"If you seek both transparency and for the American people to learn the full contours of the Special Counsel investigation, public testimony from Special Counsel Mueller himself is undoubtedly the best way to accomplish that goal," Collins added in a letter.
Democrats can cite no precedent for their demands for grand jury information from the #MuellerReport, but there’s a solution we should all be able to agree on: The Judiciary Committee should invite the Special Counsel to testify immediately. pic.twitter.com/TgofQhAb9D
— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) April 8, 2019
The request by Republicans comes as lawmakers in Congress are waiting for the release of a redacted version of the Mueller report - Attorney General William Barr has promised to do that in mid-April, but no firm date has been established.
Congress is in Washington this week, but will then be out of town for a two week Easter break, not returning until April 29.
At some point during that break, lawmakers expect to receive the redacted Mueller report from the Attorney General.
In his letter, Collins suggested hearing from Mueller in the days after Easter, even though the Congress would be on break that week.
"I think we can agree this business is too important to wait, and Members of the Committee will surely return to Washington at such a critical moment in our country's history," Collins wrote in his letter.
House Democrats quickly embraced the Collins' proposal, but said Mueller would testify after Attorney General Barr, as a May 2 hearing was set on the Mueller report by the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
In order to ask Special Counsel Mueller the right questions, the Committee must receive the Special Counsel’s full report and hear from Attorney General Barr about that report on May 2. We look forward to hearing from Mr. Mueller at the appropriate time. 2/2
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 8, 2019
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