Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Doug Collins (R-GA), released a statement on Tuesday ahead of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s hearing.
Rep. Collins revealed that the Democrats called in a last-minute “surprise witness”, which complies with House rules.
Robert Mueller asked that Aaron Zebley, his former chief of staff and his top aide on the Russia investigation, to accompany him at the witness table during Wednesday’s hearing.
Republicans are opposed to the request and Rep. Doug Collins called the move an “apparent stunt” by Democrats. He said it “shows the lengths Democrats will go to protect a one-sided narrative from a thorough examination by committee Republicans.”
In his statement, Collins wrote, “Less than 24 hours before Robert Mueller arrives, the chairman is again allowing the committees business to devolve into chaos. If true, the chairman’s unprecedented decision to allow a witness’s counsel to both to advise him privately and simultaneously testify alongside him shows the lengths Democrats will go to protect a one-sided narrative from a thorough examination by committee Republicans.”
“I called on the chairman to hold a hearing with the special counsel nearly four months ago, and a last minute addition to the witness list would now jeopardize whether tomorrow’s hearing complies with the rules of the House,” Collins said. (Continued Below)
The judiciary panel’s top Republican continued, “This apparent stunt is unsurprising in light of the Democrats’ repeated attempts to circumvent, misrepresent, and flout the rules and procedures governing this committees business. If Democrats believe it is the special counsel’s responsibility to testify to his report, they have no ground for outsourcing that duty at the expense of our committee’s integrity.
“A last-minute witness would jeopardize whether tomorrow’s hearing complies with House Rules. If Dems believe it’s the special counsel’s responsibility to testify to his report, they have no ground for outsourcing that duty at the expense of our committee’s integrity,” Collins added.
Catherine Herridge, Chief Intelligence correspondent for Fox News, reported that Aaron Zebley is Robert Mueller’s “shadow” and has been with him for about 2 decades. “He was an FBI agent, chief of staff to Mueller at the FBI. When Mueller left in 2014, Zebley also left and went into private practice with Mueller. When he joined the special counsel team, he went with [Mueller]. He’s someone who has been at his side for about 2 decades, but more significantly, at his side throughout the special counsel investigation,” she said. (Continued Below)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) took to Twitter on Tuesday and announced, “Rumor is that Aaron Zebley (Mueller’s Chief of Staff) will be on the witness panel with Mueller. You don’t get to change the rules right before kickoff, especially after a 22 month, $30 million investigation.”
Catherine Herridge reports:
(Continued Below)
Rep. Doug Collins’ official statement:
A last-minute witness would jeopardize whether tomorrow's hearing complies with House Rules.
If Dems believe it's the special counsel’s responsibility to testify to his report, they have no ground for outsourcing that duty at the expense of our committee’s integrity.
Statement: pic.twitter.com/oCOSHDTnMK
— Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) July 23, 2019
Rep. Jim Jordan’s official tweet:
Rumor is that Aaron Zebley (Mueller’s Chief of Staff) will be on the witness panel with Mueller.
You don’t get to change the rules right before kickoff, especially after a 22 month, $30 million investigation.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 23, 2019
