Adam Schiff: Mueller made it 'very clear' he didn't want to testify but will 'respect the subpoena'

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Mueller agrees to testify under 'friendly' subpoena

Matt Gaetz and Alan Dershowitz react to breaking news.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif, shed some light on the process of getting former Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress, revealing Mueller made it "very clear" that he did not want to do it.

On Tuesday night, both Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., confirmed that Mueller will testify publicly before both committees on July 17 in response to a subpoena issued by the House Democrats.

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Appearing on MSNBC, Schiff dismissed the characterization that Mueller was given a "friendly subpoena."

“I don’t think the special counsel’s office would characterize it as a friendly subpoena. He did not want to testify. He made that very clear,” Schiff told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. “Nonetheless, they will respect the subpoena. He will appear. He’ll be testifying before our committee in open session.

"Each of our members will have an opportunity to ask questions of the special counsel," Schiff continued. "And the American people get a chance to hear directly from him and have their questions answered. So I think it’s a good result. July 17th is the date we expect him to appear.”

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Schiff also confirmed that there would be a closed-door session following the public testimony.