Robert Mueller, the former special counsel who led the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, has Parkinson’s disease, his family said in a statement to The New York Times on Sunday.
“Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the summer of 2021,” Mueller’s family told the outlet. “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.”
The Times added that Mueller has recently had mobility issues as well as difficulty speaking, citing sources familiar with his condition.
His family’s disclosure comes as Mueller was served with a subpoena to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday as part of the panel’s investigation into the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, given that the former special counsel served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013 when the disgraced financier was investigated for sex crimes.
“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,” the subpoena letter read.
The House panel has since confirmed it has withdrawn its request for Mueller’s appearance.
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“We’ve learned that Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify,” a spokesperson for the committee told ABC News.
Mueller’s last public appearance was on July 24, 2019, when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee and the House Intelligence Committee over the findings of his special counsel investigation. He has not made any public statements since.
While Mueller’s investigation documented an effort by the Kremlin to interfere in the 2016 election, he “did not establish” that members of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign “conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.” Still, his investigation detailed multiple instances in which Trump may have obstructed justice.
