The Justice Department is trying to flex its muscle with yet another person testifying before Congress. Politico writes:
Justice Department officials have communicated to Robert Mueller that the department expects him to limit his congressional testimony this week to the public findings of his 448-page report, according to one current and one former U.S. official familiar with the preparations.
In extensive discussions since the former special counsel was subpoenaed to testify on June 25, department officials have emphasized that they consider any evidence he gathered throughout the course of his investigation to be “presumptively privileged” and shielded from public disclosure.
Even without that warning from DOJ though, all signs indicate Mueller was never planning to go outside the confines of the report. That is consistent with what he said during his news conference in late May. CNN’s Jessica Schneider writes:
Robert Mueller’s spokesman tells me: Mueller has been prepping with a small group from the Special Counsel’s office at Wilmer Hale offices. “If you look at him and his career, he is someone who comes to the table fully prepared and he’s going to be ready Wednesday.”
Mueller will have a prepared opening statement that has not been seen by DOJ, according to the spox. His testimony will be in line with his public statement May 29. “If you listen to that statement, he made it clear you can basically expect him to stick to the report.”