Deborah Daniels: Remembering Robert Mueller and his public service

This country has lost one of its most dedicated public servants.

Robert “Bob” Mueller’s life is a study in public service. He received a top-notch education at Princeton. Then, at the height of the Vietnam War, when others were avoiding the draft, he voluntarily enlisted in the Marines.

In Vietnam, he was awarded both a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He left the service with the rank of captain in 1970.

Mueller was later quoted as saying, “I consider myself exceptionally lucky to have made it out of Vietnam. There were many — many — who did not. And perhaps because I did survive Vietnam, I have always felt compelled to contribute.”

Returning to the United States, Mueller earned a law degree from the University of Virginia, where he served on the law review. He was drawn to public service and became an assistant U.S. attorney. After serving 12 years in that role, he was appointed an assistant to then-U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburg.

That was when I met Bob Mueller. I was at that time the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and was serving with a select group of U.S. attorneys who advised the attorney general on nationwide issues.

I interacted frequently with Bob then and after he was named assistant attorney general for the criminal division in 1990. We again served together during the years immediately after 9/11, when he was the newly appointed FBI director, and I was an assistant attorney general.

During those years, I was able to observe firsthand what many others have noted about Mueller: He was an honest, disciplined, focused and fully professional leader who was fiercely dedicated to his country.

As FBI director — he assumed office just one week before the 2001 terrorist attacks—he quickly learned that the intransigent FBI culture had contributed to the country’s inability to prevent the attacks, and he acted decisively to change the way it operated.

First, he had to change the mission from one focused only on response — solving crimes already committed — to prevention. He then forced recalcitrant bureau agents to share intelligence not only internally but also with state and local law enforcement and to collaborate with the latter in working to detect threats and prevent future attacks.

The primary mission became identifying those who would harm us and moving decisively and proactively to prevent that harm.

Many, knowing the rigid FBI culture, would not have believed these changes were possible. But he succeeded, and we are a much safer country as a result.

Importantly, Mueller was first and foremost dedicated to the rule of law and protecting the rights of citizens.

When President George W. Bush tried to persuade the attorney general to reauthorize an unconstitutional surveillance program adopted in the chaotic post-9/11 period, Mueller threatened to resign. And the president backed down.

Thus in 2017, it was no surprise that Mueller was appointed as special counsel to review allegations of collaboration between the Trump campaign and the Russians, and of obstruction of justice on the part of the president.

He conducted that investigation with the same rectitude, respect for the rule of law, professionalism and unimpeachable integrity that had always been his hallmark.

Reading the full report (which I have), one cannot doubt the accuracy of its conclusions, clearly grounded in solid evidence that was carefully laid out in the report.

Bob Mueller was one of the most dedicated, honest, patriotic and impactful public servants the country has ever known.

Well done, good and faithful servant.•

__________

Daniels is a retired partner of Krieg DeVault LLP, a former U.S. Attorney and assistant U.S. attorney general and former president of the Sagamore Institute. Send comments to [email protected].

Click here for more Forefront columns.