U.S. Justice Department trying to quash Mueller team testimony

By David Morgan and Richard Cowan

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Bourg/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is trying to prevent two former members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team from testifying behind closed doors in Congress next week, when Mueller will testify before lawmakers, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

The department is opposing testimony by Aaron Zebley and James Quarles before the Democratic-led Judiciary and Intelligence committees in the House of Representatives, two sources said.

 

The men were expected to testify on July 17, the same day that Mueller is due as a witness before the two panels.

 

Democrats said they still expect Zebley and Quarles to appear, arguing that the Justice Department has no authority over the behaviour of former employees. But a third source told Reuters that the former Mueller team members were still negotiating with the committees.

 

"We expect them to appear," Representative Zoe Lofgren, a Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, told reporters. "We've got two hours with the Judiciary and Mr. Mueller, and two hours for the Intel committee with Mr. Mueller, and then some time afterwards with his staff."

 

Justice Department officials had no immediate comment and Zebley and Quarles could not be reached for comment.

 

The episode is the latest example of Trump administration efforts to stymie congressional investigations by directing current and former officials not to cooperate with investigators who are seeking evidence of corruption, obstruction of justice and abuse of power in the Trump presidency.

 

Democrats plan to attack the administration's blocking tactics this month with a federal lawsuit. In preparation for court action, the committee on Wednesday told the White House in a letter that it rejected immunity claims that prompted one former Trump aide to refuse to answer more than 200 questions.

 

The panel gave White House officials until July 17 to produce a revised list of objections.

 

House Judiciary Committee Democrats, who are poised to expand their probe of Trump, his family and associates with a slew of new subpoenas, say Mueller's testimony will focus public attention on some of the more disturbing findings of his two-year investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

 

In a 448-page report, Mueller said the Trump campaign had numerous contacts with Moscow, though the investigation did not find sufficient evidence to show conspiracy.

 

He did not conclude that Trump obstructed justice by trying to impede the Russia probe, but also did not exonerate the president of doing so.

 

The House Judiciary Committee is also investigating alleged hush payments during the 2016 campaign to two women who claimed to have affairs with Trump, including porn star Stormy Daniels.

 

"The Dems Witch Hunt continues!" Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday. He has regularly denounced the Mueller investigation while also claiming that the probe found "no collusion" with Russia and "no obstruction."

 

Judiciary Committee Democrats privately met on Wednesday to discuss details of conducting the Mueller hearing and his aides' testimony. Lawmakers emerging from the session said arrangement were still in flux.

 

Mueller, in his first public comments since starting his investigation, said on May 29 that Justice Department policies meant the probe was never going to end with criminal charges against Trump, and indicated it was up to Congress to decide whether he should be impeached.

 

"If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said.

 

(Reporting by David Morgan, Richard Cowan and Doina Chiacu; editing by Bill Trott and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-11

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Trump should do the honourable thing like the British ambassador and resign, you know it's the right thing. (-:

Nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

"If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said.

And they did not say so, which clearly means they believe he did commit crimes. Trump fans can argue till they are blue in the face, but Mueller has made it very clear he was NEVER going to bring charges, regardless of what he found, as he had to leave that decision to congress. Now the Trump administration is obstructing the search for the truth every way possible. IF he had nothing to hide, they would cooperate fully, to enable them to show innocence and put it behind them. Rationally minded people can draw their own conclusions from the fact that they are not doing that.

Put them in jail until they comply. Thats what happens in the normal world.

Of course our Donald will do his best to keep people from knowing the depths of his malfeasance he has his pet ag running interference and trying to intimidate witnesses trying to forbid them from testifying just pathetic nothing to hide nothing to fear eh?

" Justice " Department trying to suppress? Says  all !

40 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Put them in jail until they comply. Thats what happens in the normal world.

Put the people attempting to suppress their testimony in jail and get back to a normal world. 

When Trump claims "No collusion, no obstruction" does that add to his lie count?  Would that be +1 or +2?

all politics - Mueller gave his report as 'his testimony' and still Dems bleat and whine and cry and scream their way to a 2020 loss.

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

all politics - Mueller gave his report as 'his testimony' and still Dems bleat and whine and cry and scream their way to a 2020 loss.

A report, over which others have control and personal sworn testimony are not the same thing.

 

Which is precisely whatTrump

and his lacky Barr fear.

The bottom line is this: The Russians helped Trump's campaign. And Trump's campaign, far from refusing that outside help, was happy to have it.

That is the guts of what Mueller found out.

Trump being the reality TV "star" knows only too well if Mueller discussed these "allegations" and it was captured by TV footage that it would no doubt be replayed on TV all day, and in soundbites that would be distributed on Twitter for maximum viral impact, the damning detail would be far less forgettable.

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

all politics - Mueller gave his report as 'his testimony' and still Dems bleat and whine and cry and scream their way to a 2020 loss.

In plain English: Barr's summary of Mueller's report misled the public.

Mueller needs to forget this stuff and come to Thailand for some good Chang beer and Thai girls...The guy is overworked...his lifestyle can't be good for his health.

