Eight” has seen key evidence still not made public.


Elderly Man Sues McDonald’s, Says Staff Failed to Act Before Wife Was Killed by Vagrant in Unprovoked Drive-Thru Attack
Schumer reveals ‘bipartisan’ plans to reverse DOGE cuts as lawmakers work through funding push
Mamdani announces $2.1M settlement with major landlord as tenants describe ‘nightmare’ conditions
Tyler Robinson Seeks to Upend Case by Getting Prosecutors Disqualified
DOJ urges judge to reject lawmakers’ bid for special master in Epstein files dispute
Cancer-stricken children urge Bernie Sanders to back life-saving pediatric healthcare bill
Hunter Biden accused of ghosting daughter with Lunden Roberts and violating child support agreement
Colbert Reminds Us Why He Was Canceled, Smears ICE Agents as ‘Masked Goons’ Who Are ‘Victimizing’ Minnesota
Climate Alarmist Kamala Harris Buys Malibu Mansion Overlooking the Ocean She Recently Said Was Rising
ICE releases photos after violent Minneapolis protests leave multiple alleged agitators arrested
Reality TV star declares 2026 Austin mayoral run, learns live on TV election is in 2028
Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Virginia nanny’s story, dentist murders charges, Barry Morphew’s plea
Trump: It was ‘very nice’ of Machado to give me her Nobel Peace Prize
Libs Pounce on Trump’s ‘No Midterms’ Joke, but Forget They Seriously Called to End Midterms Under Obama
‘Worthless piece of crap’: GOP blasts DNC chief for equating Trump’s America with Iran’s repressive regime
See also  Newsom blasts proposed California billionaire tax but keeps door open to national debate

Ratcliff is a member of both committees, and is joined on Judiciary by Trump supporters Rep. Louie Gohmert, a former Texas judge; Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., who has used his position to release closed-door testimony of several witnesses from the FBI and Department of Justice.

“Bob Mueller better be prepared,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, told Ingraham. “Because I can tell you, he will be cross-examined for the first time and the American people will start to see the flaws in his report.”

Schiff told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that the subpoena was necessary because Mueller “did not want to testify.”

“Nonetheless, they will respect the subpoena,” Schiff said. “He will appear. He’ll be testifying before our committee in open session. Each of our members will have an opportunity to ask questions of the special counsel. And the American people get a chance to hear directly from him and have their questions answered. So I think it’s a good result.”

Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera said Schiff and Nadler may come to regret forcing Mueller to answer questions.

“I think that the price that this testimony will cost the Democrats will be grievous to them,” Rivera said. “They will rue the day that Nadler and Schiff let their ambition get ahead of their common sense, their political science, and drag this man back into center stage of the American public.”

Story cited here.

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter