Russiagate: Mueller Testimony Delayed, Extended

After House Dems whined and whined about not getting their fair five minutes to ask Robert Mueller the same damn question over and over, House Dems To Nadler: How Dare You Rob Us Of Our PR In The Mueller Show, (Capt Ed at Hot Air), and a few hour when it seemed like the whole affair was off, Mueller relented and granted the House Judiciary Committee an extra hour, a week later than was scheduled, enough so that all the members of the Committee could get in one statement question. Oh joy. WaPoo, Mueller, House panels strike deal to delay hearing until July 24, giving lawmakers more time to question him (30 day pass)

Former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and two House panels struck a deal Friday to reschedule his congressional testimony for July 24, an agreement that gives lawmakers more time to question the reluctant witness about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump.

Mueller had been scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees on July 17 in a much-anticipated public appearance since he gave a short statement following the conclusion of his nearly two-year investigation. The former FBI director is perhaps the one person lawmakers and the nation have been wanting to hear from most.

Instead, Mueller will testify a week later, the two committees announced late Friday, for an “extended period of time.”
. . .
Mueller will testify for three hours — an extra hour — before the Judiciary panel and then give testimony to the Intelligence Committee for two hours. There will be no closed-door hearing.

Morgan Chalafant on Da Hill, Mueller to give extended testimony after appearance postponed

“All members — Democrats and Republicans — of both committees will have a meaningful opportunity to question the Special Counsel in public, and the American people will finally have an opportunity to hear directly from Mr. Mueller about what his investigation uncovered,” Nadler and Schiff said.

CNN,  Robert Mueller public hearing to be delayed one week,

But the committees are no longer expected to hear from two Mueller deputies -- Aaron Zebley and James Quarles -- on the same day, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Democrats had sought to question the deputies behind closed doors about the special counsel investigation.

Fox, Deal struck for Mueller to appear, give extended testimony before Congress on July 24

On Thursday, Rep. Doug Collins,  top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, praised the news of Mueller's scheduled testimony.

"I appreciate news the chairman has taken seriously the concerns Judiciary Republicans raised this week, The new format will allow all Judiciary Republicans to question the special counsel on July 24," he tweeted.

Adam Mill at Da Fed,  DOJ Attorney Says Russian Government Had Nothing To Do With Troll Farms. Really, we were under the impression that Mueller had Putin on tape ordering the Facebook ads.

The DOJ has now admitted that the Mueller report “itself does not state anywhere that the Russian government was behind the Internet Research Agency [and Concord] activity.” Whoa. The judge then asked, “So it is the government’s position that tying Concord and its co-defendants to the Russian government is not prejudicial?”

In the subsequent order, Judge Freidrich wrote: “On May 29, 2019, following the Court’s hearing, the Special Counsel held a press conference…[in which he] carefully distinguished between the efforts by ‘Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military’ and the efforts of” Concord. This, the Judge found, made the criminal contempt proceedings she contemplated against Mueller’s team “unnecessary and excessive under the circumstances.”

Ace, Judge Rebukes Mueller for Falsely Alleging Evidence of Russian Government Involvement In Hack; Muller's Own Prosecutor Admits No Evidence Mueller Testimony to House Postponed

This is a major blow not just to Mueller but to the entire "Russian Active Measures" talking point. As the judge acknowledges, the IRA (which, btw, put out juvenile clickbait mostly unrelated to the election) is a private entity & Mueller never establishes a Kremlin connection. pic.twitter.com/WT2n5nZ5Fy

— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) July 9, 2019

Will somebody ask Mueller about this, now that they have the time? Donald Ayer at the Atlantic, Robert Mueller Must Finish the Job - The special counsel should give us the benefit of his professional judgment on the legal significance of the facts he has found. That's pretty hard in 5 minute increments mostly occupied by congressional pontification.

Politico reports ‘This wasn’t just a briefing’: Pompeo grilled CIA analysts on Russia findings

The DOJ is now reviewing those same findings after Mike Pompeo found no wrongdoing in how the agency concluded Russia wanted to help Trump in 2016.

Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 07.12.19, Joe For America: The Wait Is Over – President Says They’re Going After “Treasonous” Coup Plotters Go get 'em!

Regarding the media's unhappiness with those selected to go to Trumps social media summit, Molly Hemingway retorts:

I see that media who have spent years obsessively pushing a patently absurd conspiracy theory about Trump and Russia have thoughts on which communicators are legitimate.

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) July 11, 2019

Meanwhile. WaPoo asserts that Turkey tried to influence the Trump campaign through Michael Flynn, prosecutors say. It's possible, but the fact that you assert it doesn't make it true. See above.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links.