• House Republicans dropped their subpoena for former FBI director Robert Mueller following news of his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
• Chairman James Comer had sought Mueller’s testimony on Epstein-era investigations under the FBI.
• Mueller’s family disclosed he has lived with Parkinson’s since 2021 and retired in 2022.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, abruptly withdrew its subpoena for former FBI Director Robert Mueller on Sunday after his family disclosed to the New York Times that the 81-year-old has been living with Parkinson’s disease. The move ended a planned confrontation that was to place Mueller before Congress this week to testify about the bureau’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, had argued Mueller’s tenure from 2001 to 2013 overlapped with pivotal federal investigations into Epstein’s alleged crimes. In an August 5 letter, Comer wrote that Mueller “possesses knowledge and information relevant to the committee’s investigation” given his role at the helm of the FBI during years when Epstein was under scrutiny.

Subpoena Rescinded

Hours after the family statement appeared, a committee spokesperson told ABC News that Mueller would not be compelled to appear. “We’ve learned that Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify,” the spokesperson said, signaling an end to the subpoena effort. The announcement underscores the sensitivity of summoning a former FBI director whose health has now become a matter of public record.

Mueller’s Diagnosis

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According to his family, Mueller was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the summer of 2021. He stepped away from legal practice by the end of that year and later concluded teaching assignments at the University of Virginia School of Law, his alma mater, in 2022. “His family asks that his privacy be respected,” the statement read. The revelation explains Mueller’s retreat from public life following decades of high-profile service, including his role as special counsel in the Russia investigation, which dominated political discourse from 2017 to 2019.

Political and Investigative Context

The Oversight Committee’s probe into the Epstein files has become a central prong of House Republicans’ effort to spotlight federal mismanagement surrounding Epstein’s activities and his death in federal custody. Mueller’s long stewardship of the FBI had made him a figure of bipartisan interest, though Democrats were likely to view the subpoena as an extension of partisan maneuvering rather than a serious fact-finding mission.

Republicans, meanwhile, argue that transparency on Epstein is overdue and that questions about prosecutorial discretion and missed opportunities remain unresolved. Comer’s pursuit of Mueller was framed as part of this push to illuminate what the FBI knew and when. The withdrawal of the subpoena, however, leaves those lines of inquiry unanswered — at least for now.

A Career Near Its End

For a man long associated with diligence, institutional respect, and a reputation for apolitical professionalism, Mueller’s quiet battle with Parkinson’s brings a coda to one of Washington’s most consequential public careers. His leadership through the post-9/11 era at the FBI, his stewardship during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, and his later role as special counsel defined his decades in public service. Now, with his health disclosed, Mueller exits the public stage under circumstances both personal and political.

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Does Comer’s retreat mark a recognition of human frailty above politics, or merely a pause in the partisan battle over Epstein’s legacy?

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