Mueller’s congressional hearing testimony could be delayed

July 12, 2019

Former special counsel Robert Mueller’s highly anticipated public testimony could be delayed by a week as lawmakers continue to work out details of the hearing. Multiple sources tell CBS News the Mueller hearing may get pushed back to July 24, although the negotiations are still fluid.

The format of the hearing has been under negotiation for the last few days, in part over a limitation that just 22 members from each committee would be able to ask questions. That would leave almost half the lawmakers on the 41-member House Judiciary Committee no time to question Mueller.

House Judiciary Committee spokesman Danny Schwarz said, “At this moment we still plan to have our hearing on the 17th and we will let you know if that changes.”

Mueller is currently scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee and House Intelligence Committee in an open session next week, in response to a congressional subpoena.

It’s been four months since he submitted his report on Russian meddling into the 2016 election to Congress and three months since it was publicly released. Mueller indicated last month he would decline to testify.

“Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. 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,” Mueller said on May 29. “The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.”

The White House has said that it would not seek to block Mueller from sharing his insight on the probe into the 2016 election.

Olivia Gazis contributed reporting.