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Democrats Acknowledge Questioning Mueller 'Will Not Be Easy'

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - Some are watching old video of his previous testimony.
   Others are closely re-reading his 448-page report. And almost all are
   worrying about how they'll make the most of the short time they'll have
   for questioning.

   Robert Mueller, the Democrats know, will be tough to crack.

   The stern, reticent former FBI director has said he won't answer
   questions beyond what is in the report on Russia's election meddling
   and the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice when he
   comes to Congress on July 17.

   Mueller is expected to testify in front of the Judiciary and
   intelligence committees for two hours each, with time split evenly
   between Republicans and Democrats, though that timing is still a
   subject of negotiations. That means Democrats will have to be efficient
   and targeted in their attempts to extract information from the former
   special counsel and spotlight what they say are his most damaging
   findings against President Donald Trump.

   "It will not be easy," said Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a
   Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee. He added: "We just have
   to be very smart about how we use the time and really give the special
   counsel the time to tell the story."

   Cicilline says he's reading the report a second time, thoroughly, with
   an eye toward what he wants to ask.

   Separately, a Democratic aide said staff members have been watching old
   videos of Mueller testifying as FBI director during the administrations
   of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. They're looking to see
   how he'll act, the aide said, and they have noticed he gives minimal
   commentary when answering questions. The aide was not authorized to
   discuss internal preparations for the hearing and requested anonymity.

   Wary of their challenging witness, Democratic members of the Judiciary
   Committee huddled Wednesday evening to discuss strategy for questioning
   Mueller, along with other topics. Exactly how the hearing will be
   structured is still being negotiated, members said as they emerged, but
   Democrats are expected to divvy up the questions in a methodical way.

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