Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that any testimony he would give to Congress would not provide any additional information on his Russia probe beyond the report itself.
“The work speaks for itself,” he added.
“Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report,” Mueller said during a rare press conference, his first in two years. “It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony.”
“I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress,” he continued. “In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I’ve said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress.”
Watch Mueller speak below:
Mueller on testifying: "Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report." pic.twitter.com/dsCeqqG9wj
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) May 29, 2019
The statement wasn’t lengthy or substantial. It was a bloody disgrace. He has let himself and his team down very badly.
I know he’s honorable and is doing what he believes to be the right thing, but his actions effectively make him a Republican tool.
We need to see Mueller speak and hear him answer the question. If his purpose today was to dissipate the public pressure for him to testify in person, he failed.
He simply has to be subpoenaed. His Report obviously doesn’t speak for itself, unless Barr has it right. It may be uncomfortable for him to appear, and he may not want to comment publicly on information that isn’t public, but he has to be asked questions.
His report is a tool for the Democrats in Congress. Will they use it?