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“LIMIT MUELLER INVESTIGATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H3838-H3839 on May 9, 2018.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
LIMIT MUELLER INVESTIGATION
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I am sending a joint letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking him to limit the Mueller investigation in two respects. The letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions states:
We, the undersigned, urge you to, one, limit Special Counsel Mueller's investigation to, A, alleged Russian interference with the 2016 Presidential election, herein referred to as ``Russian interference,'' and, B, alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians with respect to the alleged Russian interference, herein referred to as ``Trump collusion.''
Two, terminate the investigative phase of Mueller's authority no later than July 5, 2018, which is the 2-year anniversary of the date on which the FBI began investigating alleged Russian interference with the 2016 Presidential election.
We respectfully request that you consider the following reasoning for our request.
First, with respect to limiting the Mueller investigation scope, the letter states:
You recused yourself ``from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the United States.'' This request does not conflict with your recusal because it asks that you direct Mueller to cease investigation of matters that go beyond allegations of Russian interference and Trump collusion. For emphasis, matters beyond alleged Russian interference and Trump collusion, if any, can and should be treated like any other matter investigated and prosecuted by Federal law enforcement officials and the Department of Justice.
While public opinion must not always dictate justice, it is important to emphasize that the expansion of Mueller's work scope goes way beyond the alleged Russian interference and Trump collusion that was the public basis for the appointment of a special counsel. As such, continuation of Mueller's work scope beyond alleged Russian interference and Trump collusion betrays the public trust on which America's justice system is founded.
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Second, with respect to termination of the Mueller investigation on the 2-year anniversary of when the FBI and Department of Justice began the Russian interference investigation, the letter states:
The investigation of alleged Russian interference began almost 2 years ago. Two years is more than enough time for a competent and thorough prosecutor, backed up by the resources of the FBI and Department of Justice, to do his job.
If no harm was being done by the tardiness of an investigation, that would be one thing. But in this instance, Mueller's tardiness is damaging America. The alleged Russian interference and Trump collusion investigations have taken on the character of an endless political persecution that not only harms America's trust in the justice system but also severely damages and distracts from the ability of a duly elected President to fulfill his duties to the American people.
As you know, America is racking up deficits and debt at a frightening and dangerous pace. Washington public officials must be more prudent with tax dollars forcibly taken from American citizens. Mueller appears to be burning through tax dollars at a roughly $1.5 million-per-month clip. Given the rather paltry results to date, a strong argument can be made that Mueller's investigation is an extravagant waste of tax dollars.
We urge you, on the second anniversary of the start of the alleged Russian interference and Trump collusion investigations, to end it. Between now and then, Mueller has plenty of time to get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, so far, this letter has been respectfully signed and submitted to Attorney General Jeff Sessions by no less than 16 Members of the United States Congress.
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