Trump is terrified Mueller will become a TV star in a fact based documentary

Dear Trump supporters: how does this broad extended refusal to comply with lawful subpoenas jibe with Trump's declaration of "most transparent administration ever"?

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The episode is the latest example of Trump administration efforts to stymie congressional investigations by directing current and former officials not to cooperate with investigators who are seeking evidence of corruption, obstruction of justice and abuse of power in the Trump presidency.

 2-1/2 years of what Mr. Trumps calls a witch hunt which resulted in  

The AG finding  no obstruction and No collusion. 

The dems want their own investigation! Mr. Trump has something to say about that,  executive privilege!  Under  the Mueller Inv. he didn't use it! Soon it's Time to face the 2020 vote! Despite all the investigations Mr. Trump is untouched

 

 

Reuters is doing op-eds now.  Trump doesn't dictate to the doj but maybe in the next 6years he will drain the swamp and s&p will break 5000

7 minutes ago, riclag said:

 2-1/2 years of what Mr. Trumps calls a witch hunt which resulted in  

The AG finding  no obstruction and No collusion. 

The dems want their own investigation! Mr. Trump has something to say about that,  executive privilege!  Under  the Mueller Inv. he didn't use it! Soon it's Time to face the 2020 vote! Despite all the investigations Mr. Trump is untouched

 

 

The Mueller report itemises 10 counts of obstruction.

 

You’ll be hearing more about these next week so will need more gas for that light of yours.

6 hours ago, BobBKK said:

all politics - Mueller gave his report as 'his testimony' and still Dems bleat and whine and cry and scream their way to a 2020 loss.

Sure.. why not... his testimony has been given, if you like... but now it’s time for him to answer questions about his testimony. Surely that concept (questioning someone’s testimony / statement of truth) can’t be an unusual concept, can it? After all, it happens in almost every legal prosecution, unless the villain pleads the fifth.

43 minutes ago, riclag said:

The AG finding  no obstruction and No collusion.

You must have read a different Mueller report than the one I read, which listed a bucketful of obstruction evidence. 

...the 'Demon Rats' must be stopped.....

 

...started with one of their buddies recently....please keep the swamp-draining' process going...

 

....charges of treason for the traitors......

 

...stop with the fantasy charges for the president.....

 

....God Bless POTUS....the only real president in decades......

42 minutes ago, oobar said:

You must have read a different Mueller report than the one I read, which listed a bucketful of obstruction evidence. 

He disengenuously said the AG. Of course Mueller didnt state that.

 

Thats why the need for testimony. Happens everywhere in the court system. A statement or report is given and the writer then attends in person to answer questions to test the veracity of it.

7 minutes ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...the 'Demon Rats' must be stopped.....

 

...started with one of their buddies recently....please keep the swamp-draining' process going...

 

....charges of treason for the traitors......

 

...stop with the fantasy charges for the president.....

 

....God Bless POTUS....the only real president in decades......

Well I agree he does need to drain yhe swamp. A number of his appointees have been drained but still more to go.

10 hours ago, Thailand said:

Trump should do the honourable thing like the British ambassador and resign, you know it's the right thing. (-:

 

 

agree and pence should resign as well then the supreme court can install maxine waters as president and aoc as vive president

1 hour ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...the 'Demon Rats' must be stopped.....

 

...started with one of their buddies recently....please keep the swamp-draining' process going..

....charges of treason for the traitors......

 

...stop with the fantasy charges for the president.....

 

....God Bless POTUS....the only real president in decades......

Stop the  fantasy of the president. The  fantasy  of treason. The USA despite involving itself uninvited many times  globally has not  been "at war"  since  ww2. Let Trump  declare "war" as in a  civil war and he might have  some legitimacy. Otherwise....God?  help America !

22 hours ago, BobBKK said:

all politics - Mueller gave his report as 'his testimony' and still Dem's bleat and whine and cry and scream their way to a 2020 loss.

Anything, anything at all to distract the general public from the long list of crimes of Bill and Hilary!

17 hours ago, riclag said:

 2-1/2 years of what Mr. Trumps calls a witch hunt which resulted in  

The AG finding  no obstruction and No collusion. 

The dems want their own investigation! Mr. Trump has something to say about that,  executive privilege!  Under  the Mueller Inv. he didn't use it! Soon it's Time to face the 2020 vote! Despite all the investigations Mr. Trump is untouched

 

 

I want what he’s smoking lol

On 7/10/2019 at 6:39 PM, ThreeEyedRaven said:

And they did not say so, which clearly means they believe he did commit crimes. Trump fans can argue till they are blue in the face, but Mueller has made it very clear he was NEVER going to bring charges, regardless of what he found, as he had to leave that decision to congress. Now the Trump administration is obstructing the search for the truth every way possible. IF he had nothing to hide, they would cooperate fully, to enable them to show innocence and put it behind them. Rationally minded people can draw their own conclusions from the fact that they are not doing that.

 

What Mueller could have said is that we don't have the ability to bring charges, but if we did, these are the charges we would bring. IMO if he thought there was some crime that had taken place, whether or not it was actionable or not he should have said so in no uncertain words.