# Robert Mueller's testimony to the House **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 26, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082 "2019-06-26T02:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/1 "2019-06-26T02:08:41Z")
The AP says it’s happening in July. > **[Democrats hope Mueller testimony will have 'profound impact'](https://apnews.com/article/5d90622646ae4aa3b3038859ce15a46e)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he expects special counsel Robert Mueller to have "a profound impact" when he testifies before Congress on July 17, even though Mueller has said he won't provide any new... > [@](#): > > Democrats said Tuesday evening that Robert Mueller has agreed to testify publicly July 17 before the House Judiciary and intelligence committees after both panels issued subpoenas to him. > > House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a joint statement that the special counsel has agreed to testify about the report he issued in April about possible Russian connections to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The Justice Department declined to comment. > > Schiff told reporters shortly after the announcement that Mueller was reluctant to testify but agreed to honor the subpoenas. He said there will be two hearings “back to back,” one for each committee, and they will also meet with him in closed session afterward. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/2 "2019-06-26T03:04:25Z")
Here’s hoping Mueller doesn’t fuck it up with a bunch of non-answers wrapped in legalese that bores people to sleep halfway through a single sentence. I couldn’t understand why Trump was so mad the last time Mueller gave a statement. That statement was a pure gift to Trump, maintaining the ambiguity of the report and saying that was that. Mueller, please try some of these phrases on for size: Donald Trump is a criminal that I am not allowed to prosecute but if I could I would. If Donald Trump appears innocent in any way it is because he has successfully obstructed justice. He should be in jail for this and if he was any other human being in the United States he would be. Donald Trump cannot be removed from office by criminal prosecution but the Department of Justice will be waiting for him when his term is up and Congress can make that happen sooner if they choose to grow a pair. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/3 "2019-06-26T04:00:33Z")
Aye; America needs some answers that are that blunt, that direct. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/4 "2019-06-26T06:47:07Z")
It isn’t Congress growing a pair that is necessary. The public case has to made to build popular support for impeachment. The Mueller testimony is just a part of that. There are more things in heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your gonad-based philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/5 "2019-06-26T07:31:22Z")
This’ll be good. He doesn’t have to say much other than yes and no. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/6 "2019-06-26T10:33:27Z")
I think the closed session will be more useful. The televised sessions err to much on theatrics from committee members and non-committal responses from those testifying. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/7 "2019-06-26T12:03:19Z")
Republicans will ask stupid questions about the Steele dossier or Hillary’s emails. What I’d like for a Democrat to ask is this: Were it not for the DOJ policy against indicting a sitting president, would you have indicted Individual One? Do you think you had enough evidence to convict him on obstruction of justice? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/8 "2019-06-26T12:11:40Z")
The question I’d like to hear answered is, “Why was the investigation ended when it was, considering the fact that you couldn’t get the \*target \*of the investigation to sit down for an interview?” ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/9 "2019-06-26T12:18:52Z")
If I were the Dems, I would ask very basic questions that pretty much take direct quotations from the report. No need to be fancy. The idea here is to get the public acquainted with the report and its contents - that’s it. If I were the Republicans, I would probably be the opposite of dramatic; I would probably try to be boring and channel my inner Donald Rumsfeld, emphasizing that there are certain known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown and unknowns. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/10 "2019-06-26T13:18:17Z")
This is going to disappoint. Mueller has made it abundantly clear he isn’t giving anything away that he hasn’t already given. That includes subtleties and clarifications. The obvious killer question is something along the lines of : “If an average citizen had committed analogous acts, would they have been indicted?” The problem is, Mueller’s answer will be “I won’t speculate on hypotheticals.”. I wouldn’t be surprised if this helped Trump by making it appear like the Dems are continuing their witch hunt and finding nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/11 "2019-06-26T14:23:54Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > The question I’d like to hear answered is, “Why was the investigation ended when it was, considering the fact that you couldn’t get the \*target \*of the investigation to sit down for an interview?” It is very unlikely you will ever get your wish as the question has no basis; Donald Trump was never the target of Mueller’s investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/12 "2019-06-26T14:27:36Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > The problem is, Mueller’s answer will be “I won’t speculate on hypotheticals.” This is what I expect (but don’t hope for) but I think the Dems are smart enough to see that coming and avoid giving him those questions, for the most part. I agree with **asahi** that this is just another step in the process of informing the public. Doesn’t mean I don’t like to imagine a triumphantly dramatic Hollywood-style scene every once in a while tho. