WASHINGTON, D.C., April 22, 2019 – In the latest edition of Yeomans Work, AFJ Senior Justice Fellow Bill Yeomans writes that the House must move quickly to call Robert Mueller to testify on the findings of his investigation, before Attorney General William Barr’s attempts to mislead the public have even more time to take hold.
Yeomans writes that Barr has already done enough damage by proclaiming that the Mueller report found “no collusion,” then waiting several more weeks to release the redacted version. What’s more, Barr is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in May. Yeomans argues that the committee should skip the Barr testimony entirely. “The last thing the Committee should do is to waste precious time giving this mendacious man another platform to broadcast his false narrative about the Mueller report,” Yeomans notes. Rather, Congress should call Mueller to testify first, followed by “as many of the principal fact witnesses behind the report as possible,” starting with former White House counsel Don McGahn.
Writes Yeomans: “Mueller can explain in detail the report’s findings regarding the Russian assault on the 2016 election, as well as the Trump campaign’s embrace of the Russian assistance; its unpatriotic failure to notify the FBI of the Russian intrusion; and the full extent of the campaign’s contacts with Russia. He can also walk through the episodes of obstruction and torpedo Barr’s suggestion that frustration excuses Trump’s conduct.”
Yeomans adds that testimony by Mueller would be widely viewed by a public that is unlikely to have read the full 448-page report. “Mueller’s testimony will be their introduction to the real narrative and the first debunking of the Trump/Barr cover narrative,” Yeomans says. “Hear the corn popping, as people settle in for a high-drama civics lesson.”
Yeomans Work focuses on the challenges to the justice system in the era of Trump. Bill Yeomans is available for media interviews. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent the positions of Alliance for Justice.Contact Laurie Kinney, Communications Director, at laurie@afj.org or 202-464-7367.