Congressman Matt Gaetz Applauds Gen. Kelly’s Call for Special Counsel, Mueller Recusal

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01), member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement in response to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's call for a second special counsel, and for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's recusal, during General Kelly's recent interview on Fox News.

Earlier this year in July 2017, Rep. Gaetz offered an amendment in the House Judiciary Committee, as well as a stand-alone bill calling for a special counsel. To view the text of Rep. Gaetz's amendment in the House Judiciary Committee and stand-alone bill, click HERE and HERE. Additionally, to watch the video of Rep. Gaetz's offering the amendment in the committee, click HERE.

"Evidence has emerged that the FBI withheld information from Congress and from the American people about Russian corruption of American uranium companies. These deeply troubling events took place when Mr. Mueller was the Director of the FBI — as such, his ability to investigate these issues with impartiality is hopelessly compromised. General Kelly is entirely correct that Mr. Mueller should recuse himself for any investigations into the Uranium One deal.

"A confidential U.S. witness, working in the Russian nuclear industry, began gathering information in 2009. This information revealed that Russia had deeply compromised an American uranium trucking firm through bribery and financial kickbacks. Federal agents obtained eyewitness accounts and documents showing that senior Russian officials routed millions of dollars into the Clinton Foundation while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, at a time when the Obama administration was making major decisions to benefit Vladimir Putin's commercial nuclear program — including selling twenty percent of America's uranium to Moscow.

"Although federal agents possessed this information in 2010, the Department of Justice continued investigating this ‘matter' for over four years. The FBI, led at the time by Robert Mueller, required the confidential witness to sign a non-disclosure agreement. When the witness attempted to contact Congress and federal courts about the bribery and corruption he saw, he was threatened with legal action. By silencing him, Obama's Justice Department knowingly kept Congress in the dark about Russia's significant and illegal involvement with American uranium companies.

"This is utterly outrageous. The sale of uranium requires Congressional oversight because it is a critical issue of national security. Any illegal Russian involvement in the development and sale of American uranium is an unacceptable threat to national security, and any ‘pay-to-play' connections between the Clinton Foundation and the State Department must be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The connections are too deep, and the evidence too well-documented, for this to be ignored.

"In July, I introduced an amendment to H. Res. 446, calling for a second special counsel into the worrisome conduct of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller. That same month, I also requested this counsel in H. Res. 477. I am glad that General Kelly sees the need for a second special counsel, too. America deserves answers, and as more and more worrisome information comes to light, the need for a truly independent investigator is greater than ever," Rep. Gaetz said.