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/13 "2019-06-26T14:49:02Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > This is what I expect (but don’t hope for) but I think the Dems are smart enough to see that coming and avoid giving him those questions, for the most part. I agree with **asahi** that this is just another step in the process of informing the public. > > Doesn’t mean I don’t like to imagine a triumphantly dramatic Hollywood-style scene every once in a while tho. 😃 Here’s the problem with the idea that this testimony, or impeachment proceedings, will inform the public: Sadly, I think it won’t. Most people, particularly Trump voters, don’t have the luxury of watching these hearings live, which means they must get highlights - from Fox News. Have you ever seen how Fox News covers a hearing that, objectively, could only be seen as a win for Democrats? They just show footage that favors the Republicans. There’s a reason why a woman interviewed at Amash’s town hall revealed she was shocked to hear that the Mueller report showed Trump possibly engaging in illegal activity. She “usually watched conservative news.” I’m convinced the bifurcation of the media is either one of the Great Filters of Fermi’s Paradox, the death knell of Democracy, or both. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/14 "2019-06-26T14:50:14Z")
Bill Maher once described the Mueller report as a, “Feckless Punt”. I expect more of the same from Mueller during the congressional hearings. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/15 "2019-06-26T16:28:08Z")
The Dems’ best chance is to make speeches in between Mueller repeating “the report is my testimony” a few hundred times. Not exactly riveting TV. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/16 "2019-06-26T18:35:02Z")
Trump is having a five diaper day. Maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s senility. [Who knows](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/26/trump-mueller-testimony-1383194)? > [@](#): > > Here’s the problem, Robert Mueller, they worked for him, and the two lovers were together, and they had texts back and forth, emails back and forth, Mueller terminated them illegally. He terminated the emails. He terminated all of the stuff between Strzok and Page. You know, they sung like you’ve never seen. Robert Mueller terminated their text messages together. He terminated them. They’re gone. And that’s illegal. That’s a crime. What a clown. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/17 "2019-06-26T18:55:11Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Bill Maher once described the Mueller report as a, “Feckless Punt”. > > I expect more of the same from Mueller during the congressional hearings. Yes, so far nothing Mueller related has been able touch Trump. I expect this testimony will yeild the same results, but I’d be more than happy to be wrong about that. I guess the Democrats want him to spell some things out plainly because almost nobody, including- no, especially- congressional Republicans has even bothered to read Mueller’s report. Ignorance is bliss if one is Republican. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/18 "2019-06-26T19:47:54Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > I think the closed session will be more useful. The televised sessions err to much on theatrics from committee members and non-committal responses from those testifying. They’re both open as far as I know. > [@asahi](#): > > If I were the Dems, I would ask very basic questions that pretty much take direct quotations from the report. No need to be fancy. The idea here is to get the public acquainted with the report and its contents - that’s it. > > If I were the Republicans, I would probably be the opposite of dramatic; I would probably try to be boring and channel my inner Donald Rumsfeld, emphasizing that there are certain known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown and unknowns. Exactly. I know what the Dems are gonna do. I wanna see if the Repubs can control themselves. I’m hoping not, I wanna see Mueller’s face when Jumpin’ Jim Jordan goes after him. This is gonna be great, no matter how little he says. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/19 "2019-06-26T20:26:52Z")
I hope they ask Mueller about these seven investigations… [AG Bill Barr killed 7 Robert Mueller lines of investigations — 10 days after he submitted his report](https://www.rawstory.com/2019/06/ag-bill-barr-killed-7-robert-mueller-investigations-10-days-after-he-submitted-his-report/) ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082/20 "2019-06-26T20:37:28Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The Dems’ best chance is to make speeches in between Mueller repeating “the report is my testimony” a few hundred times. Not exactly riveting TV. > > Regards, > Shodan Not everything has to be upside-down face-fucking to have an effect. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-muellers-testimony-to-the-house/836082.md?page=2)