House Republicans Drop Mueller Subpoena as Family Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis

(J. Scott Applewhite/AP photo)

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee dropped its subpoena for former FBI director Robert Mueller to testify, hours after his family revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis to the New York Times on Sunday.

Chairman James Comer had ordered Mueller to testify this week as part of the committee’s wide-ranging probe into the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Comer argued Mueller’s tenure at the bureau, from 2001 to 2013, overlapped with federal investigations into Epstein and could shed light on unanswered questions.

“Because you were FBI director during the time when Mr. Epstein was under investigation by the FBI, the committee believes that you possess knowledge and information relevant to its investigation,” Comer wrote in an Aug. 5 letter.

But on Sunday, a committee spokesperson confirmed the panel would no longer compel Mueller’s appearance.

“We’ve learned that Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify,” the spokesperson told ABC News.

Those health issues were revealed Sunday by The Times after his family told the outlet that 81-year-old Mueller has been living with Parkinson’s disease.

“Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the summer of 2021,” the family said in a statement. “He retired from the practice of law at the end of that year. He taught at his law school alma mater during the fall of both 2021 and 2022, and he retired at the end of 2022. His family asks that his privacy be respected.”

Mueller, who also served as special counsel during the Russia investigation, has largely retreated from public life in recent years.