Robert Mueller, Former FBI Director and Special Counsel, Dies at 81

Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who led the bureau in the decade following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and who later served as special counsel overseeing the politically charged investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, has died, his family announced on Saturday. He was 81.

“With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away last night,” a family statement said, as reported by CBS News. “His family asks that their privacy be respected.”

A Career of Public Service

The FBI Agents Association mourned Mueller’s passing, noting he led the bureau “during a period of significant change and played an important role in strengthening its ability to confront evolving national security threats while maintaining its core criminal investigative mission.”

A spokesperson for the WilmerHale law firm, where Mueller had been a partner, commended him as an “extraordinary leader and public servant and a person of the greatest integrity.”

“His service to our country, including as a decorated officer in the Marine Corps, as FBI Director, and at the Department of Justice, was exemplary and inspiring,” the spokesperson said. “We are deeply proud that he was our partner.”

From Marine to FBI Director

Mueller was the second-longest serving FBI director in the agency’s history. Born in New York City on Aug. 7, 1944, he studied politics at Princeton University and earned a master’s degree in international relations from New York University.

He enlisted in the Marines in 1968, serving two years in Vietnam as a platoon leader, where he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and two Commendation Medals, according to Reuters.

After leaving the Marines in 1970, Mueller attended the University of Virginia Law School, graduating in 1973. He then spent 28 years as a U.S. Attorney in San Francisco, Boston, and Washington, D.C., and three years at the Department of Justice Criminal Division.

During his time at the DOJ, Mueller investigated the Gambino crime family and prosecuted those responsible for bombing Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988, as well as former Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega.

On July 5, 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Mueller as director of the FBI. His tenure saw the bureau shift its focus to tackling foreign terrorists after the 9/11 attacks.

Mueller served as FBI director for 12 years, remaining in the position for two years beyond his initial 10-year term at the request of President Barack Obama before returning to the private sector in 2013.

The Russia Investigation

In May 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel to oversee the investigation of alleged Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The investigation focused on the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign and resulted in numerous indictments, including those of Roger Stone and Paul Manafort, as well as 32 others.

Mueller submitted his report in March 2019, which did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. The report detailed 10 instances in which President Trump may have obstructed justice, but did not conclude whether he had done so, as detailed in the Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Election.

He stepped down as special counsel in May 2019.

Reaction to Mueller’s Death

Former President Trump addressed Mueller’s death on social media, stating, “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”

Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) responded, “I join many Americans mourning the loss of Robert Mueller, he led a career of public service always committed to rule of law. I didn’t always agree with him, but I join many in mourning his passing.”

A Legacy of Integrity

Addressing the 2017 graduating class at Tabor Academy, Mueller advised graduates to live their lives with “integrity, patience and humility.”

“Whatever we do, we must act with honesty and with integrity, and regardless of your chosen career, you’re only as good as your word,” Mueller said. “If you are not honest, your reputation will suffer, and once lost, a good reputation can never, ever be regained.”

Mueller is survived by his wife, Ann Cabell Standish, two daughters, and five grandchildren.