Ten Questions For Robert Mueller

Someone from Robert Mueller's team of Democrat partisans likely leaked a lengthy list of questions the special counsel wants President Trump to answer.  The disclosure appeared in the New York Times, which labeled the queries "tantalizing" and hinted at a widening probe of obstruction.

Democrats cheered the unauthorized leak from a supposedly secret investigation.  They are convinced Mueller's final report will lay the groundwork for impeachment proceedings against the president.  Democrats have made no secret this is part of a scheme to overturn the election results.

While the special prosecutor runs amok, the Times and other media have never raised a single question about Mueller's ethical conduct or his prosecutorial tactics.  However, at least two federal judges recently scolded Mueller for his unethical handling of the ever expanding probe.

In the interest of fair play, Congress should issue its own list of questions for Mueller, who has strayed far afield from his mandate to expose Russian election collusion.  Here are some suggestions for areas of interest to infuriated Americans who are watching Mueller's investigation with dismay:

1.  How much has your investigation cost American taxpayers?  The Justice Department has refused to release the amount.  Only when a watchdog group sued the DOJ did Americans learn that in one five-month period in 2017 (May 17-September 30) the price tag was more than $1 million per day.

2.  Why did you launch your investigation of Russian interference in the election three months before you received a memo outlining the scope of your probe from the Department of Justice?  Why hasn't the DOJ publicly released an unredacted copy of the memo?  What is the DOJ hiding?

3.  Why did you indict former Trump campaign member Paul Manafort on 12-year old fraud charges totally unrelated to Russian collusion or the election?  A judge chided you for lodging the indictment simply to force him to rat out the president.  Does this constitute unethical prosecutorial conduct?

4.  Why have so many leaks appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post when your refuse to publicly answer any Congressional questions about the investigation?  Are you using your position to malign the president in the media because you have no proof of collusion?

5.  Some leaked information suggests you are concerned about why President Trump fired your long-time friend and confidant James Comey as director of the FBI.  Do you realize that under the Constitution the president can fire anyone who works for him without cause? This is not a crime.

6. Did the DOJ sanction your role in the FBI raid on the offices and hotel room of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen?  Why did you turn over the investigation to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York?  If this was unrelated to Russian collusion, why were you involved?

7.  Was it ethical for a throng of FBI agents with guns drawn to raid the home of Manafort in the middle of the night?  Had Manafort refused to allow a search of his premises prompting the midnight attack?  Judges have reprimanded prosecutors for a lot less.

8.  Wasn't Michael Flynn the subject of abusive unmasking by the Obama Administration after his communications were unintentionally intercepted as part of a foreign counterintelligence operation?  Doesn't this taint your entire probe of Mr. Flynn?  Would any judge allow this evidence in court?

9.  Did you withhold evidence about the FISA court from the attorneys for Flynn during your prosecution of the former National Security Adviser?  Was Flynn advised that a Democrat paid-for dossier was used to obtain a FISA warrant to eavesdrop on his communications?

10.  Recently-fired deputy head of FBI counterintelligence Peter Strzok was unceremoniously dumped from your investigative team in July of last year yet you waited until December to disclose his departure.  Was this part of a cover up to protect Strzok from being fired by the FBI?

The current special counsel's inquiry has far reaching constitutional repercussions.  Unless Mueller is held to account for his deportment, it will set a precedent for out of control, never ending investigations of sitting presidents.  Is that any way to run a Democracy?

Democrats thinly veiled coup attempt is destined to fail.  When it does, it will be interesting to watch if the party changes its tune if a future Democrat president must deal with a special counsel probe.  Constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz has sounded an alarm on the use of special prosecutors.

Speaking to an audience in Dallas, the former Harvard law professor said: "They (Western Democracies) don't appoint a special counsel and tell them 'Get that guy...that's what they did in the Soviet Union."

America doesn't need an unelected outsider to police our Democracy against collusion with foreign governments.  Congress, the CIA, FBI and DOJ are all charged with that responsibility.  The use of a special counsel is a crutch that will cripple Democracy.  It's time to end the Mueller debacle.