Washington (CNN) House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said Thursday that special counsel Robert Mueller wants to testify in private in order to avoid a political spectacle after more than a year of public silence.

The New York Democrat told MSNBC that Mueller is "willing to make an opening statement, but he wants to testify in private," but that he is urging the special counsel to testify before his committee publicly.

CNN first reported Mueller's team had expressed reluctance to him testifying publicly.

"We think it's important for the American people to hear from him and to hear his answers to questions about the report," Nadler said.

If Mueller testified in private, Nadler said, the public would see a transcript of his testimony.

Read More