Two Illinois Democratic congressmen will be among those asking former special counsel Robert Mueller questions at today’s House hearings: U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg; and Mike Quigley, of Chicago. Watch a live stream and follow along with updates here.
Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois’ 8th District and Quigley represents the 5th District of Illinois. Both sit on the House Intelligence Committee.
Krishnamoorthi said earlier in the week he’s preparing like it’s college finals week. Mueller is set to testify about his examination of Russian interference in the 2016 election — including contacts between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign.
The aim in general is to get Mueller, in his own words, to explain what Trump did or didn’t do wrong. But, Krishnamoorthi says he wants to get a sense of what angles Mueller hasn’t pursued.
The hearing could help determine whether there’s fuel for congressional Democrats to muddy Trump’s reelection chances. However, if Mueller gives some sort of all-clear for the president, that could give Trump and Republicans in general a boost heading into the 2020 election.
Rep. Mike Quigley
Education: Roosevelt University (B.A.); University of Chicago (M.P.P.); Loyola School of Law (J.D.)
Home: Chicago
Congressional district: Illinois 5th
Political/Civic Experience: Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009 in a special election to fill Rahm Emanuel’s seat when Emanuel resigned to work for President Barack Obama. Former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi
Education: Princeton (B.S.E.); Harvard (J.D.)
Home: Schaumburg
Congressional district: Illinois 8th
Past Political/Civic Experience: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. Previously issues director to then-U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama; member of board of Illinois Housing Development Authority, chair of Audit Committee; special assistant attorney general, public integrity unit for State of Illinois; vice chair of Illinois Innovation Council; deputy treasurer of Illinois.